The strategy for a textbook lead-out for Team HTC-Columbia flew right out the window on Stage 5 of the Tour de France on Thursday, but Mark Cavendish took the sprint anyway.
It was the first sprint win for the Brit at this year's Tour. The cycling press had begun to wonder if Cavendish's reign as sprint champion had ended as previous sprints had been taken by Alessandro Petacchi (2) and Thor Hushovd (1). In 2009, Cavendish had won 6 stages of the Tour.
As the peloton neared the finish in Montargis, it looked like the drought might continue for Cavendish.
Lead-outs
Bernard Eisel was leading the pack toward the finish, but he was followed by four cyclists from Garmin-Transitions, instead of his HTC-Columbia teammates. Eisel dropped off when he realized he was doing all the work for a competing team.
Then Garmin's David Millar came to the front to set up Tyler Farrar (Wenatchee, Washington) for a sprint win, in spite of his mending broken wrist.
HTC-Columbia's Mark Renshaw, however, saw an opening and surged past with Cavendish in tow. Renshaw spun off and Cavendish hammered to the finish line, winning by a bike length.
He was followed across the line by Gerald Ciolek (Milram) and Edvald Boasson (Sky). Farrar finished in 10th place.
Overall leaders
There was no change in the overall leaders, as it appears they're waiting for the mountain stages this weekend to shake up the General Classification. Lance Armstrong (RadioShack) has to figure out how to make up the 2:30 deficit to overall leader Fabian Cancellara.
Friday's stage is relatively flat, but the peloton climbs into some medium mountains on Saturday with some 4th, 3rd and 2nd category climbs. On Sunday, the peloton faces some full-blown Alpine climbing with a mountain-top finish at Morzine-Avoriaz.
A thee-man breakaway comprising Jurgen van de Walle (QuickStep), Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) and Julian El Fares (Cofidis) led most of the 116-mile bike race that started in Epernay. Gutierrez attacked the group near the finish, but the peloton swallowed him up about 2 1/2 miles from the finish.
Top 10 overall
1. Fabian Cancellara, Saxo Bank
2. Geraint Thomas, Sky – 23 seconds behind
3. Cadel Evans, BMC – 39 seconds
4. Ryder Hesjedal, Garmin – 46 seconds
5. Sylvain Chavanel, Quick Step – 1:01
6. Andy Schleck, Saxo Bank – 1:09
7. Thor Hushovd, Cervelo – 1:19
8. Alexandre Vinokourov, Astana – 1:31
9. Alberto Contador, Astana – 1:40
10. Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Omega Pharma – 1:42
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18. Lance Armstrong, RadioShack – 2:30
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