Yesterday, I had a bit of fun at the expense of BBOX Bouygues Telecom after their disastrous and forgettable team time trial.Not since Michael Rasmussen's attempt at time trialing, during one of the final stages of the 2005 Tour de France, had my senses vacillated from disappointment to embarrassment, and from tragedy to comedy so instantaneously.
But, one of the beautiful aspects of participating in a three week race is having the opportunity to immediately redeem yourself should things go as terribly wrong as they did for BBOX on Stage 4.
Taking up the challenge to defend, and perhaps regain some respect for, his BBOX Bouygues Telecom teammates would be Thomas Voeckler. Caught up in an early breakaway of four on the 196.5 km Stage 5 from Le Cap d'Agde to Perpignan, Voeckler would end up soloing to victory in front of a French crowd steeped in Catalan culture. Breakaway partner, Mikhail Ignatiev (Team Katusha) narrowly hung on for second before a hard charging peloton led by Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia - HTC) swarmed him over.
Stage 5 Results
1. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom
2. Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team Katusha
3. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia - HTC
There was no change at the top of the General Classification, nor did any leader's jerseys change hands.
General Classification After Stage 5
1. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank
2. Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana
3. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana
4. Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana
5. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana
6. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream
7. Haimar Zubeldia Aguirre (Spa) Astana
8. Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - HTC
9. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Slipstream
10. David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream
Jersey Leader's After Stage 5
Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank
Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia - HTC
Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Francaise Des Jeux
Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - HTCNext: Stage 6 - Gérone to Barcelone (181.5 km)
It should be another mad dash into the city of Barcelona with the mountains looming on Stage 7.
Voeckler has always ridden with the heart of a lion and how could you not love the guy for it? It's too bad he's NEVER had a team to support him.
ReplyDeleteAt what point will the Euros cease their arcane approach to racing ala the TTT for BBOX or Rabobank? How in God's name do you not recon the every stage down to the inch for the biggest event of your season? Why is this such a seemingly American thing to do?
I'm so not the ethnocentric type with the rah, rah, American stuff but really. It seems as if the American approach has proven very successful in pro cycling and I simply can't believe these teams haven't figured it out or been willing to adapt.
Anyone sniffing Columbia riding for LA and possibly leading to a Super American Squad for 2010? Hmmm?
Good for Voeckler, holding it down for the French. Personally, think Cavendish is the one to watch. No too surprised that Lance isn't doing so great, the press has some theories as to why: http://www.newsy.com/videos/lance_armstrong_in_it_to_win_it
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