# Stage 5 Chatter - spoilers and all



## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

man, its been a pretty good tour so far. lots of drama, and only 4 stages in.

today *should* be a standard sprinters stage, but thats what we said about stage 3. 

i do wanna go on record as saying i predicted that voekler would get in the break and look like a constipated crabapple. that should get me an extra point, right nitro? (ok, that time i was pandering.)


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## Sojourneyman (Jun 22, 2007)

They sure haven't given this break a long leash


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

BBox needs some good TV time after yesterday.


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## Andrew1 (May 27, 2009)

Always nice to see Voeckler in a break. I don't think this one will stay away though...seems like more teams than Columbia are working.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Today's stage is boooorrrrriiiiinnnngggg...

Just after I said that the other day, stuff happened. So hopefully, it'll work again. Otherwise, damn it.


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## Sojourneyman (Jun 22, 2007)

Those two french guys just argued. Amusing how people can talk with their hands even while on a bike.


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## Snakebit (Mar 18, 2002)

uzziefly said:


> Today's stage is boooorrrrriiiiinnnngggg...
> 
> Just after I said that the other day, stuff happened. So hopefully, it'll work again. Otherwise, damn it.


Nobody fawdown?


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Snakebit said:


> Nobody fawdown?


Normal stuff it seems. Nothing major luckily.

Bbox decided to stay up today.

Gesink decided to follow in Menchov's footsteps and crashed on a descent today.


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

Menchov and Evans and Sastre should've gotten into the break....


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Rabbobank's Tour just got screwed totally now.

Gesink crashed and is now struggling to get back to the peloton.


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

Astana driving the peleton?


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

Snakebit said:


> Nobody fawdown?


Some dewd from Silence Lotto fell off in a ditch a while back.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

JohnHenry said:


> Astana driving the peleton?


To pull away from Gesink as well.

Unless the Silence rider is Evans, which isn't the case.

Eliminate Rabbo altogether now with this move. No harm at all. Others will work too.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Over a minute down now Robert Gesink with his 2 men.


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## Snakebit (Mar 18, 2002)

uzziefly said:


> To pull away from Gesink as well.
> 
> Unless the Silence rider is Evans, which isn't the case.
> 
> Eliminate Rabbo altogether now with this move. No harm at all. Others will work too.


Some feller in a yeller shirt just started to haul ass.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Oooh yeah it's getting interesting.

Cancellara is hammering away as well now. Big split in the peloton again. Boonen had a puncture now.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

5 groups now. Including the main group.

But the yellow jersey group seems to be slowing down a little. 

Not anymore maybe with Astana taking the lead again. But not as fast though. Hmm..


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## NUTT (Apr 15, 2008)

Boonen flats but back up quick....


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

boonen is looking stuck out.


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## Sojourneyman (Jun 22, 2007)

I don't think they'd attack just because of Gesink, that would be a pretty d!ck move. 

I don't think they've caught as many of the big names by surprise as they did a couple days ago.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Sojourneyman said:


> I don't think they'd attack just because of Gesink, that would be a pretty d!ck move.
> 
> I don't think they've caught as many of the big names by surprise as they did a couple days ago.


People have attacked coz of a crash.

He got back up but was very slow to get his momentum going.

It was on a downhill section and he lost a lot of time there too. 

Might not be just him but I think it's more of trying to cause another split again today maybe AND also Rabbo being out perhaps.

Menchov seems to have missed the split now as well. So yeah.


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

is cancellera plumb loco?


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Wait.. CONTADOR split too??? Really????


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## culdeus (May 5, 2005)

this won't last right with the 180 turn about 15k out the splits can't finish much out in front.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Ok no not Alberto. Sorry. Damn Dave Harmon. My bad.

I saw him behind Lance but Dave was on and on about Alberto so I thought I was wrong.


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## PJay (May 28, 2004)

*say goodnite, AC.*

say goodnite, AC. --oops - he is not left behind! yahoo uk updates were wrong.

AC staying in front group now! menchov may be trailing.


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## culdeus (May 5, 2005)

velonews live coverage is good if you aren't watching the race on tv


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

culdeus said:


> velonews live coverage is good if you aren't watching the race on tv


I'll take EuroSport live with Dave and Sean Kelly on tv anytime over that one.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Gesink has a partial dislocation of the left shoulder it seems.

Boonen punctured AGAIN!


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## NUTT (Apr 15, 2008)

Sucks to be Boonen.


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## NUTT (Apr 15, 2008)

Looks like the Rabo guys off the back have caught up with the tail peloton.


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## Sojourneyman (Jun 22, 2007)

Man, poor Rabo guys. Looked to be suffereing to catch up to the remains of the peloton, and then Boonen goes flying by after another puncture


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## PJay (May 28, 2004)

*end will be into headwind.*

i looked at weather underground - after this southerly part of the route, they kind of pass along parpignon, then turn almost 180 deg, and head in to parpignon - headed nortwest - and the wind is coming out of the northwest abt 14 Mph.

So whoever can shake whomever by that 180 turn is in great shape. if you are not on the rivet at that turn, goodnight.


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## iamnotfilip (Jul 9, 2007)

Can someone explain why Astana is doing most of the work?


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

Astana must know that they were coming into that skinny part and wants to be up front.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

any list of who is in teh cancellara group?

not sure why astana would be pulling, other than the fact it is their turn to pull. maybe they wanna make sure they are all up front when they hit that 180 degree turn in case the other GC hopefuls in their group try to spring ahead.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

10 miles to go and lead group has increased their lead to 1:20. Columbia has taken up the chase.


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## Sojourneyman (Jun 22, 2007)

Garmin and Agritubel working in there too. It'll be close.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

Might we see little Tommy V win a stage?


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

WTF!!!!! Where did the versus coverage go?


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

For F sake!!! A commercial broke in at the penultimate moment!!!


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

Tommy V finally gets one. Congratulations.


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## Sojourneyman (Jun 22, 2007)

really surprised to see the peloton come storming in the back like that. I was hoping the Skil guy could hang on.


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

T.V. was in total shock with his win. I haven't seen a rider cross the line so happy in a while. Very cool that he was able to hold out!!


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## llama31 (Jan 13, 2006)

Surprising the break survived. Was this one of the stages without radios for the riders?


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

Gesink still hasn't finished.
He finished 9+ minutes down


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

llama31 said:


> Surprising the break survived. Was this one of the stages without radios for the riders?


NO....


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

Good for Thomas V! He's put himself in a lot of breakaways over the past couple of years, and been caught every time, or been beaten at the finish. Good to see him get his 1st stage win.


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## nepbug (Jun 6, 2006)

Good for Voeckler, but I feel like an idiot for putting him on the bench for this stage, I thought tomorrow suited him better!


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

did you catch the interview w/ Voeckler? guy asked "what are you doing diferent this year" and he says, well I rode the Giro..

so now everybody's gonna ride the Giro.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

doh! i joked about TV in the breakaway when i picked cavs.

egg, meet face.


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## Fredke (Dec 10, 2004)

JohnnyTooBad said:


> He's put himself in a lot of breakaways over the past couple of years, and been caught every time, or been beaten at the finish. Good to see him get his 1st stage win.


Voeckler is officially the new Jacky Durand.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Damn it Columbia. Ha! Great ride by Voeckler.

Columbia definitely underestimated the break and also didn't put in a real effort. Possibly due to fatigue. Oh well. 

Nice ride indeed.


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## Nimitz (Jul 8, 2004)

uzziefly said:


> Damn it Columbia. Ha! Great ride by Voeckler.
> 
> Columbia definitely underestimated the break and also didn't put in a real effort. Possibly due to fatigue. Oh well.
> 
> Nice ride indeed.


Columbia has been crying foul that no other sprinters team is doing any work...

so I guess Gesink is going to abandon now? bad turn of luck for him I really felt bad watching him get so close to catching the main group and then *SNAP* OTB he goes.

Chad


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## iamnotfilip (Jul 9, 2007)

Looked like other teams didn't want to do the hard work to bring the break in because they felt Columbia would win the stage again and it should be all up to them to reel in the breakaway. 

It's a huge testament to how strong Columbia is.


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## j3fri (Dec 31, 2006)

well done thomas voeckler.. wad a hero...

the sprint teams look fatique... 

but really,wads the point of working when cavendish gonna win anyway..


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

Glad to see Voeckler win finally.


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

Einstruzende said:


> Glad to see Voeckler win finally.



Me too. What a great day for him. 

Whoops to the peloton. "Bickering" for lack of a better term, between the sprinters' teams as to who should or shouldn't work, and ended up screwing themselves. 

A pity because I wanted my rematch between Bubble Butt and Farrar. I'm trying to like BB, but am having a difficult time after his cocky and dismissive "I'm not interested in them" comments this morning pertaining to the other sprinters. Oh yes you are interested. Not fooling anyone.


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

iamnotfilip said:


> Looked like other teams didn't want to do the hard work to bring the break in because they felt Columbia would win the stage again and it should be all up to them to reel in the breakaway.
> 
> It's a huge testament to how strong Columbia is.


 Team Columbia was sort of whining about that already..Other teams not 'doing their fair share'...What's up with that? 

If they want to win stages with a sprinter like Cav..pretty much the favorite in any bunch sprint..They, Columbia, have to make sure the stages finish with a bunch sprint....

They need to hire some more high priced sprint-support guys to go with their "Fastest Man on two wheels" sprinting star... If they want to concentrate on the Green Jersey and stage wins they should buy only specialized riders who do that kinda work best and bring some major power to the Tour to control every flat stage..no questions asked, no help (from the other "also ran" sprinter's teams) required... Columbia may be a strong team but they were not strong enough today. You can't blame it on 'everyone else' if your team's goals aren't met...It is not up to the other teams to drag your sprinter up for the win is it?


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## j3fri (Dec 31, 2006)

Gnarly 928 said:


> Team Columbia was sort of whining about that already..Other teams not 'doing their fair share'...What's up with that?
> 
> If they want to win stages with a sprinter like Cav..pretty much the favorite in any bunch sprint..They, Columbia, have to make sure the stages finish with a bunch sprint....
> 
> They need to hire some more high priced sprint-support guys to go with their "Fastest Man on two wheels" sprinting star... If they want to concentrate on the Green Jersey and stage wins they should buy only specialized riders who do that kinda work best and bring some major power to the Tour to control every flat stage..no questions asked, no help (from the other "also ran" sprinter's teams) required... Columbia may be a strong team but they were not strong enough today. You can't blame it on 'everyone else' if your team's goals aren't met...It is not up to the other teams to drag your sprinter up for the win is it?


agree... nevertheless.. they still 'won' the stage from the pack... 1st 2 was breakaway then cav got 3rd then farrar 4th... cav was simply too fast in sprint nowadays... no one can challenge him... not unless another good train can challenge columbia..


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

Cav isn't going to be beat unless someone blocks him or leads out better than Columbia.. He's way too fast right now.


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

ZoSoSwiM said:


> Cav isn't going to be beat unless someone blocks him or leads out better than Columbia.. He's way too fast right now.



I agree. Right now though, Farrar seems to be the only one able to come close to challenging him (even today was right on him). 

Don't think for a second that hasn't got Cavendish thinking. After all, this is Farrar's first ever Tdf. 

Should they both stay healthy, we may be treated to some fantastic showdowns between the two in future years. :thumbsup:


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