Stage 5 Châteauneuf-du-Pape -> La Montagne de Lure 176 km, Friday 8th March

[garyhoop1]

Videos

Here are videos from Paris - Nice so far including todays stage 5: http://bit.ly/XJaCmp

 

[Pricey_sky]

Nice win from Porte, great to see Menchov stay ahead of the leading pack for 2nd too!

Not sure if the main GC group were all knakered or just lost time stupidly by looking around at each other for the final 1k. I only thought Porte would get 10-15 seconds but got over half a minute.

 

[MatParker117]

Talansky takes the Sprinters Jersey from Viviani, other classifications unchanged.

 

[RHRH19861986]

In fact, a good sign that Menchov was strong today. Him and Evans are still alive, also Scarponi, while Klöden and especially Basso show weakness.

Voigt as usual, he could stay WT rider until 45 if he wanted to.

So now let´s wait for Grandpa Horner.

 

[hayzer114]

Whats tomorrows stage like? Can it shake up the GC or has Porte got it in the bag?

 

[The Hitch]

Whats tomorrows stage like? Can it shake up the GC or has Porte got it in the bag?

Porte has it in the bag.

 

[burning]

Whats tomorrows stage like? Can it shake up the GC or has Porte got it in the bag?

Nothing will happen tomorrow GCwise

 

[MatParker117]

Whats tomorrows stage like? Can it shake up the GC or has Porte got it in the bag?

Barring a crash Porte has it in the bag as he's the best time trialist in the peloton.

 

[Lanark]

Whats tomorrows stage like? Can it shake up the GC or has Porte got it in the bag?

Nothing will happen tomorrow. Sunday there's an ITT on the Col D'Eze, that could create some gaps, but not enough to threaten Porte.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Whats tomorrows stage like? Can it shake up the GC or has Porte got it in the bag?

A couple of Cat 1 climbs halfway through but last 30km's are nothing special. Sky will probably be wise just to let a break go and take it.

 

[Ferminal]

Quintana will win by 10 minutes tomorrow.

 

[staubsauger]

Sky is so laughable. As a captain Porte is suddenly able to jump away on a mtf

Hell, Mentsjoev second after yesterday's leaked information. Horrible. Pure pain.

Blanco should've tried to send Boom and Slagter as captains to P-N. Gesink, what a joke.

Porte should be able to win this now.
Although Westra did put about 1 1/2 minute on Porte at Col d' Eze last year. So there's still some desperate hope for the Dutch mafia

 

[Gloin22]

Quintana will win by 10 minutes tomorrow.

More than 10 minutes surely after the build up he had for this race

Along with Gesink of course

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Well, last year Westra took 1'42 out of Porte in the final TT, Westra has got this in the bag for sure

No, in reality, I think we all know why Sky has been going so well lately. It's to ensure the natural law that Westra will always be 2nd. Last year it took Wiggins, now it's Porte.

 

[Angliru]

Jut in time for world domination!

I think I'm going to be sick!

 

[airstream]

I think I'm going to be sick!

It suits you perfectly, dear fan of domination.

 

[staubsauger]

Well, last year Westra took 1'42 out of Porte in the final TT, Westra has got this in the bag for sure

No, in reality, I think we all know why Sky has been going so well lately. It's to ensure the natural law that Westra will always be 2nd. Last year it took Wiggins, now it's Porte.

So it's about looking forward which rider will be ahead of Westra in De Panne.

 

[theyoungest]

I lolled. You know he will. probably top 3 tomorrow.

It seems I was too conservative in my guesstimate: instead of "he won't make the top-20" I should have said "he won't make the top-30".

I don't know what's wrong with Gesink, but I saw this coming. He just looked like crap the last few days.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It seems I was too conservative in my guesstimate: instead of "he won't make the top-20" I should have said "he won't make the top-30".

I don't know what's wrong with Gesink, but I saw this coming. He just looked like crap the last few days.

Yep you were right, he was absolutely nowhere. Already early on the climb you could see it.

Still wonder why he could follow/beat similar names just days ago in Murcia and now can't even follow the likes of Grivko...

 

[airstream]

Overly strange move from Gesink. Wouldn't it be easier to drop at once? I'm worried about his Giro perspectives.

 

[theyoungest]

Yep you were right, he was absolutely nowhere. Already early on the climb you could see it.

Still wonder why he could follow/beat similar names just days ago in Murcia and now can't even follow the likes of Grivko...

No recovery anymore? Or maybe he's just sick, was he rooming with Stef Clement?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I lolled. You know he will. probably top 3 tomorrow.

painful again...

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Yep you were right, he was absolutely nowhere. Already early on the climb you could see it.

Still wonder why he could follow/beat similar names just days ago in Murcia and now can't even follow the likes of Grivko...

very simple, this isn;t murcia, this is p-n the level is muc higher, gesink was probably in early oman shape anyway

 

[Potomac]

Very impressive win from Porte today. Hopefully Talansky learned something from it.

Sky is too strong a team for Porte get isolated and lose anytime on the run in Saturday.

Sunday's uphill time trial should be exciting.

 

[wwabbit]

So this "Sky Train" strategy thingy seems to work out well. Just wondering why if it's that great why isn't everyone doing it?