  Earlier fluid dynamical calculations with QGP show a softening of the
directed flow while with hadronic matter this effect is absent. On the other
hand, we indicated that a third flow component shows up in the reaction plane
as an enhanced emission, which is orthogonal to the directed flow. This is not
shadowed by the deflected projectile and target, and shows up at measurable
rapidities, $y_cm = 1-2$. To study the formation of this effect initial stages
of relativistic heavy ion collisions are studied. An effective string rope
model is presented for heavy ion collisions at RHIC energies. Our model takes
into account baryon recoil for both target and projectile, arising from the
acceleration of partons in an effective field. The typical field strength
(string tension) for RHIC energies is about 5-12 GeV/fm, what allows us to talk
about "string ropes". The results show that QGP forms a tilted disk, such that
the direction of the largest pressure gradient stays in the reaction plane, but
deviates from both the beam and the usual transverse flow directions. The
produced initial state can be used as an initial condition for further
hydrodynamical calculations. Such initial conditions lead to the creation of
third flow component. Recent $v_1$ measurements are promising that this effect
can be used as a diagnostic tool of the QGP.
