# Le Tour - Stage 5 - **Spoiler**



## ComedyPilot (7 Jul 2009)

Well, the story so far, Fabian Kicked butt in the principality, Cav kicked butt twice after that, then LA and Bertie almost kicked Fabian's butt in the TTT. Well they did, but not by enough, one more kick might have sufficed. 

Wednesday is stage 5.

Discuss.


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## dan_bo (7 Jul 2009)

I don't think lance'll be getting any more time quite so easily.... friere or hushovd for me. They'll be wanting a few points back.


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## ComedyPilot (7 Jul 2009)

I don't think the peloton has learnt it's lesson, and with a windy day forecast Columbia might just be up to their old tricks?


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## dan_bo (7 Jul 2009)

oo er I didn't check the weather........do you think?

buuger I'm doon sooth at the mo. It's a bit harder to keep up.

I'm not sure if i'm on my own hoping that armstrong gets a decent testimonial this year. I know he's a twat, but wallflowers never win anyway do they?


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## maurice (7 Jul 2009)

It's a very windy spot they're riding through. A couple years ago I rode a motorbike along the same direction route and was getting blown over multiple lanes on the autoroute.


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## ComedyPilot (7 Jul 2009)

We'd be ok in the wind Dan, but those guys are built like jockey's whips and will get blown around like confetti in a hurricane.


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## dan_bo (7 Jul 2009)

that's why i try and keep to short courses


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## accountantpete (7 Jul 2009)

Columbia have had three hard days which leaves Saxo Bank to try and control the peloton - I think they'll let any breakaways go unless it threatens them.

David Millar usually has a go about now - lets hope his chain don't break this time!


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## rich p (7 Jul 2009)

I think that the peloton will want an easier day and a breakaway of no-hopers might be allowed to succeed. Or if it's a manageable deficit with 30k to go Colombia will go for it again.

That pretty well covers my arse!

What's Quickstep's strategy if Boonen is playing hard to get?


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## Paul_L (8 Jul 2009)

accountantpete said:


> Columbia have had three hard days which leaves Saxo Bank to try and control the peloton - I think they'll let any breakaways go unless it threatens them.
> 
> *David Millar usually has a go about now* - lets hope his chain don't break this time!



Garmin had a harder day than most yesterday and he said in his ITV interview it took a lot out of him.

I'm with rich p, today will either be a bunch sprint or a breakaway


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## dellzeqq (8 Jul 2009)

This kind of stage is usually set up for someone like Jens Voigt to go off the front and establish a 20 minute breakaway, which may or may not be closed down by the peloton. But.......this day might be a clue to the tenor of the tour from here on. Garmin rode themselves in to the ground yesterday (Millar made clear that dropping four riders hadn't been part of the plan), Columbia don't need to do anything special if there is a breakaway, Saxo have no reason to up the pace, so, for my money, the intriguing question is what Astana get up to. Lance has the means to grab yellow, I'm convinced of that, and a real incentive to do so. Watch out for ol' Stoneface lurking around at the front with Popovych in attendance.


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## biking_fox (8 Jul 2009)

No change in the yellow here. Not a chance that C will let LA get away. Bunch sprint with Cav trying but maybe too tired to take it, else a breakaway will suceed. Auge tries again?


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## Chuffy (8 Jul 2009)

Moncoutie and my other random mad attacking Frenchman owe me a breakaway....


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## Landslide (8 Jul 2009)

Can't see Moncoutie going for it just yet, I heard he's set his sights on the _maillot pois_.


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## Noodley (8 Jul 2009)

It'll be a Cav/Thor battle to the line.


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## rich p (8 Jul 2009)

Just read on the cyclingnews text that Garmin's bus got caught in traffic and only made it 10 mins before the start with the riders having to leap out.
Also that Chavanel will share the work with Colombia to give Boonen a chance. Maybe the bunch sprint is more likely then.


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## John the Monkey (8 Jul 2009)

Haussler.

(Just to be different, like....)


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## alecstilleyedye (8 Jul 2009)

good old tommy voekler up to his old tricks again. good on him, he's on my team…

one from lampre and one from fdj with him.


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## PpPete (8 Jul 2009)

Anyone found a live stream yet?


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## dtp (8 Jul 2009)

No, the Klitscko one you reccomended yesterday had a little bit from the host saying that all tour feeds were blocked...

Will keep looking though

Starting to wonder whether it's worth paying Eurosport their £3.99!


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## garrilla (8 Jul 2009)

User3094 said:


> This breaks starting to look serious - nearly 10 minutes.



Can you see it lasting? Its one for the sponsors I reckon.


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## dtp (8 Jul 2009)

garrilla said:


> *Can you see it lasting?* Its one for the sponsors I reckon.



It's already dropping back down, I reckon they'll just get reeled back in for a sprint finish


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## I am Spartacus (8 Jul 2009)

Live streams should kick in about 1 30 pm


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## dellzeqq (8 Jul 2009)

Down to 4'55" now. Colombia doing the chasing. Perhaps there'll be another breakaway at the two 4th category climbs.


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## yello (8 Jul 2009)

porkypete said:


> Anyone found a live stream yet?



I could put a web cam in front of my tele if you like


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## I am Spartacus (8 Jul 2009)

http://www.p2p4u.net/live/pl18.php


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## dellzeqq (8 Jul 2009)

All for Cav? Indeed

*Overall winner - €450,000, €200,000, €100,000, €70,000, €50,000, sliding scale down to the 19th rider every rider that earns €1,000. In addition, every rider who completes the Tour de France earns at least €400.*

*Stage placings -*_ *€8,000*, €4,000, €2,000, €1,000 and continues on a sliding scale down to €200 for 20th place._

_*Team Time Trial* - €10,000, €5,000, €2,500, €1,000 € and continues on a sliding scale down to €200 for 20th place._

_*Overall Green Jersey* - *€25,000*, €15,000, €10,000 with prizes down to 8th, plus €800 for each sprint win, and €300 for each day in the Green jersey._

*Overall Best Climber*_ - €25,000, €15,000, €10,000 with prizes down to 8th, plus up to €800 for each climb win, and €300 for each day in the Polka Dot jersey._

_*Overall Best Young Rider* - €25,000, €15,000, €10,000 with prizes down to 4th, plus up to €500 for the young rider with the best time each stage, and €300 for each day in the White jersey._

_*Most Combative* - €2,000 for the most combative rider each stage, €20,000 for the overall "super combative" rider._

_*Best Team* - €2,800 per stage for the best team, plus €50,000 overall for the winning team._

_Whether the prize money goes to the team or the rider is up to the team to decide. Generally, the team receives the prize money and pays bonuses across the team. Most teams pay Tour de France bonuses, the amount can be higher than a rider's contracted annual salary._


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## garrilla (8 Jul 2009)

User3094 said:


> Columbia showing some 'mettle' so far this tour - all for Cav?



They might also have thoughts about keeping Rogers well placed for the mountain stages.


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## dtp (8 Jul 2009)

Stream but a bit laggy


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## I am Spartacus (8 Jul 2009)

These guys change wheels so goddamn fast................


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## kennykool (8 Jul 2009)

afternoon folks.

Breakaway getting sucked back.

Columbia are near the front - shock horror.

Think Cav will win again but would love Big Tom Boonen to get a slice of the action!


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## Halfmanhalfbike (8 Jul 2009)

porkypete said:


> Anyone found a live stream yet?



www.justin.tv works for me. They seem to be able to find the non-blocked sites every day.


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## garrilla (8 Jul 2009)

I am Spartacus said:


> http://www.p2p4u.net/live/pl18.php



This is a good connection - low lag, EN comentary.


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## biking_fox (8 Jul 2009)

Getting interesting now - other than Boonan though I think all the key contenders are in the 1st group though.


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## johnnyh (8 Jul 2009)

Contador in the second group, Lance up front...


silly commentator, Lance and Contador both in front group


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## garrilla (8 Jul 2009)

No Bertie or Mechov in the big split.

It seems Bertie did stay on the bus.


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## John the Monkey (8 Jul 2009)

Menchov having his usual tour run of luck it seems.

Where's cuddles?

Has Lance sent Berto back to the team car for bottles yet?


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## johnnyh (8 Jul 2009)

John the Monkey said:


> Has Lance sent Berto back to the team car for bottles yet?


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## John the Monkey (8 Jul 2009)

Boner punctures *again* according to Eurosport.

Don't think he'll be contesting the sprint.


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## karlos_the_jackal (8 Jul 2009)

Come on gesinik, he's my only fantasy team rider that doesnt have points, he does look like he's going through pain barrier though


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## karlos_the_jackal (8 Jul 2009)

And now find out partially dislocated shoulder! ouch


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## Haitch (8 Jul 2009)

Rabo team boss says Gesink probably has a fracture in his wrist. He was my fantasy trump card as well.


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## dtp (8 Jul 2009)

argh my feeds stopped working!


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## karlos_the_jackal (8 Jul 2009)

I bit the bullet and paid £3.99 for a months pass for eurosport


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## dellzeqq (8 Jul 2009)

1'3" ahead. Ignatiev to win.....


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## dellzeqq (8 Jul 2009)

.....and now there are five


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## dellzeqq (8 Jul 2009)

and now four...


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## dellzeqq (8 Jul 2009)

dellzeqq said:


> 1'3" ahead. Ignatiev to win.....


whoops! Voeckler goes clear!


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## biking_fox (8 Jul 2009)

Cav still made third though! 
What happened to the rest of the breakaway?


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## I am Spartacus (8 Jul 2009)

http://asport.dk/live/live-stream/

The Danish site is pretty good for feeds.. it was ok this aftie.. but you had to swap links every so often.. from Eng to Spanish and back again. but it kept going ..


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## Halfmanhalfbike (8 Jul 2009)

User3094 said:


> some juicy fantasy points heading my way



Me too.  Well deserved win for Thomas


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## dellzeqq (8 Jul 2009)

Cavendish 3rd behind Ignatiev - so his jersey gets ever greener...


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## alecstilleyedye (8 Jul 2009)

1st and 3rd on stage for me


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## peanut (8 Jul 2009)

Rob Hayles sure was hard work. He's moody, sullen non-cooperative and sarcastic .Talking to him is like getting blood from a stone.
He would do well to remember that he is not just there as a guest celeb but to be informative and add to the race commentary perspective and anaylsis.
Thank god for Stephen Roche.


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## stoatsngroats (8 Jul 2009)

alecstilleyedye said:


> 1st and 3rd on stage for me



+1


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## Speicher (8 Jul 2009)

A question for those who watched a live feed, earlier than the Eurosport coverage. Mention was made of them waiting for a train. Did everyone get held up, and did the break away then set off before the others?
Can you remember what happened?


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## garrilla (8 Jul 2009)

The train was prior to the start - on the roll-up to the starting line. AFAIK the break was unrelated.


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## Speicher (8 Jul 2009)

Thank you. I heard reference to waiting for a train, while I was out of the room. I did not realise that it was before the start.


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## Cathryn (8 Jul 2009)

You can't help but be delighted for Voeckler, he was just beaming afterwards! SO lovely to see. This is shaping up to be a great tour!!

Tomorrow's stage ends up Montjuic in Barcelona. Richard and I slogged up this hill last month on hire bikes. It was tough!!


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## Tim Bennet. (8 Jul 2009)

> Richard and I slogged up this hill last month on hire bikes. It was tough!!


Hopefully, half of them won't be pregnant!


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## Cathryn (8 Jul 2009)

Still whupped Richard's arse, even so!


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## simon_brooke (8 Jul 2009)

Halfmanhalfbike said:


> Me too.  Well deserved win for Thomas





Cathryn said:


> You can't help but be delighted for Voeckler, he was just beaming afterwards! SO lovely to see. This is shaping up to be a great tour!!
> 
> Tomorrow's stage ends up Montjuic in Barcelona. Richard and I slogged up this hill last month on hire bikes. It was tough!!



Go Thomas!

I can remember afternoon after afternoon five years ago when I sagged off work to sit on the sofa, yelling 'Thomas! Thomas! Thomas!' as though, a thousand miles away in France, he could hear me and be encouraged.

I LOVE breakaway riders - they are the people who set races alight. I LOVE riders who will not admit they're beaten, who will not acknowledge it's hopeless, who will not bow down before the might of the big sprint teams. And of them all, although big Jens Voigt is the strongest and wiliest, Thomas is the bravest and the most foolish: the romantic, the man who rides for passion and for sentiment and for shining belief.

Go Thomas!

In the epic poem that is cycle racing, yours is by no means the least glorious stanza!

(and to think I included him in my fantasy team out of sentiment!)


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## Cathryn (8 Jul 2009)

Admit it...you had a tear in your eye, didn't you, you old romantic...


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## Molecule Man (8 Jul 2009)

Cathryn said:


> Admit it...you had a tear in your eye, didn't you, you old romantic...



I certainly did. I've been cheering for Thomas since the 2004 Tour too. 
It was great when you could see the peloton appear behind him, but you knew he could still win.
I do love breakaway wins like today, I guess the fact that they are usually doomed to failure makes it all the more exciting when it works.


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## Chuffy (8 Jul 2009)

I did like Cav's mini strop when they asked him what had gone wrong...


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## Chuffy (8 Jul 2009)

And I too can recall the look on Voekle Voke Tommy's face 5 years ago when he realised that he'd saved yellow. 

...and the look a day later when he lost it.


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## Skip Madness (8 Jul 2009)

Cathryn said:


> Tomorrow's stage ends up Montjuic in Barcelona. Richard and I slogged up this hill last month on hire bikes. It was tough!!


I too have slogged my way up Montjuic, but didn't find it too tough

























































because I used the funicular railway.


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## John the Monkey (9 Jul 2009)

Voeckler post stage interview transcribed on Eurosport;

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/08072...interview-thomas-voeckler-today-believed.html



> ...once the escape had been established I was concerned about the two Francaise des Jeux riders in the break, I thought they would beat me at the finish. I think that without the wind, which disrupted the chase, I could not have won. In fact, I only began to believe it was possible with about 300 meters to go.


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