Tour de France 2016

Great to see Cavendish winning again and that the sprinters seem more evenly matched than in recent years. Greipel beat Kittel at the German championships (apparently, Kittel got boxed in), Cavendish has beaten them both, and now Kittel has beaten Coquard.

I think the fatigue is going to pile up quickly for Cavendish as soon as he hits a hill. He's built like a body builder at the moment. I'd be very surprised if he makes it to Paris.

http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2016/us/stage-5.html

Last few KMs:

I don't think it's hard enough for that, I'd imagine Sky will wait until the Pyrenees or even until Ventoux for Operation Shock and Awe.

Unless they want to destroy Contador whilst he's still suffering a physiological response to his wounds.

I think Sky will turn the screw on Contador today on the penultimate climb. Even if they don't want Froome in yellow, they'll want to see how Bert responds.

Winner from a break. Why not Cummings?

Easy to let another team stick it to Contador, I reckon the GC teams will keep the tempo high.

Romain Bardet is one to watch, he will take any opportunity he can to win, it's his home county and he is a pretty tidy descender.

Romain Bardet is one to watch, he will take any opportunity he can to win, it's his home county and he is a pretty tidy descender.

That's who my money is on [a ragga tip].

Is this even hard enough to shake Sagan off?

Almost certainly as he's going to be tired after 4 days where he's been no worse than 4th, and the Peyrol/Perthus combination will likely see him dropped. It does depend on the race situation though, as both Sky and Movistar are quite happy seeing Tinkoff having the responsibility of yellow. I doubt Sky will put the boot in on Contador, as Thomas is also below par following his injury, and Movistar are in pole position to take yellow if Sagan falters, and they won't want that yet.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if a break stays away today and someone non-threatening to the GC battle takes yellow.

Today should be a good stage, so many with a real chance in it, I think Sagan might well get dropped on the second cat 2 climb, but then we may see some kamikaze descending to get back on

Might well be a bit too early in the race for the break to make it, Alaphillipe and Valverde (and a host of others) have a real shot at yellow if they can drop Sagan.

My prediction for Cav is that having won two stages his DS is going to be quite happy for him to sod off to chase his Olympics dream. So he'll have a really solid bash at the stage win tomorrow, make absolutely no effort for the next three days, another attempt at a stage win in Montpellier after the rest day and then climb off on Ventoux with a tissue thin excuse.

And to be fair to him, it's what I would do in his situation. I'm hugely dislike people who start a race without the intention of finishing it. However, he's not in it for the GC and, having jumped through the hoops for the people who pay his salary, that lure of Olympic Gold isn't something that you brush off lightly. It's pretty much his last shot at that.

I wouldn't be surprised if his DS actually said that if he can get two stage wins (imagining Anger and Montpellier) then he's free to do what he likes. The yellow jersey is just gravy to them.

I think we might see Teklehaimanot go out in search of an early KOM

did anyone go to the grand depart?
i was there in mont st michel, and i was def underwhelmed! it wasnt a spot on last year in the netherlands (atmosphere, events, beer availability)
it was very pretty though, mont st michel is quite a sight

tissue thin excuse

going to steal that ;)

Possibly there were fewer spectators etc because it is a bit isolated from nearby big towns and cities and you have to pay to park.

I was near the top of the 2nd Cat 4 climb Falaises de Champeaux with some British lads wearing Candy Crush budgie smugglers and the atmosphere there was brilliant! Lots of spectators and some pubs down the road (I believe the beer was running out though)

Went to the depart at Granville, quite big turnout for that, some events going on in the start village, they had some bands on after the depart, I think for a televised daily feature on the town and the local specialties and businesses etc.

I think Sky will go for it... under Froome they've always gone for Yellow fairly early (around or before the first real tests) and then attempt to control and hold after that.

Today isn't critical, it's just a few bumps... but it feels right for their go early strategy that even though this does not look like the stage to go for Yellow, it feels like it's one Sky will go for Yellow on.

The old rules of "If you get it too early you just lose it" seem to no longer apply to Sky. Their thing is to use having it as a psychological weapon so to beat everyone else with.

Personally I'd go for Yellow on Friday if I were in the Sky camp... but each year they've gone earlier than what I reckoned they'd do.

Sky's taken a whole new approach to their tactics this year, so I wouldn't count on anything based on previous years. But maybe that's wishful thinking.

Froome has said he expects Valverde to take it, I think? But that may just be throwing bombs over to the Movistar camp.

yep, that was the conclusion we came too.
too far from a big town, we also thought it was there purely for the aesthetics of the mont.

i was still very disappointed though, just not a spot on the grand depart of last year.
there probably wasnt even 1000 people in the whole place.
it just failed

that said, the days we spent cyclo touring around normany to and from the ferries more than made up for it.
stinky cheese, good wine and calvados can go a long way to soothe the body&soul.

in response to the rest of the tactics/who's going to get yellow....... im just waiting for froome to fall off.
he's so uncharismatic, if only sagan could win every stage.
he's worth watching whatever hes doing.
i mean whoever wears a fur coat and wields a chainsaw on their wedding day gets my vote.

Peter Sagan looked great for his wedding, I almost wished it was me marrying him.

Is there any mileage to the theory that Majka going up the road this early on in the tour is a sign that Saxo are already writing off Contador? Seems weird for such an important domestique to already be stage chasing...

that might be a bit too far for me, but i hear you :)
he's a 'king legend

What's the story for dowsett not riding? thought he was.