A straightforward stage in every sense, look at the map and Stage 5 hardly features a corner for hours. The start will involve a small ceremony to celebrate Ferrari, as in Enzo Ferrari the man behind the famous motorcars. The finish loops past the training roads of Marco Pantani but today should be a tribute to the sprinters.
The profile is similar to Milan-Sanremo, a long flat start with a few hills packed in towards the finish and then a flat finish but shorter in distance and the hills are not so bad. It looks like a sprint finish is guaranteed. Certainly several teams have an interest in a sprint finish, from Garmin-Barracuda who want to protect their pink jersey and ensure Tyler Farrar gets some time bonuses, to the other teams with sprinters who want a stage win.
The finish itself in Fano is normal. The race comes in along the coast and then once in the town famous for its beach the race bends inland towards the town centre with two bends in the last kilometre.
Fine weather awaits, with sunshine and warm temperatures, and only a light breeze.
Only wish that last sentence described Leicestershire.
Would love to see Cav v. Degenkolb on a stage like this
Note Degenkolb is not riding the Giro.
I know!
Maybe the two will meet in July.
“The start will involve a small ceremony to celebrate Ferrari…”
OK, OK, hands up all those who thought “WHAT THE???!!”
Talking of which, it was suggested on Cyclingnews that the ‘other’ Ferrari is planning to make a public apology to Cavendish. Be interesting to see if that happens and what cringeworthy form it might take!
Indeed, at first I thought What the f….., but after mentioning Enzo I got it. 😉
It will be good to see Garmin controlling the break for a change! Meow!
Double meow. About time they took up a share of the hard work during the hard yards – often they’re nowhere to be seen
One for Rabobank perhaps? They’ve been making noises about it, otherwise GreenEdge. Reckon the sheer volume of bark that Cav lost might just take the edge off. Renshaw or Goss?
Watch out for Cav today. The lovely Peta Todd and the perhaps even lovelier Delilah will be on hand. I’d love to see him bounce back from his big bounce the other day. As for the Ferraris – Roberto has much to apololigize for, while the late Enzo has nothing to apologize for.
Finally, a stage that doesn’t end in the place where it starts 🙂
Outsider for the win. Go Démare!
Cav for today, I think. Any news on whether the promised apology to Cav, Phinney and everyone else, materialised?
A win for Cavendish today, which will move him to within 9s of the Pink Jersey, that I believe he would have had on his shoulders but for Ferrari , unfortunately looking at tomorrows profile that’s as close as he will get this year. 🙁
I hope Farrar gets it together today. Will the lure of pink be enough for him to make the top step?
I suppose if he does win though it will be devalued due to Cav’s condition.
I think any question over Cav’s condition has just been silenced – a few hills and clearly the fastest sprinter among a competitive field. If Goss had had the legs, he was in the perfect position to come around Cav, but he couldn’t. Slightly disappointing not to see more of the top sprinters up there with them.
two NZ’ers in the top twenty of a grand tour I know it’s the first week but that has got to be a record c’mon the Kiwis
And Cav it is. Poor Goss… that was head to head with Cav and he still couldn’t come around. Sky had good train running today though. However taking most of their men to assist Cav to get a secured win I wonder how they are going to manage this in TDF when part of the team is NEEDED to protect Wiggins from crash and all.
You underestimate Cavendish’s ability to find a way through when the train faulters or is not present, more than once he has won sans train. He is quite simply the fastest finisher whether delivered by his team or not. BTW hats off to Robbie Hunter.
I’m aware he’s capable of that. Getting 6 men to protect and deliver him today was a warranty I guess to prevent that kind of crash happening again. The crash with Ferrari was in part because he didn’t have the train to lead and guard him. (at that point Greenedge still had a man for Goss). I can only imagine TDF sprint is going to be much more erratic.
While I think The Lion King had more class and charisma in his little finger than Cavendish has in his entire body – there’s no doubt the Manx Missile is the best sprinter going today. I don’t think anyone can beat him when he’s on form. I sort of think today will be the last anyone hears about Roberto Ferrari…obscurity waits. Tomorrow’s route looks like fun, roads we’ve used over the years in our old Umbria-Marche tour.
Really thrilling finale, while I’m pleased that Cav won, it would be churlish to right Goss off too soon, he had to start his sprint a bike length back, (thanks Modolo) and lost by a bike length…