This was supposed to be Orica-GreenEdge’s stage with a finale absolutely suitable for the characteristics of Simon Gerrans, Daryl Impey and Michael Matthews. The latter is still in the race but he’s creeping, dead last in the overall ranking. His courage has been awarded in stage 5 by the price of the most aggressive rider. He’s injured but keeps racing as long as he can, waiting and hoping for better days. Gerrans and Impey also crashed on stage 3. They went home with a broken wrist and a broken collarbone respectively, two years after passing the yellow jersey to each other. They had targeted stage 6 to Le Havre because of the new finale in the coastal city in Normandy. The road leads to the fort of Tourneville, 140 metres above sea level. There’s a 900 metres long hill with an average gradient of 7%. The top of the hill is 500 metres before the finish. It’s perfect for Peter Sagan to end a long drought. He hasn’t won a stage of the Tour de France since 2013 in Albi. Second again behind André Greipel in Amiens, the Slovakian champion is hungry for more but the German in the green jersey is also likely to pass the obstacle, so are Alexander Kristoff and John Degenkolb, the stars of the classics who are yet to win a stage this year. Before they can dream of winning, they have to overcome the hiccups that might occur due to the expected side wind all along the English Channel as another eventful stage is around the corner. It’s again not a typical one for sprinters in a flat part of France.
3 Cat 4 climbs might mean a change in the KOM Jersey today if there is a break
1. ESPRODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joachim 91 TEAM KATUSHA 2 pts
2. SUISCHÄR Michael 67 BMC RACING TEAM 1 pts
3. POLMAJKA Rafal 45 TINKOFF-SAXO 1 pts
4. BELDE GENDT Thomas 73 LOTTO-SOUDAL 1 pts
5. GBRFROOME Christopher 31 TEAM SKY 1 pts
If Lemoneysam can add the list of the GC contenders overall as I can’t find it 🙂
Quick look round puts Martin as fav to retain Yellow, Sagan 2nd Favourite. Sagan Needs 33s to Take Yellow… might be on his mind.
Back to Yesterday
The Gorilla made it over the line ahead of Cav and Sagan
and here is what he said
“I had the power in the sprint,” said Greipel. “Two stage victories is unbelievable. I didn’t expect that coming into the Tour de France.
“With 350 meters to go I didn’t look so good. I was a bit boxed in. But when I got more space, I gave all I got. It was a tough finish, the kilometer before the last five hundred meters wasn’t completely flat, and there was a headwind. I think it was a pure sprint. There was no lead-out for any of us, it was man to man. Sagan moved up quickly at the left, I hadn’t seen him, but it’s the result at the finish line that counts.”
But yet more crashes and abandons added to a long list of casualties
This was one of the sketchier moments with the Police rider nearly wiping out the Sky Team
For those who are wondering about the GoPro’s here is Sky’s compilation so far
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl-toP0TIuQ[/video]
and for those who need their fix
So off we go, add anything else and lets see how it goes
lol only when I can… just as I’m on the other side of the world and not busy at work so if anyone doesn’t see one please feel free as I’m probably working or away 🙂
My tip, well before that this is a bumpy stage. Anyone whose ridden Normandy knows that this isn’t flat at all. There are some deceptively short sharp climbs and some frustrating false flats too. I’ve ridden a lot over there and I like the rural ruggedness.
Tip (s).. I reckon Cav,
But…
Sagan could be there..
But my heart says a break will stay out with FDJ’s Demare/Roy or Cofidis’s Soupe or AG2R’s Van Summeran/ Bakelants.
Tony Martin said of his Tuesday night… (after he took yellow)
“I couldn’t sleep so well last night,” Martin said in a team press release. “I fell asleep maybe at 2 o’clock in the morning and woke up early again, but it was OK for me. I woke up feeling well, thinking directly about the yellow jersey. It gave me a lot of power and morale today in the race. I hope I can find more sleep in the next nights, or else I won’t see Paris (laughs).”
Is it just me or as you have read that, has Big Tony’s voice in your head morphed into the Terminator 🙂
I wonder what the odds are that the top 3 in GC stay to same to Paris?
Surely, surely this is Kristoff’s stage? Bit lumpy, hilly sprint, it’s him or Sagan for me. 5 years ago you’d have added EBH to the mix as well but his days are behind him I fear and with Matthews done as well it’s a 2 horse race I think.
It appeared Cav was simply out gunned yesterday, hopefully he finds some more in him next time, would be awesome to see him get a stage this year. Sagan had huge speed at the end, just seemed he picked the wrong wheel and Greipel got away from him. Through the stage seemed he to be bouncing up and down the field as he pleased, I hope today is his day, I think the hill at the finish will favor him over the other sprinters.
Degenkolb’s stage today. Won the bunch sprint behind Martin on Stage 3 and is a better climber than most sprinters. If he can hang onto J Rod’s wheel, he’ll win.
Degenkolb’s stage today. Won the bunch sprint behind Martin on Stage 3 and is a better climber than most sprinters. If he can hang onto J Rod’s wheel, he’ll win.
Not someone like Kwiatkowski? I’m thinking more of a punchy climber, someone who can hang in a sprint train then go as it gets steeper. Sagan maybe as well, he’s a handy enough climber and the speed he came through the final sprint yesterday was incredible.
Maybe even Bryan Coquard (bit of a leftfield call that one…)
Well normally I’d be thinking Sagan or Degenkolb but the way Griepel s been riding it could be him. But it will be a tricky finish as a few hopefuls are going to attack up the last climb. Valverde maybe. Hmm hoping its Sagan but think it may be Griepel.
I don’t think the final climb is long enough to dislodge a sprinter in form. Degenkolb won a stage at Dubai (Hatta Dam) with a 17% finish this spring. Dubai’s not the Tour but I think the leveling off at the finish should allow the fast men to catch any climbers who sneak off the front.
Ok, so break out front at 4 mins, still the (now tiring) 3 as before but Bilsen’s just had some Go Juice sprayed on his knee, a rub and a kiss from the Medic’s.
Giant and Etixx on the front digging in harder now to bring back the break.
The coast is looking rather nice has to be said and all’s well in the world.
Yup you’ve missed Valverde having a piss then falling off, Tommy on a half spirited punt to catch his team mate, a seagull shat on the road, but really it’s probably about Teklehaimanot since he’s the first African to take the KOM jersey.
Oh and lemonysam had his hair cut.
TBH, we could all have gone to the same barbers and had a trim too… theres only three of us chickens here. 😆