2013 Tour de France, Stage 5: Cagnes-sur-Mer→Marseille (229 Km)

[jens_attacks]

jens voigt's stage

 

[tomorrow]

Both Cav and Greipel will 'easily' hang on over the climb. Kittel is a different story...

well, I wouldn't be so sure, cav(even with antibiotics) was dropped very easilly in both 2nd and 3d stage, in 2nd even earlier than kittel, greipel seem a little bit stronger than those other two, but still, the route seems quite bumpy and also quite long. That might very easily tire the sprinters. Again, everything will depend on the pace in the last 40 - 50 kms. However, from what I've seen so far, I'am a little bit in favour between Sagan-Gerrans(or some similar type) compared to Cav-Greipel-Sagan fight. But both are possible. Imho, it will definately not go for a break, Orica is on a roll, and also they beat Sagan on Monday, so they will not be so afraid of him and chase instead of Cannondale, which doesn't seem to have enough fire power to do that. If the sprinters are there, then OPQS would chase it themselves, without even need the help of Lotto and Orica.

EDIT: or another possibility, sagan get's fed up of 2nd places and goes ALL IN with GW like performance.

 

[Ruby United]

Surely not breakaway. Greipel, Cavendish, Sagan, everybody wants first win and Orica will work as well for Goss and yellow jersey.

What about Gerrans.

He outsprinted (kind off) Sagan, and for the yellow jersey to win a 2nd stage will be amazing.

Or will they just keep him safe?

 

[ILovecycling]

Greipel ftw

 

[mr. tibbs]

Hoping for someone like Chava. A poster on today's stage's write-up mentioned Burghardt, too. One of those guys would be great.

Hard to look past the sprinters, though.

 

[taiwan]

Greipel is a good shout. Sick Cav and Kittel should get shelled because the stage is so up and down. Kristoff is the relevant rider who hasn't been mentioned yet one of those two or
Sagan but I reckon Gerrans or Albasini might have a go on the final climb.

 

[Orbit501]

After today and yesterday it has to be..........Goss FTW

Oh ok then, I'll be sensible. If he's there at the finish then I wonder who he'll come 2nd to this time? Not Kittel that's for sure

 

[Erythropoietin]

Who will sprint for Lampre? Ferrari or Cimolai?
Danny van Poppel will be Vacansoleil's man again?
Will Lobato, Arashiro and Gallopin bother trying? Other potential top 10s?

 

[Le breton]

The green part will pretty much neutralize the climb imo.
.

Except for one thing : a stretched peloton fighting the side wind.

I would have thought there might be wind at that time of day considering that the road is quite near the sea.
Forecast says no wind
http://france.meteofrance.com/franc...ET.path=previsionsdept/DEPT13/20130702210000T

but, we will see.

 

[Paimpont]

how about Navardauskas, won a similar stage in the Giro, or home town boy El Fares?

 

[Roderick]

Should be Greipel's stage

 

[Wilba60]

"The team has a duel focus tomorrow. Gerrans will be one of two protected riders on stage five as the team.

“Tomorrow we go back to targeting a result for Gossy [Matt Goss],” White added. “We’ll look after Simon at the same time. Other teams will want to keep the race together for a bunch sprint, so we’ll have help there. Ideally, we can take the yellow jersey all the way to the Pyrenees but we’re taking it one day at a time.”

Don't write off Goss for an OGE triple. He is going well and now the pressure of winning a TdF stage for Orica is over, he will be more relaxed. Gerro will stay with Sagan and I think their 3rd card to play will be Albasini who might jump away near the finish if any dangerous breakaways go.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Except for one thing : a stretched peloton fighting the side wind.

I would have thought there might be wind at that time of day considering that te road is quite near the sea.
Forecast says no wind
http://france.meteofrance.com/franc...ET.path=previsionsdept/DEPT13/20130702210000T

but, we will see.

well, if stage is raced hard (not just the last 30km), this could be a lot of fun in any case.

Perfect break opportunity for serious riders on Côte de Châteauneuf-Grasse, but it will take will and ambition. Voigt, Taramae, Gesink, De Gendt, Navardaukas, Dupont, Hivert, Roy etc all at +10 minutes or so already.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Just a real shame they aren't finishing at the Place du Mistral, on the cobbles. I can understand why they don't though. Very dangerous area.

 

[manafana]

interesting point about kittel, he really doesnt like climbing.

 

[EvansIsTheBest]

Anyone know why that very last climb is not categorised when it looks identical to the climb before it that is a Cat 4??

Europcar put pressure on ASO as they didn't want Rolland to attack for KOM points on the last climb, drop everybody and solo to yellow already

 

[orangerider]

Roberto Ferrari takes it.

 

[DenisMenchov]

interesting point about kittel, he really doesnt like climbing.

I think he loves it. That's when he can take it easy.

 

[TANK91]

"The team has a duel focus tomorrow. Gerrans will be one of two protected riders on stage five as the team.

“Tomorrow we go back to targeting a result for Gossy [Matt Goss],” White added. “We’ll look after Simon at the same time. Other teams will want to keep the race together for a bunch sprint, so we’ll have help there. Ideally, we can take the yellow jersey all the way to the Pyrenees but we’re taking it one day at a time.”

Don't write off Goss for an OGE triple. He is going well and now the pressure of winning a TdF stage for Orica is over, he will be more relaxed. Gerro will stay with Sagan and I think their 3rd card to play will be Albasini who might jump away near the finish if any dangerous breakaways go.

No way lol, Goss has been awful foor some time.

 

[uconnryan]

Jensie in a solo effort since he doesn't have protecting yellow duties anymore. Next stage please.

 

[Jancouver]

Bunch sprint ...

1. Gorilla
2. Hulk
3. Flowerboy

 

[badboyberty]

Degenkolb will grab it, Sagan, Goss and Kristoff in the mix. Stage is too hilly for the big engines, not hilly enough to give clear advantage to Sagan. And a Degenkolb victory would really help my Velogames team's scores....

 

[jaylew]

Another vote for the Gorilla

 

[Ferminal]

Sagan will be pretty furious not to have a win so far. I expect De Marchi to come out and set a brutal tempo on the final "climb". Half of it is descent which Sagan can manage himself, by the time it straightens out the other trains will take over. The problem is, with only a 400m finishing straight he may get Impey'd again. A headwind would help.

 

[hfer07]

Chavanel in yellow after an spectacular solo win