Stage 5: Ieper (Ypres) – Arenberg/Porte du Hainaut: 155.5km, cobbles
Overview :
Welcome to what is without any doubt the most anticipated stage of the whole Tour. In my opinion, this stage lacks something to make a real impact, namely 50 extra km, at least 10 of which should be cobbled. Now we have a stage that’s not even an espoir-race length, sprinkled with some easy-ish or truncated difficult “secteurs paves”.
Predictions:
Some crashes during the first cobblestone sectors, and if the last two sectors will make an impact on the course of the race (barring crashes, of course) I’ll be happy. If no crashes happen on the last two sectors, I expect a medium-sized group (a couple of dozens of riders) to contest the stage, with Cavendish emerging victorious. Last year’s Giro and British national championships have convinced me that he is more than just a pure sprinter that has the peloton to let go after the first difficulty.