Tour de France Stage 5: Epernay - Montargis, 185 km

[abbaskip]

Was it Eisel coming off the front looking round and thinking WTF where is he?

Eisel realised they lost his wheel, but by that stage just needed to keep the pace high. Renshaw was back fighting first Friere, then Hushovd for the Garmin train...

Renshaw jumped from Eisel to the Garmin train just as HTC were running out of men, very smart move. Then he fought for it until the end, and was half out in the wind for the last 1-2km...But still managed to out drag Dean (watch when Renshaw jumps out from behind Farrars wheel, it's about the same time as Hunter swings up and lets Dean through). Renshaw looked like he was going to finish top 5 or 10 himself at one stage, he was flying!

 

[Cobblestones]

Garmin really cocked that up. When you have guys who have shown form by coming 2nd and 3rd the day before and one with a broken wrist, why the hell would you let the one with the broken wrist be the final guy for the sprint? Should have gone Farrar then Hunter and Dean.

Farrar moved to his left and Ale Jet had to break, but then he still got around Tyler.

 

[hrotha]

Kudos to Farrar for proving me wrong about him not possibly being competitive again after the crash. Sure he's not there yet, but after a few more days, who knows.

 

[abbaskip]

Cav absolutely f**king owned everyone out there.

Great lead out for Cav by Garmin again. They never learn.

EBH looked really quick again but got boxed in and was far too back. I can see him winning a stage in this tour, if he gets it right I can see him being wuicer than everyone

Cioleck did a surprisingly decent sprint, maybe his form is back.

Pretty good day for Hushovd. Like last year, he doesn't really look like winning a sprint finish but he just consistently gets top 10's and picks up wins when most sprinters aren't there (hilly stages, cobbles etc). Chapeau to him, that's how you win the green jersey I suppose.

Again, I think saying that Garmin's lead out was for HTC isn't doing justice to Renshaw...

HTC did a good lead out, one that is similar to what HTC do. They had 3 guys left with 1 km left. Hunter went, then with 450-500 left, he pulled up, and Dean went through...Renshaw just went flying past Dean, then Cavendish jumped off his wheel, and took the stage.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Cav should thank Garmin. They were his leadout train. CIolek really needs a proper leadout train as he is a very quick sprinter but comes from too far back.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Cavendish was spectacular today. Very well timed sprint. Excellent lead out from Renshaw.

 

[Arnout]

Quite an emotional celebration. He really needed this to get back on track.

 

[auscyclefan94]

That has just topped off a **** day for me!

Dimspace

I think eddy boss can safely say if he had got his position better again he could have won

Yes dim

 

[abbaskip]

Cav should thank Garmin. They were his leadout train. CIolek really needs a proper leadout train as he is a very quick sprinter but comes from too far back.

(see my last post)...If this was HTC doing what Garmin did, everyone would be saying they did all they could...And usually everyone says Garmin do it wrong, by not taking control. They did that this time, Renshaw and Cavendish were without any other team mates 1km out. Garmin still had 3 guys.

Dean just wasn't as fast as Renshaw, and Farrar isn't read to start sprinting again.

 

[131313]

Farrar tried to come back to the sprints too early... Should have given Hunter/Dean another go at it, but today was built for Cav with the turn so close. Cav has the accel that Ale -Jet misses.

Great leadout by Garmin though, got Farrar where he needed to go, just not fit enough to contest it.

disagree. Since Tyler's not Cavendish, he won't say it publicly, but I think JD's inability to get out of the saddle due to his back injury is what sunk them. Hunter had it lined out and as soon as JD hit the front the pace slowed, Tyler was slowed, and then got pinched to the wrong side. That's how it looked to me.

They shoulda had Dean go first, even though that's not the normal order. Your final leadout guy needs to be able to sprint out of the saddle!

 

[The Sheep]

Quite an emotional celebration. He really needed this to get back on track.

was beautiful even if it was cavendish

 

[Big GMaC]

He did slightly, but got to go again from the Garmin wheel...It became too short a sprint for him, he had it in a big ring, trying to wind it up.

Ale Jet got done when Hunter and Farrar got messy on the outside, he was really moving as well

 

[sublimit]

Not sure what Eisel was doing, he seemed to pull too hard but maybe he was trying the same tactic of Lampre yesterday so its difficult to say what happened with him. He's capable of getting the stage by jumping away but maybe just a spoiler against Garmin .

Cav Stuck to Renshaw like glue and thats a very good option

 

[Hawkwood]

(see my last post)...If this was HTC doing what Garmin did, everyone would be saying they did all they could...And usually everyone says Garmin do it wrong, by not taking control. They did that this time, Renshaw and Cavendish were without any other team mates 1km out. Garmin still had 3 guys.

Dean just wasn't as fast as Renshaw, and Farrar isn't read to start sprinting again.

I've only seen one slo mo of the action so far, but was Cav having to do some work to keep others from taking Renshaw's wheel?

 

[Arnout]

was beautiful even if it was cavendish

Yeah and it were not small tears either. Pressure must've been sky high for him.

Sometimes I don't understand the Brits, at the World cup all the newspapers do is looking for potential scandals and it seems Cav got to endure the same pressure.

 

[abbaskip]

disagree. Since Tyler's not Cavendish, he won't say it publicly, but I think JD's inability to get out of the saddle due to his back injury is what sunk them. Hunter had it lined out and as soon as JD hit the front the pace slowed, Tyler was slowed, and then got pinched to the wrong side. That's how it looked to me.

They shoulda had Dean go first, even though that's not the normal order. Your final leadout guy needs to be able to sprint out of the saddle!

Agreed. Renshaw flying past Dean is what settled it for Garmin more than anything.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Very interesting story
http://tdf.sbs.com.au/tdf2010/news/article/23672/Contador-offers-gift-to-Armstrong

 

[Barrus]

Ale Jet got done when Hunter and Farrar got messy on the outside, he was really moving as well

Yup Peta needed really to slow down due to that, he was coming really fast and probably would have won this stage as well

@ ACF, that were the watches Contie gave the rest of the team directly after the Tour win, he hadn't given any to JB or LA yet. Also he did not speack with LA, only with JB

 

[abbaskip]

Ale Jet got done when Hunter and Farrar got messy on the outside, he was really moving as well

He was moving up and around Garmin at that stage, but it was a long way out, and it wasn't that far off when Renshaw was moving up on Dean as well. I think considering Cavendish was still yet to kick, he would have had Petacchi today. Renshaw delivered him to the front with 150-200 to go it seems.

 

[Hawkwood]

Yeah and it were not small tears either. Pressure must've been sky high for him.

Sometimes I don't understand the Brits, at the World cup all the newspapers do is looking for potential scandals and it seems Cav got to endure the same pressure.

Because we seem to take a perverse delight in knocking our own.

 

[happychappy]

What do you mean, you seem chuffed.

I was refering to you and your hateful little band of cronies.
I love to watch real racers win, as a racer myself it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside knowing that people like you will be on here raging at their computer screen day after day of their dead-end lives hahahaha

 

[auscyclefan94]

This is quite funny. read all the lance fanboys comments.
http://tdf.sbs.com.au/tdf2010/news/article/23232/Armstrong_heckled_following_fourth_stage

 

[euanli]

Yeah and it were not small tears either. Pressure must've been sky high for him.

Sometimes I don't understand the Brits, at the World cup all the newspapers do is looking for potential scandals and it seems Cav got to endure the same pressure.

There is no pressure. There is no mainstream coverage of the Tour. Even Sky aren't talking about it.

 

[sublimit]

Ciolek And Hagen were fast today but Cav got them so perhaps his legs are looking better.

Maybe Ciolek to win tomorrow with Cav looking to win another in Paris, I get the the feeling he wont contest tomorrow's sprint but you never know..

 

[Roland Rat]

Because we seem to take a perverse delight in knocking our own.

I don't know what's wrong with our country, but it's rotten. As soon as someone does well, everyone else with their petty jealousies and frustrations at their own inadequacies do their best to bring the others down.