Posted on 07/05/2006 10:28:39 PM PDT by nutmeg
Stage 5: Beauvais to Caen 225km
Course: The fourth long stage in a row, this one (225km) starts on the open, windswept roads of Picardy, tackles a series of short climbs across the Seine Valley, and concludes with more undulations across Normandy. It's likely that only seconds will separate the race leaders on GC going into this stage, and the yellow jersey could change hands with time bonuses at the intermediate sprints, the last of which is at Pont l'Evêque with 50km to go. A fast, tricky run-in to sprawling Caen, population 113,000, will make it hard for a sprinter's lead-out train to succeed, and perhaps favor a late, solo attack.
History: There have been 33 stage finishes at Caen in the past 100 years. The last visit here was in 1978 when the great Dutch squad TI-Raleigh won a marathon 153km team time trial, but by just seven seconds over the Belgian C&A team of that year's final winner Lucien Van Impe. The last road stage to end here was in 1976, when Italian Giovanni Battaglin took a solo flyer to win by 10 seconds ahead of a 90-strong pack led in by the day's top sprinters, Pierino Gavazzi of Italy, Jan Raas of the Netherlands and Freddy Maertens of Belgium.
Favorites: With both the yellow and green jerseys in play, the sprinters should again be going for time bonuses at the three intermediate sprints and the finish. The flat, wide finish straightaway favors Boonen over McEwen, while wild cards like Austrian Bernhard Eisel and Italian Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Fondital) might play a role.
Graphics by CyclingNews.com
lol! Looks like letour.fr has finally updated the points standings for Thor's relegation.
They fixed the stage results, but I just went there and the overall hasn't been changed yet. It is only a matter of time, though.
Is it still raining? A crash in the peloton but everyone is back on their bikes and the peloton has reformed again.
Check my tagline in #41! ;>)
It's never been clear to me why sprinters aren't necessarily good time trialers. It's basically the same thing, except in the TT each rider is on his own. It's frustrating to wait till next Saturday to get the first glimpse of how things might shake out.
It's never been clear to me why sprinters aren't necessarily good time trialers. It's basically the same thing, except in the TT each rider is on his own....
Ok, so the sprinters just ride with the pack for 99% of the race, then go balls-out for the last kilometer or two, whereas the TT guys are pushing hard for the whole fifty kilometers (or whatever) of the TT.
Another thing about cycling that's always mystified me is the idea of the pelaton, the mass of riders who remain in a group for the bulk of the race. It seems like a gentleman's agreement to not really race until the very end of the stage, at least on the flat stages. It seems that in the natural order of things, there would be no such thing as a pelaton, that the riders would string out right from the start. Is the talent that equal, that the riders really have so little separation after so many miles?
...then go balls-out for the last kilometer or two...
Is today's stage over yet?
Will the overall change? Thor was relegated to 148th, wasn't he, which is the back of the group who finished at 00' 00"? So no change in GC, but he loses a few notches in the points scramble?
They fixed the stage results, but I just went there and the overall hasn't been changed yet. It is only a matter of time, though.
17:05 - 7km To Go...
There are just 7km to go in the stage. The advantage of Dumoulin and Schroder is down to 40" but they refuse to concede to the sprint teams who are giving their all to reel in the escapees.
17:12 - Casper Right Behind Boonen
Boonen is well placed for the sprint, right on his wheel is the winner of stage one Casper...
17:14 - Freire Second Tour Stage
This is the second time that Oscar Freire has won a stage of the Tour. The first was in Sarrebruck a few years ago.
17:13 - Freire Wins The Day!
The fifth stage has been won by Freire who launched his sprint with about 350m to go. Boonen closed in fast but was unable to catch the Spanish Rabobank rider.
Did Hincapie/Landis/Leipheimer stay out of trouble and finish?
Thanks for that pic, leilani, what a contrast! Monty had promised that his trrops would take Caen within a few days of the landings, seems like it took them 5-6 weeks. The Panzers got to the crossroads sooner than expected, and Caen was reduced to rubble in the fight.
Sure did, 23rd, 34th, 49th, respectively, all 00' 00".
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