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Stage 5: Beauvais - Caen, 219 km

bobke

I predict a lot of flat tires and a pile-up under 20K to go.

... and I predict the Tornado takes the stage.

lwedge

I know I'm going out on a limb here but I think Boonan will pull it together and not get boxed in and win this stage.

What's with all the flats this year ?

CCFISH81

McEwen again.... yes again.....

^*^BATMAN^*^

I vote for Boonen, he has to take atleast one stage. I think he will stay in the yellow too.

DMF 

Popovych' turn for breakaway.

SaintAndrew

i'm going with anyone but boonen. i'm not gonna get fooled again.

Starclimber

Hincapie...I wanna see some rolling eyes.

climbo

easy...

HDTVKSS

+1. go the 3 peat.

240GL

The sprinter's teams have been working very hard the last few days, and the work horses must start feeling a bit tired. I think that an escape has a better chance to succeed today than on previous days.

pshaw

Robbie to win again!

blue_neon

Robbie's a chance...but a hat trick so early? .

Riders are well underway now, an early breakaway group was caught but another has been reported.

"
12:22 - Three Riders On The Attack

As Geslin was caught (at 19km), another trio have attempted to establish an escape group. We await confirmation of who is involved."


2hours untill the Tele cast begins here!

cuda2k

The break is getting reeled back in quickly now with less than 25k to go. I don't think they'll hold the lead and we'll see another sprint finish. Pulling for Boonen to get a win, but McEwen is just dang fast right now and seems to be able to find the spots to attack from better than Boonen right now.

cuda2k

Martinez of DSC is down, possibly out??!

edit... but not out! Back on the bike now.

lotek 

OY, OY, OY (australioiddish slang for Oi )
Boonen, Casper, Dean. . .
anyone but Robbie puhleeze
(the aussies are getting impossible to live with)

signed,
A concerned Seppo

sunninho

SPOILER: Boonen 2nd, by one bike length, behind Freire of Spain (Rabobank). McEwen finished 5th this time.

my58vw

Top 10
1. Oscar Freire (Sp), Rabobank
2. Tom Boonen (B), Quick Step-Innergetic, same time
3. Inaki Isasi (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, s.t.
4. David Kopp (G), Gerolsteiner, s.t.
5. Robbie Mc Ewen (Aus), Davitamon-Lotto, s.t.
6. Alessandro Ballan (I), Lampre, s.t.
7. Thor Hushovd (Nor), Crédit Agricole, s.t.
8. Francisco Ventoso (Sp), Saunier Duval, s.t.
9. Erik Zabel (G), Milram, s.t.
10. Bernhard Eisel (A), Française des Jeux, s.t.

Overall
1. Tom Boonen (B), Quick Step-Innergetic
2. Michael Rogers (Aus), T-Mobile, at 0:13
3. Oscar Freire (Sp), Rabobank, at 0:17
4. George Hincapie (USA), Discovery Channel, s.t.
5. Thor Hushovd (Nor), Crédit Agricole, at 0:19
6. Robbie Mc Ewen (Aus), Davitamon-Lotto, at 0:24
7. Paolo Savoldelli (I), Discovery Channel, at 0:27
8. Floyd Landis (USA), Phonak, at 0:28
9. Vladimir Karpets (Rus), Caisse d'Epargne-I.B., at 0:29
10. Serhiy Honchar (Ukr), T-Mobile, sd.t.


HINCAPIE IN 4TH?

cuda2k

Oscar moved up with his time bonuses from winning the stage it looks like. Everyone is so packed together in GC that 6-7seconds bonus moves riders 20 spots it seems. The ITT will hopefully shuffle things around a bit and put some bigger gaps to be tested in the mountains.

godspiral

at 50k to go with a 5 minute lead, and slowing down, and news that the pack has 3 teams leading the chase, why keep trying?

my58vw

True, I was not thinking of the time bonuses.

Thank You

steveh2

I was hoping the breakaway would succeed, to keep the first and second place bonuses out of Boonen's hand, and thus keep Zabriskie closer to the top before Saturday. Then again, he should be able to beat Booned by 35 seconds in the ITT, though I'm not sure if he'll beat the other TT specialists who are also in the top 20.

Thylacine

I predict Rogers in Yellow by the end of the ITT. (That ones' just for you, Lotek!)

HDTVKSS

to prevent counter attacks by other teams.

adamastor

Sorry couldn't resist