TdF Stage 5: Pau – Lauruns

Early post as I’ve mistimed all this hybrid working stuff and had yesterday at home then today in the office…

Pau makes it’s 74th appearance as a host town for the Tour – mad isn’t it that we’re 5 days into the Tour and already in the Pyrenees! Last time that happened was about 32 years ago…

A flat run in with a token sprint bonus although with Jasper Philipsen’s current lead in the Green, there’s little point in contesting it too much and it may simply be left to any breakaway to sweep up. Big mountain points on offer and Powless has already made his intention clear for today.

Last time the Tour finished in Laruns, Pogacar won. Of course he did.
Today it could go any which way – major hostilities left until tomorrow with the break staying clear or the GC riders using the steep ramps of the final climb which also has time bonuses available to fire the first big shots of the race. UAE don’t really need to do anything unless they want to apply some pressure to Jumbo-Visma and see where the cracks are.

Possibly a day for Pidcock as well – the climb suits and there’s a fast technical run off the summit down to the finish town, ideal for a lone descender to eke out a gap.

Possibly more a little later but I’ll be on my phone then so hopefully photo maestro @Klunk will be obliging.

Oh and of course a little bit for the geology fans:

Stage 5: Mountain jersey

mmmmm mountains 🙂

Jacobsen after the friendly nudge from Philipsen

Is this not stage 5?

Feels more like Stage 17 to me but yes, I believe it’s stage 5.

lunges a go go for the win! yesterdays finale

Argh, stage 5. Sorry.
I’ve asked the mods to change it…

They’re on it (sorry, that’s what I always think when the mods are referred to)

Déjà des ultras en place au col du Soudet pour demain

?@desELLESauVELO https://t.co/y2NGXMfHI6 via @Neige74300 #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/ljaso7niBm

— Collectif Ultras Pinot (@UltrasPinot) July 4, 2023

Exciting!

We asked G to predict #TDF2023 stage 5… ?

His prediction: everyone ? pic.twitter.com/Po0oxlTHG3

— Watts Occurring (@Watts_Occurring) July 5, 2023

mad isn’t it that we’re 5 days into the Tour and already in the Pyrenees

So true. It’s been very entertaining so far, so I guess it’s working!
Saying that, finishing on a race track is always lame.

Breakaway to win you’d think, but who knows if they go hard.

But there will surely be a break and it will have Powless in it. And Pinot.

I would dearly love Thibaut getting a result. And that clip above must be an omen, right?

powless for the KMO points and Pinot for the win. His fans have been preparing for some time…

Edit – Klunk already posted the “UltrasPinot” twitter clip up there ^^^

Have to be a bit sneaky with CyclingNews as it restricts you to 5 articles a month unless you subscribe (or go incognito) but here’s the prelude to the mountains, lots of “what if…” talk

https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/well-attack-in-the-pyrenees-early-tour-de-france-mountains-to-fuel-gc-skirmish/

startline cheese

and rolling out

Pidders trying to go up the road ? can’t see that being allowed 😀

I thought the little interview with Mark Cavendish on the highlights show last night was fascinating. TLDR You don’t have to be a cyclist to become a pro, you just have to have the right physiology and hit some performance targets. They’ll then teach you all the race craft.

Lafay & WvA trying to get up the road 😀 the cheek!

Big old break, high quality.
Clever move by Jumbo getting WvA up the road and putting all the pressure on UAE.

into the mountains

weather looks grim on the top!

you just have to have the right physiology and hit some performance targets

I’m guessing fat, 50+ and a weakness for cake isn’t on their targets ?

interview with Mark Cavendish on the highlights show last night was fascinating

also the comment about the span rider types of climber to sprinter no longer existing, now they’re  allrounders in the middle ground.

I’m guessing fat, 50+ and a weakness for cake isn’t on their targets ?

Competition would be fierce…..

Competition would be fierce…..

I have been known to ease old ladies off their line and into the barriers to get first run at the last slice of Bakewell tart

Doesn’t look like Powless will be in polka dots tomorrow, so I’ll be even further down the table

Doesn’t look like Powless will be in polka dots tomorrow, so I’ll be even further down the table

Doesn’t look like your prediction of Pinot for the win will be correct either… 🤔

surprised Jayco didn’t offer up a bit of help having their man in third place :/

and why has Wout burnt all those matches for zero gain ????

This is great craic and it’s only stage 5!

Ving drops pog

UAE not looking to clever today

The live tracker on the letour website has given up trying to keep track of everyone!

I’ll be home in time for the highlights though, got that to look forward to. And I’m WFH tomorrow. 👌

Amazing by Ving.

Looks like that is it for pog then. I don’t know how he’s going to pull that back unless Ving has mare.

Looks like that is it for pog then. I don’t know how he’s going to pull that back unless Ving has mare.

It’s only a minute and it’s only Day 5.
Loads more racing yet, including the Alps.

it’s only day 5?