Professional Cycling - TdF Stage 5 - Wednesday July 8 - 197 km - Le Cap d'Agde → Perpignan

Did Columbia design the first three real stages? lol.

Did Columbia design the first three real stages? lol.

Wow. Sure has "Cavendish" written all over it.

Some hills, keeps everyone together except for a breakaway maybe, then a nice flat shot after a downhill to catch them, then blamo sprint finish. When's the mountains coming?

I guess you could get some interesting wind from the water..

Surely another team other than Columbia will pull out all stops to win this before the mountains and an eighth of the field drops out.

Surely another team other than Columbia will pull out all stops to win this before the mountains and an eighth of the field drops out.

My thinking too. Maybe Farrar or Thor.

You think Columbia's lead-out men may be a little pooped after today?

What would be cool is if 6km to go, Fabian Cancellara attacks and time trials to the finish to win by a few seconds.

That would juice up the media!!

What would be cool is if 6km to go, Fabian Cancellara attacks and time trials to the finish to win by a few seconds.

That would juice up the media!!

With a lead-out from 12km by Jens?

4:55 PM, CET, we'll be near mile marker 178. Smile for the camera.. SurferBruce. are you following the Tour..

My thinking too. Maybe Farrar or Thor.



yeah spot on! Did you notice Farrar quit from helping his team in TTT today very early (1st to drop on GSM)? i guess they are saving him for tomorrow to be fresh. IMHO i don't see Cavendish winning tomorrow. Farrar or Feillu maybe and Thor that would be battle imho. One more guy was riding low wasn't involved in sprints so far Bennati but after today LIQ effort i think he might pass this sprint also but everybody should keep an eye on him.

Breakaways are going to be interesting - looking at the GC there's five different Astana guys who could take yellow just by getting into a decent breakaway. Saxo's going to have their work cut out for them...

I wouldn't count on Astana attacking tomorrow. I would be shocked.

Richard

I wonder if Boonen makes an appearance tomorrow...hmmm

4:55 PM, CET, we'll be near mile marker 178. Smile for the camera.. SurferBruce. are you following the Tour..

Mile marker? :eek:

yeah spot on! Did you notice Farrar quit from helping his team in TTT today very early (1st to drop on GSM)? i guess they are saving him for tomorrow to be fresh. IMHO i don't see Cavendish winning tomorrow. Farrar or Feillu maybe and Thor that would be battle imho. One more guy was riding low wasn't involved in sprints so far Bennati but after today LIQ effort i think he might pass this sprint also but everybody should keep an eye on him.

Interesting analysis. I think Boonen looked pretty spent at the end also.

I still think Cavendish...even though his team has expended a ton of effort the past 2 days.

Did Columbia design the first three real stages? lol.


The tour always (in my memory) starts with a week of flats for the sprinters, otherwise they don't get a story. The coverage gets every one excited over a couple of seconds differences in the GC then BOOM, the race hits the mountains and they (sprinters) vanish like a wisp. Does anyone remember a sprinter other than McEwen and Zabel that actually finished? :innocent:

I don't really care for Mark C. but I hope he finishes because he is such a great sprinter.

...BOOM, the race hits the mountains and they (sprinters) vanish like a wisp. Does anyone remember a sprinter other than McEwen and Zabel that actually finished? :innocent:Aren't you forgetting Freire and Thor the God of Thunder?

The tour always (in my memory) starts with a week of flats for the sprinters, otherwise they don't get a story. The coverage gets every one excited over a couple of seconds differences in the GC then BOOM, the race hits the mountains and they (sprinters) vanish like a wisp. Does anyone remember a sprinter other than McEwen and Zabel that actually finished? :innocent:

I do:

Going out on a limb here I know, but. Regardless of who wins the sprint, I see Astana rotating through the field in 2-3 groups of 2-4 so that any breakaway group contains Astana's new yellow jersey wearer. Only if Fabian is in that group or the entire field finishes together can it go any other way.

The eventuality, starting tomorrow, is Astana have the goal in their hands and everyone else trying to wrest it from the grip of a team that knows how to control things.

Going out on a limb here I know, but. Regardless of who wins the sprint, I see Astana rotating through the field in 2-3 groups of 2-4 so that any breakaway group contains Astana's new yellow jersey wearer. Only if Fabian is in that group or the entire field finishes together can it go any other way.

The eventuality, starting tomorrow, is Astana have the goal in their hands and everyone else trying to wrest it from the grip of a team that knows how to control things.

Well said. I couldn't agree more.

I think if Cav is anywhere near the the main sprinters with at least 1 lead out man in the last 1k he will take it.

um, wtf is ben stiller doing giving out the yellow jersey and saying he's the "king of the mountains"?!?

He said he met Lance during Dodgeball and has been a fan for years blah blah blah.

I really wish they'd keep celebrities away from this. They get enough perks as it is, now go away, this is cycling, not hollywood.

I really wish they'd keep celebrities away from this. They get enough perks as it is, now go away, this is cycling, not hollywood.

I agree, I don't like the self promo aspect of them being there, but there are also plenty of celebs that are into cycling. Really no different then seeing them at basketball, baseball, or football stadiums watching the game.

nice stretched out peloton right now, hope there's a fun split when they get to the coast, eh?

I agree, I don't like the self promo aspect of them being there, but there are also plenty of celebs that are into cycling. Really no different then seeing them at basketball, baseball, or football stadiums watching the game.

Yeah, I know..... I'm just SO hollywood-fatigued, I just wished the French were a little above the silly celeb-worship and keep them out, you know? I expect it in American sports, but =P

nice stretched out peloton right now, hope there's a fun split when they get to the coast, eh?

Man.. they are FLYING now!

Yeah, I know..... I'm just SO hollywood-fatigued, I just wished the French were a little above the silly celeb-worship and keep them out, you know? I expect it in American sports, but =P

I hear ya. It seems that LA always has a Hollywood entourage with him at the Tour.

Here comes the split

boonen picked a bad time to have a flat....

Lancelot in the front split. Man! everyone is suffering badly

I hear ya. It seems that LA always has a Hollywood entourage with him at the Tour.

Stiller was a guest of ASO, not Armstrong. They are friendly, admittedly, but Astana took time with stiller because ASO invited him, not Armstrong.

boonen picked a bad time to have a flat....

I know... what was he THINKING?! lol!

But hey, Evans made the split. Good for him. He can maintain his deficit.

EDIT: Bad info, Contador in front group.

No, Contador did, he was just on LA's wheel.

I'm following the tracker for Eurosports online, so I should probably not try to post updates LOL sorry.

I'm following the tracker for Eurosports online, so I should probably not try to post updates LOL sorry.

lol.... it's hard to follow with just audio and occasional video peeks!

Yeah, I know..... I'm just SO hollywood-fatigued, I just wished the French were a little above the silly celeb-worship and keep them out, you know? I expect it in American sports, but =P

There are tens of thousands of non cyclists watching this tour because Armstrong is in it again. Having a face that they know (Ben) is a good thing IMHO.

lol.... it's hard to follow with just audio and occasional video peeks!


Yeah we dont get streaming at work. I wish I could see this. When the peloton splinters, and theres true "do or die" riding going on before it even gets into the mountains... to me that's really exciting.

Yeah we dont get streaming at work. I wish I could see this. When the peloton splinters, and theres true "do or die" riding going on before it even gets into the mountains... to me that's really exciting.

yeah.... you can't get the vs. stream? you don't need to pay, it's free and commercial free.

Spartacus rocks!

yeah.... you can't get the vs. stream? you don't need to pay, it's free and commercial free.


They block almost all streams. I can watch the tracker part, but not the video. And the vs. tracker isnt as good as eurosports in terms of updates and details, especially through the firewall here. I might be able to get it on my phone. I could try that maybe.

hi
if you were going to bet on someone in this who would it be?
cavendish is strong odds on favourite at the moment @ 1/2. is he that much better than the rest to the point where he wins this race 2 of every 3 times?
thx for any help

They block almost all streams. I can watch the tracker part, but not the video. And the vs. tracker isnt as good as eurosports in terms of updates and details, especially through the firewall here. I might be able to get it on my phone. I could try that maybe.

Well, go here -> http://www.cyclingfans.com/

there's tons of different stream links, update links, and an audio link or two. Audio would be best if you can't get video... Good luck!!!

Astana is doing a lot of work today up front. What is the conspiracy theory behind that?:D