The Breakaway Wins!
Just a couple days ago we practically said the whole team rides bikes with training wheels.
It’s nice to see a breakaway succeed. Feilli, Frischkorn, Borghini, and Dumoulin put in an amazing effort to stay away for 200 km and win by 2 minutes. Those guys were even strong enough for an exciting sprint finish in the final km, won by Dumoulin. Since a Frenchman won the stage and a Frenchman now wears yellow, the Frenchmen who run the Tour, in their magnanimity, awarded the American, Frischkorn, with the bogus title of most aggressive rider, which is normally reserved for the Frenchman who tries hardest yet still loses.
Perhaps more importantly, the crash in the peloton in the last 20 km split the field, and the lagging group couldn’t catch up. At the finish line the back half of the peloton, including Menchov and Ricco, finished 40 seconds behind the yellow jersey. Doh!
Robbie McEwen led the chase group to the finish, and it’s a big deal for him to beat Hushovd, Freiere, et al to the line, but the difference in points is muted a bit by the breakaway gang taking the top 4 spots. Instead of 35 points for a stage win, he got 22 for a 5th place finish. Zabel, Hushovd, and Freire were 6th-8th. Kim Kirchen finished 11th, close enough to hold the green jersey over Hushovd by 5 points.
posted by uberschuck at 10:58 AM
3 Comments:
I know what Siilence-Lotto was thinking: we're not riding for McEwen. After he fell early in the stage, not one rider could be spared to help him. McEwen is officially alone.
But what were the other sprinter's teams thinking? The first flat stage of the Tour, and the sprinters allow the breakaway to work. Hell, they weren't really that close.
I guess Hushovd can argue he didn't really need the points, but no one else can really make that case. Look at the Green Jersey standings after the 1st flat stage:
1. Kirchen 69
2. Hushovd 64
3. Freire 55
4. Valverde 49
5. Zabel 46
----
7. Hunter 40
13. McEwen 31
Cavendish is already out of contention. Kirchen is still keeping the Green warm for Hushovd, but he was there in the bunch sprint again. But these early stages tend to add up, and someone needs to make a move.
How about Quick Step. After the crash that caught Menchov and Ricco, they were Johnny-on-the-spot to jump to the front and increase the pace. But why? They have no GC contender, and their most likely green jersey threat, Steegmans, only has 5 points, which he picked up today.
Funny, you've already declared Cavendish out and we haven't even gotten to a mountain yet. We may have to rely on David Millar to fly the Union Jack!
Cavendish is 50 points down. Who cares if he makes it through the Alps? He's not making up the gap, especially leaping over that many contenders (like, all of them). He's done. He's just in this thing to win a stage now.
Hell, McEwen is probably done as well. But I never ever ever count out McEwen as a rule.
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