Stage 5: Épernay - Montargis. Cavandish is Back to Form, No Change in Jersey Wearers

Contents This Page

News and Highlights
Highlights Video
Interesting Photos
Tourism & Travel in the Champagne region
Stage Map & Profile
Results and Standings

News and Highlights

Mark Cavendish wins stage 5. Photo credit: steephill.tv/sirotti

The agony and the ecstasy of victory
Cavendish sobs on the podium. Photo credit: steephill.tv/sirotti

Team HTC Columbia got their act together, established and maintained their lead of the peloton for nearly half of stage 5 between Epernay and Montargis. Despite getting a bit ragged as other teams tried to get them off their strategy, team HTC Columbia kept it together, maintained their faith in Mark Cavendish, and delivered their man to the finish line. Cavendish did not disappoint them or his many well-wishers.

Garmin - Transitions, however, were the team that edged in the lead close to the finish of the stage, and the battle was set was set for the two American teams to battle for the finish. In the closing meters, HTC Columbia edged back to the front. Running neck-and-neck, the lead racers of both teams had done their job of setting up their star sprinters for the final dash. With more momentum on their side, tactically, HTC Columbia set themselves up in the better position giving Cavendish plenty of room on the right to dart out from behind his lead rider. Garmin - Transitions unfortunately were sandwiched between HTC Columbia and the concrete road divider. When it came time for their sprinter Tyler Farrar (who has been recovering from a wrist injury suffered in stage 1) to make his dash, he chose to come out to his left - that is, between his lead rider and the concrete divider. The decision cost him precious momentum and the initiative to mount an effective fight for the win. He finished tenth and took full responsibility for his error in judgment

Alessandro Pettacchi of Lampre - Farnese couldn't mount the burst of speed he showed us yesterday and came in eight while managing to hang on to second place in the point standings. His main rival in the points, green jersey wearer from stage 4 Thor Hushovd of the Cervelo Test Team came in fifth. In falling behind, Pettacchi helped Thor Hushovd keep his jersey, and actually helped Hushovd increase his lead in the points. The rumours are that Pettacchi will leave the tour before the end of the weekend. He had done this before the last time he was in the tour in 2003. He gave up after stage 7 after winning four stages. We wonder if this practice is healthy for the sport and if riders should be asked to commit to racing the entire tour?

With the return of the sprinters to form, we can expect a battle in stage 6 - a stage that continues to suit the sprinters. Stage 6 has a few significant differences with stage 5: stage 6 gently rises in altitude, has four category 4 climbs and is the longest stage of the Tour. Stage 5 gently lost altitude and had just two category 4 climbs. Let us see if endurance and stamina become significant factors, and how soon in the race a lead-out train will try and assert dominance. And then there's the next day to think about as well - a mountain stage. How tired are the teams willing to get before a mountain stage?

Video Highlights

Interesting Photos

Sunflowers on stage 5 between Epernay and Montargis on July 8, 2010. Photo credit: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images

Tourism & Travel in the Champagne Region

Champagne Bicycle Tours

Avenue de Champagne, Épernay. Image credit: fmpgoh at Flickr

The Champagne region. Image credit: Jess and Peter at Flickr.

Cycling is a wonderful way to experience the beauty the French countryside has to offer. Some Champagne cycling tours are based in Épernay, the gateway to the vineyards of the region. Standing at the foot of the Regional Nature Park of the Montagne de Reims, and on both banks of the Marne, the Champagne vineyards are a spectacular sight displaying a whole host of different colours around the year (cycling tours usually run from April through to October).

Visit champagne cellars and taste the king of wines, including Hautvillers where Dom Pérignon 'invented' the Champagne method of making and bottling wine.

Avenue de Champagne in Épernay

Walk down the famous Avenue de Champagne in Épernay, lined with Champagne houses with their elegant architecture. (Adapted from the Discover France website)

Cirey sur Blaise Chateau. Image credit: James Temple at Flickr

The Avenue de Champagne in Épernay looks ordinary, but what's unusual is that underground lie more than 200 million bottles of champagne ageing in an estimated 322km (200 miles) or more of cellars and tunnels. These caves are vast vaults cut into the chalk rock on which the town is built.

The Avenue de Champagne is home to many leading champagne producers such as Moët et Chandon, Mercier and De Castellane. Local residents claim that the avenue is the most expensive in the world, more so than the Champs-Élysées.

The avenue has become a tourist attraction for Épernay and the region; the many champagne producers here organise visits that explain and demonstrate how the wine is produced and stored.

Stage Map

Image (above and below) credit: www.letour.fr

Stage Profile

Standings

(Source: www.letour.fr)
For an expanation of the classifications and jerseys, please see our page Classifications and Jerseys
Jersey icon key:
General classification (GC) fastest time leader, Sprints points leader, Mountains points leader, Young Rider time leader, Team total least time leader, Most Aggressive Rider

Leaders

		13	CANCELLARA Fabian	TEAM SAXO BANK	22h 59' 45"
		95	HUSHOVD Thor	CERVELO TEST TEAM	102 pts
		135	PINEAU Jérôme	QUICK STEP	13 pts
		39	THOMAS Geraint	SKY PRO CYCLING	23h 00' 08"
			TEAM SAXO BANK		69h 03' 10"

Stage Winners

Standing	Rider	Rider #	Team	Time	Gaps
1.	CAVENDISH Mark	111	TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA	5h 37' 42"
2.	FARRAR Tyler	53	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	5h 37' 42"	+ 00' 00"
3.	PETACCHI Alessandro	208	LAMPRE - FARNESE	5h 37' 42"	+ 00' 00"
4.	MC EWEN Robbie	75	KATUSHA TEAM	5h 37' 42"	+ 00' 00"
5.	CIOLEK Gerald	142	TEAM MILRAM	5h 37' 42"	+ 00' 00"
6.	TURGOT Sébastien	158	BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM	5h 37' 42"	+ 00' 00"
7.	ROJAS Jose Joaquin	169	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	5h 37' 42"	+ 00' 00"
8.	HAGEN Edvald Boasson	36	SKY PRO CYCLING	5h 37' 42"	+ 00' 00"
9.	HUNTER Robert	55	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	5h 37' 42"	+ 00' 00"
10.	HUSHOVD Thor	95	CERVELO TEST TEAM	5h 37' 42"	+ 00' 00"
11.	THOMAS Geraint	39	SKY PRO CYCLING	5h 37' 42"	+ 00' 00"
12.	MONDORY Lloyd	87	AG2R LA MONDIALE	5h 37' 42"	+ 00' 00"
13.	RENSHAW Mark	117	TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA	5h 37' 42"	+ 00' 00"
14.	LANCASTER Brett Daniel	98	CERVELO TEST TEAM	5h 37' 42"	+ 00' 00"
15.	ROELANDTS Jürgen	108	OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO	5h 37' 45"	+ 00' 03"
16.	LADAGNOUS Matthieu	65	FDJ	5h 37' 45"	+ 00' 03"
17.	DUMOULIN Samuel	173	COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE	5h 37' 45"	+ 00' 03"
18.	KLUGE Roger	144	TEAM MILRAM	5h 37' 45"	+ 00' 03"
19.	ARASHIRO Yukiya	152	BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM	5h 37' 45"	+ 00' 03"
20.	ROBERTS Luke	146	TEAM MILRAM	5h 37' 45"	+ 00' 03"

General Classification. Also called GC (yellow jersey / maillot jaune)

Standing

Rider	Rider #	Team	Time	Gaps
1.	CANCELLARA Fabian	13	TEAM SAXO BANK	22h 59' 45"
2.	THOMAS Geraint	39	SKY PRO CYCLING	23h 00' 08"	+ 00' 23"
3.	EVANS Cadel	121	BMC RACING TEAM	23h 00' 24"	+ 00' 39"
4.	HESJEDAL Ryder	54	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	23h 00' 31"	+ 00' 46"
5.	CHAVANEL Sylvain	131	QUICK STEP	23h 00' 46"	+ 01' 01"
6.	SCHLECK Andy	11	TEAM SAXO BANK	23h 00' 54"	+ 01' 09"
7.	HUSHOVD Thor	95	CERVELO TEST TEAM	23h 01' 04"	+ 01' 19"
8.	VINOKOUROV Alexandre	9	ASTANA	23h 01' 16"	+ 01' 31"
9.	CONTADOR Alberto	1	ASTANA	23h 01' 25"	+ 01' 40"
10.	VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen	101	OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO	23h 01' 27"	+ 01' 42"
11.	ROCHE Nicolas	81	AG2R LA MONDIALE	23h 01' 27"	+ 01' 42"
12.	VAN SUMMEREN Johan	58	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	23h 01' 32"	+ 01' 47"
13.	MENCHOV Denis	191	RABOBANK	23h 01' 34"	+ 01' 49"
14.	WIGGINS Bradley	31	SKY PRO CYCLING	23h 01' 34"	+ 01' 49"
15.	MILLAR David	57	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	23h 01' 51"	+ 02' 06"
16.	KREUZIGER Roman	44	LIQUIGAS-DOIMO	23h 02' 09"	+ 02' 24"
17.	SANCHEZ Luis-Leon	161	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	23h 02' 10"	+ 02' 25"
18.	ARMSTRONG Lance	21	TEAM RADIOSHACK	23h 02' 15"	+ 02' 30"
19.	LÖVKVIST Thomas	37	SKY PRO CYCLING	23h 02' 19"	+ 02' 34"
20.	ROJAS Jose Joaquin	169	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	23h 02' 20"	+ 02' 35"

Points Classification (green jersey / maillot vert)

Standing	Rider	Rider #	Team	Points
1.	HUSHOVD Thor	95	CERVELO TEST TEAM	102 pts
2.	PETACCHI Alessandro	208	LAMPRE - FARNESE	88 pts
3.	MC EWEN Robbie	75	KATUSHA TEAM	81 pts
4.	ROJAS Jose Joaquin	169	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	73 pts
5.	HAGEN Edvald Boasson	36	SKY PRO CYCLING	64 pts
6.	THOMAS Geraint	39	SKY PRO CYCLING	59 pts
7.	TURGOT Sébastien	158	BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM	59 pts
8.	OSS Daniel	46	LIQUIGAS-DOIMO	54 pts
9.	CAVENDISH Mark	111	TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA	50 pts
10.	CIOLEK Gerald	142	TEAM MILRAM	49 pts
11.	CHAVANEL Sylvain	131	QUICK STEP	44 pts
12.	EVANS Cadel	121	BMC RACING TEAM	42 pts
13.	CANCELLARA Fabian	13	TEAM SAXO BANK	37 pts
14.	ROELANDTS Jürgen	108	OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO	36 pts
15.	RENSHAW Mark	117	TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA	35 pts
16.	HESJEDAL Ryder	54	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	30 pts
17.	DEAN Julian	52	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	30 pts
18.	EL FARES Julien	174	COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE	29 pts
19.	ROCHE Nicolas	81	AG2R LA MONDIALE	28 pts
20.	CONTADOR Alberto	1	ASTANA	27 pts

King of the Mountains Classification [white & red (polka) dotted jersey / maillot à pois rouges]

Standing	Rider	Rider #	Team	Points
1.	PINEAU Jérôme	135	QUICK STEP	13 pts
2.	CHAVANEL Sylvain	131	QUICK STEP	8 pts
3.	TAARAMAE Rin	171	COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE	8 pts
4.	VAN DE WALLE Jurgen	138	QUICK STEP	6 pts
5.	MONFORT Maxime	116	TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA	5 pts
6.	GUTIERREZ José Ivan	164	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	4 pts
7.	LLOYD Matthew	106	OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO	4 pts
8.	HESJEDAL Ryder	54	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	3 pts
9.	MAYOZ Iban	217	FOOTON-SERVETTO	3 pts
10.	ROELANDTS Jürgen	108	OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO	3 pts

Young* Riders' Classification (white jersey / maillot blanc)

*Riders no more than 25 years old in the year of the race.

Standing	Rider	Rider #	Team	Time	Gaps
1.	THOMAS Geraint	39	SKY PRO CYCLING	23h 00' 08"
2.	SCHLECK Andy	11	TEAM SAXO BANK	23h 00' 54"	+ 00' 46"
3.	KREUZIGER Roman	44	LIQUIGAS-DOIMO	23h 02' 09"	+ 02' 01"
4.	ROJAS Jose Joaquin	169	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	23h 02' 20"	+ 02' 12"
5.	MARTIN Tony	115	TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA	23h 02' 20"	+ 02' 12"
6.	DURAN AROCA Arkaitz	214	FOOTON-SERVETTO	23h 02' 34"	+ 02' 26"
7.	FUGLSANG Jakob	14	TEAM SAXO BANK	23h 02' 43"	+ 02' 35"
8.	KOREN Kristjan	43	LIQUIGAS-DOIMO	23h 02' 52"	+ 02' 44"
9.	ROELANDTS Jürgen	108	OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO	23h 02' 55"	+ 02' 47"
10.	FARIA DA COSTA Rui Alberto	162	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	23h 02' 59"	+ 02' 51"

Team Classification

Standing	Team	Time	Gaps
1.	TEAM SAXO BANK	69h 03' 10"
2.	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	69h 03' 21"	+ 00' 11"
3.	SKY PRO CYCLING	69h 03' 35"	+ 00' 25"
4.	ASTANA	69h 05' 31"	+ 02' 21"
5.	BMC RACING TEAM	69h 06' 00"	+ 02' 50"
6.	CERVELO TEST TEAM	69h 06' 32"	+ 03' 22"
7.	RABOBANK	69h 06' 47"	+ 03' 37"
8.	OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO	69h 06' 50"	+ 03' 40"
9.	AG2R LA MONDIALE	69h 06' 59"	+ 03' 49"
10.	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	69h 07' 05"	+ 03' 55"
11.	TEAM RADIOSHACK	69h 07' 38"	+ 04' 28"
12.	TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA	69h 07' 39"	+ 04' 29"
13.	LIQUIGAS-DOIMO	69h 07' 52"	+ 04' 42"
14.	KATUSHA TEAM	69h 08' 21"	+ 05' 11"
15.	FDJ	69h 08' 40"	+ 05' 30"
16.	COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE	69h 08' 41"	+ 05' 31"
17.	EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI	69h 09' 13"	+ 06' 03"
18.	BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM	69h 09' 21"	+ 06' 11"
19.	QUICK STEP	69h 09' 43"	+ 06' 33"
20.	TEAM MILRAM	69h 09' 47"	+ 06' 37"
21.	FOOTON-SERVETTO	69h 13' 16"	+ 10' 06"
22.	LAMPRE - FARNESE	69h 13' 18"	+ 10' 08"