Stage 5: Voeckler Steals One
I honestly cannot believe that Thomas Voeckler had never won a stage before. He’s long been a Tour fan favorite, primarily for his inspired yet obviously doomed defense of the maillot jaune in 2004. But rides like that earn you a lifetime pass. Voeckler has traded in on that pass by always using July as a time to launch attack after attack, in his quest to get back in the spotlight.
Mission accomplished.
His break seemed doomed from the start. The six riders never built a huge lead, and the major teams worked to reel the group in almost from the start. It was a short leash, and when the peloton split, the leash got even shorter. There was no way Cavendish or Cancellara was going to let this break survive. Besides, Voeckler is not a great sprinter, and he was clearly outgunned by his fellow breakaway riders.
So he attacked in the final 5 km, broke the lead group, and crossed the line with the peloton pursuit ominously looming in the background. It was an inspired ride, and Voeckler gets to hog the spotlight for a day. He completely deserves his day in the sun, and his day highlights what makes the Tour so great. Even the little guys get a chance to shine.
Cavendish, by the way, won the bunch sprint and further extended what already looks to be his insurmountable lead in the green jersey standings. If he finishes in Paris, he will be in green. But today belongs to Voeckler. So much so, I refuse to mention a certain Kazakh team to detract from his spotlight.
Mission accomplished.
His break seemed doomed from the start. The six riders never built a huge lead, and the major teams worked to reel the group in almost from the start. It was a short leash, and when the peloton split, the leash got even shorter. There was no way Cavendish or Cancellara was going to let this break survive. Besides, Voeckler is not a great sprinter, and he was clearly outgunned by his fellow breakaway riders.
So he attacked in the final 5 km, broke the lead group, and crossed the line with the peloton pursuit ominously looming in the background. It was an inspired ride, and Voeckler gets to hog the spotlight for a day. He completely deserves his day in the sun, and his day highlights what makes the Tour so great. Even the little guys get a chance to shine.
Cavendish, by the way, won the bunch sprint and further extended what already looks to be his insurmountable lead in the green jersey standings. If he finishes in Paris, he will be in green. But today belongs to Voeckler. So much so, I refuse to mention a certain Kazakh team to detract from his spotlight.
posted by Poseur at 11:14 AM
1 Comments:
People who think cycling is boring won't get it because they haven't watched all these years to see the sort of guy Voeckler is. He's short on talent, but bubbling over in hustle. This wasn't theft. Voeckler earned it by having the guts to join the multi-hour breakaway (which he probably does half a dozen times each TdF), the smarts to attack at the 5 km mark (really, what cyclists could he out-sprint at the line?), and just enough strength beat everyone to the line.
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