Well, I did technically predict that today’s stage would be won from a break, but the way things unfolded on Stage 5 was definitely not what I had in mind.
I was thinking something along the lines of break gets clear, gets 10 minutes, pack calls it a day and rests the legs, and one lucky soul tastes victory while 3-6 others battle all day for nothing. After Monday’s tumultuous split in the crosswinds and Tuesday’s TTT, I figured that Columbia, Garmin ,and Astana would all be willing to pack it in for a few kilometers.
Instead, we saw another epic split (mitigated, this time, after a few k) and sprinters’ teams winding it up hard into the finale. But a very cleverly paced breakaway dangled masterfully at around a minute for nearly 50 kilometers, until Thomas Voeckler got sick of the ticket-takers and leapt away on his own.
In 2004, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the heroic Voeckler defense. After all, he didn’t do much to get in yellow—just followed an attack on rainy day. Didn’t even win the stage, for crying out loud. I just wanted his 15 minutes to be over so we could get to the real racing.
But in the 5 years since, he’s accumulated a decent little collection of second-tier wins, and has definitely made himself into a legitimate rouleur in the Jacky Durand mould—today’s dangling break is right out of Dudu’s playbook—though Voeckler, I think, is a bit more savvy. Certainly, he’s a notch or two above your average TFB, and Bbox is lucky to have him.
Returning to the overall, today was something of a wash for the pack. Yes, Gesink was eliminated, but his was the longest of shots—certainly his departure wasn’t worth the calories Columbia, SaxoBank, Garmin, and Astana put into their efforts today. Those squads might do well to note that Liquigas has done an excellent job keeping one Roman Krueziger a mere 90 seconds down without breaking the bank in terms of effort.
Tomorrow is the first hilltop-ish finish of this year’s tour, and Cancellara is confident going in. Teammate Jens Voigt says, as I did after the prologue, that he shouldn’t be discounted for the Tour’s first real mountains on Friday as well.
All great points. Cancellara definitely is talking big about being able to hang and keep the Yellow. If he can survive Friday, and nothing insane happens over the weekend he may have a chance to gain time again during the TT… maybe.
And yes, I’ve never been a fan of Voeckler for all the same reasons. But I always was amused by Durand – he tried so many times it started getting a little silly. “There goes Durand again!” Today though, I was impressed with his determination and grit in pushing the break and then surviving several attacks before dropping the others. Then, to again survive the peleton’s surge was quite impressive. Probably many were surprised that he actually made it. Saved Bboxes Tour with this victory. (LOL, I’m watching the finale for the 3rd time today right now)
Gesink is my hero of the day for finishing with a cracked wrist. He didn’t give up and that is worthy of much respect.
I’m a sucker for anyone who can manage to keep the peloton away on a flat stage, just because usually it’s so pointlessly predictable.
Robert Gesink battling on was amazing he shud hav kept at it just a little while longer and he wud hav made the peloton but in saying that a lot of other riders wudnt hav even lasted that long so A for effort to Gesink
Tommy Voeckler simply brilliant today just perfect and I thought Ignatiev was unlucky though.
I was also impressed by Gesink’s finish. Tweeted it, in fact.
Ignatiev’s shown some great willingness to attack. If he can keep it up, his opportunities might come in the stages before the final showdown on Ventoux.
I agree with you about Ignatiev if he continues what he is doing and manages to pull off a stage win then he wouldn’t be too far from the most aggresive rider I would think but still a long way to go to Paris.
Voekler… Doing what he does best and in yellow as a result. I hope he keeps it through at least one HMS.