'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 STAGE 5 A last chance for the sprinters, this, so despite the rolling nature of the terrain there should be enough interest in bringing it back together for a bunch kick. In any case the undulations will sap the legs and should make for an open and exciting sprint.
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 Instant breakaway Lots of movement off the front of the peloton in these early kilometres. Axel Domont (AG2R La Mondiale), Natnael Berhane (Dimension Data) and Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fortuneo-Vital Concept) skipped off the front, before Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie), Federico Zurlo (UAE Team Emirates) and Remy di Gregorio (Delko-Marseille) joined up.
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 And it sticks 3 mins clear The six riders in today's break Axel Domont (AG2R La Mondiale)Natnael Berhane (Dimension Data)Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fortuneo-Vital Concept)Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie)Federico Zurlo (UAE Team Emirates)Remy di Gregorio (Delko-Marseille) joined up.
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 The breakaway riders covered 38.5km in the first hour. That's pretty sluggish - and 1.5km/h slower than the slowest predicted time schedule. Even slower for the peloton, obviously, for whom the chaos and exertions of the opening two stages are probably still fresh in the memory.
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 That means we're down to 165 riders, with 11 lost along the way in a variety of ways - we've had abandons through illness and injury, we've had a rider outside the time limit on the opening day, and we've even had a disqualification, with one of the pre-race favourites,
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 Still well over 100km to go, but the peloton is already starting to tighten its grip on proceedings, and the gap falls below six minutes.
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 There are two climbs on the route today - neither severe enough to put the sprinters in serious trouble but stiff enough to sap the legs. The first one is coming up shortly, just before the half-way mark. It's the Côte de Givors, rated third-category, and it's 4.3km long with an average gradient of 4.2%.
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 The gap is down to 3:30 now, so the gap to the break has practically been halved in the space of 30 kilometres. Are we going to see a regrouping? And before the halfway mark?
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 The breakaway riders hit the Côte de Givors with 110 kms to go
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 The gap rises back up to five minutes as the peloton crests the climb.
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 The break is pulled back with every minute of racing 54 kms2:47 for the breakaway
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 Katusha, FDJ, and Lotto Soudal sharing duties at the head of the bunch at the moment.1:20 is the gap with 34km to go
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 CROSSWIND ALERT The AG2R DS said there could be wind in this part of the course, and so it has proven. It's blowing from the side, and that's leaving the riders towards the back of the bunch in a spot of bother.
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 Puncture for Gallopin. He's back among the cars with a couple of teammates to help him back to the tail end of the bunch.
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 Crash!!Davide Formolo is on the deck as the crosswinds begin to blow once again.
'Dale Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 Nightmare for the Cannondale man. He's 16th overall, 2:18 down but with hopes of hauling himself back up in the hills.
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