Le Tour - Stage 5 - **Spoiler**

[ComedyPilot]

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.

 

[dan_bo]

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.

 

[ComedyPilot]

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?

 

[dan_bo]

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?

 

[maurice]

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.

 

[ComedyPilot]

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.

 

[dan_bo]

that's why i try and keep to short courses

 

[accountantpete]

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!

 

[rich p]

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?

 

[Paul_L]

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

 

[dellzeqq]

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.

 

[biking_fox]

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?

 

[Chuffy]

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

 

[Landslide]

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

 

[Noodley]

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