Tour de France - Stage 5

[Phil C]

There are a couple of escapees that are ahead of the peloton fighting it out for points. They are about 7 minutes ahead of the peloton but I think the peloton will catch them before the race is over. Exciting times indeed!

[Phil C]

The pretty thing about the Tour de France is that it keeps you occupied until it is over and then it isn't too long till good old high school football. :)

[Phil C]

Some controversy at the end of Stage 4. The race judges regulated Norway's Thur Hushovd from 4th to 148 place overall because they said his spring was "irregular" and interfered with Bernhad Eisel's spring to the finish line. The strange thing is that Eisel's own team director looked over the replays and didn't see anything wrong with Thor's sprint.

[Phil C]

The escapees are about 5min 30 sec (5' 30") ahead of the peloton but the experts think they will be caught with about 18 miles left in the race so alas there is nothing much to report.

[Emerson1]

Hey phil most of the riders just went by. I'll post some pictures if you want me to. And that tip you have about not running infront of the riders didn't pay off, I had my foot ran over.

[Phil C]

Originally posted by Emerson1
Hey phil most of the riders just went by. I'll post some pictures if you want me to. And that tip you have about not running infront of the riders didn't pay off, I had my foot ran over.

I am sorry about your foot Emerson. The spectators need to be careful not just for the riders but for themsevles too. Safety is very important. Please send pictures and add any comments that you wish. The more the better. Take care!

[Phil C]

The peloton is about 18 miles from the finish now so excitement is coming indeed. The escapees are still a little over 3 minutes ahead of the peloton but I still think they will be caught long before the finish line. It looks like it will be another exciting sprint to the finish line so hang onto your hats everyone.

[CalallenWildcat]

Let me know how it turns out...I don't have any means to watch it until tonight

[Adidas410s]

an exciting finish where everybody has the same time and the results don't change??? :thinking:

[Phil C]

Two escapees are about 2'30" (2min 30sec) ahead of the peloton with about 12 miles left to go. I still think the peloton will catch them within at least the last mile. We will see. Another exciting finish.

Everyone please be careful. This is both for the riders and spectators. We want to avoid all accidents if possible.

[Phil C]

Originally posted by Adidas410s
an exciting finish where everybody has the same time and the results don't change??? :thinking:

Ad they get the same time only if they are all in the same group. That is why you have 80 or more riders sometimes get the same time. They are part of a group as long as someone ahead of them or behind them are within a bicycle length of each other. However the first, second and third place riders get time bonuses though.

[Phil C]

Bad news! Disovery Channel's Egoi Martinez crashed. He has received medical attention and is now trying to catch the peloton. HIs teammate Pedrnos is drifting behind the peloton looking for his Spanish colleague.

[Phil C]

There is now about 9 miles left in the race and the escapees are now only 1'40" ahead of the peloton. I still think they will be caught.

[Phil C]

Terrible news! Another crash in the peloton. Galvez is involved and some others. Hopefully they will be able to finish.

Crashes happen which is why the main favorites try to be up fairly close to the front of the peloton because the odds are more with them up there to not be involved in crashes. But even so sometimes it happens there too.

Bad news this. :(

[Phil C]

The peloton is now only about 2 1/2 miles from the finish and the escapees are only 12 seconds ahead of the peloton. This promises to be an exciting finish. Brace yourselves!!

[Phil C]

An exciting finish. The escapees were caught and it became a sprint race at the end as expected. Today the top three were 1. Oscar Freire of Spain 2. Tom Boonen of Belgium and 3. Inaki Isasi of Spain. Boonen will retain the yellow jersey again.

A great race indeed.

[CalallenWildcat]

I'm ready for the mountain stages.

[Phil C]

Originally posted by CalallenWildcat
I'm ready for the mountain stages.

They will be coming soon. In fact the experts say that the race will be decided in Stages 15 to 17.
Four Americans are considered good possibilities and are George Hincapie, Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer and Bobby Julich. There are other possibilities from other countries also. The race is still up for grabs with no clear favorites.

Martinez who was in the crash was able to finish but he lost about 1'17" of time. Hopefully he will be ok and be able to continue tomorrow.

[Phil C]

Man this race is exciting and is at the perfect time to keep us occupied until next month when high school football starts. :)

As one of the announcers (Phil) has said "When you watch this one time you get Tour de France fever. There is no cure for it and no relief for it except to continue watching it. It gets in your blood. I have had it for 34 years. "

I have had it a few years myself.

Exciting times indeed! Vive le Tour!

[Phil C]

Tomorrow's race will be another sprinters race and will be about 118 miles from Liseux to Vitre. There is a possibility of escapees too and they may pull it off. You never know. Excitement indeed.