Another sprint stage but with the possibility of crosswinds later.
Pinball wizard: how can Netflix compete? They released the second series of their clunky docu-tainment show just before the Tour but viewers of the real thing get the thrill of live TV, script lines that the producers can’t concoct, plus it’s free-to-air. Sure Episode 5 of Le Tour got off to a slow start but the advice was always to tune in for the finale.
Alpecin-Deceuninck made a late charge for the finish, rumbling past the other trains at the flamme rouge. Sat on Jasper Philipsen’s wheel was Mark Cavendish. This was the place to be and the likes of Phil Bauhaus and Fernando Gaviria tried to bump their way in but couldn’t dislodge Cavendish. Behind others were tangling and braking but to dab the pads was to quit.
With 300m to go Cavendish came around Philipsen and then launched with 150m to go. And that was it, he was well clear and had time to sit up and celebrate.
Overtaking Eddy Merckx has been the defined goal but it’s a stat, not the whole story. At times he’s seemed haunted by the need to race and to keep on winning rather than set a record. It’s also a tale of longevity, at 39 years old he’s the second oldest winner of a stage in the Tour de France and has the widest span in stage wins. 2024 here, 2008 then, beating Oscar Freire and Erik Zabel, whose son has recently from pro cycling. When Cavendish was winning in Châteauroux George Bush and Nicolas Sarkozy were Presidents. The Iphone was new and Samsung had yet to launch a smartphone. Cavendish’s bike was a 10 speed with protruding gear cables.
The only thing left is to pick his exit. You could forgive him for stopping right now, a night spent bathing in champagne and leaving on but he’s still got a team in his service… and stages to suit…
The Route: a scenic start out of Macon amid the vineyards and a slog over the Col du Bois Clair but only just, the Paris-Lyon-Marseille TGV line runs parallel and does so for more of the course. More vineyards, especially mid-stage, more clattering TGV trains and plenty of white charolais cattle, these details stand out because there’s not much else to write about. The general direction of the course is north but it zigs and zags later on, as if trying to appeal to any crosswinds.
The Finish: the city of Dijon has its hills but this avoids them. The finishing straight is almost 1.6km long and if there is a roundabout inside the final kilometre – passage via the right side only – it is a giant one and a wide bend, it’s not dangerous itself but will thin out the bunch.
The Contenders: Mark Cavendish (Astana) has to get a chainring or more. For someone who usually takes a while to warm-up he made it look easy in the first sprint he got to contest.
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was close yesterday and if his leadout train can be sharper then he’s the obvious pick too. Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny) is consistent. Fabio Jakobsen (DSM) was fifth, not quite a come back but notable while Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco) can be close. Once again Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) is the obvious priority for his team now he is in green
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) took a hard fall yesterday and may not start, this counts twice as he’s got a big team in his service but if they don’t chase others will.
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Philipsen |
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Cavendish |
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De Lie, Kristoff, Girmay, Van Aert, Jakobsen, Bennett |
Weather: cloudy and a cool 20°C. There will be a crosswind for much of the stage 20km/h from the west/left. Normally 25km-30km/h is needed to shred the bunch but 20km/h can suffice for a determined group.
TV: KM0 is at 1.50pm CEST and the finish is forecast for 5.25pm CEST. Check for any crosswind action, otherwise get in place for the sprint finish.
Postcard from Dijon
The Tour de France last visited Dijon in 1997 and here’s a riddle for you: Bart Voskamp (TVM-Farm Frites) and Jens Heppner (Team Telekom) rode to the finish together to contest the stage in a two-up sprint. Who won?
The answer is Mario Traversoni (Mercatone Uno). Stage 19 saw a breakaway of 12 riders form early in the stage and with 12km to go Voskamp and Heppner slipped away from the rest of them to sprint for the win. Only they tangled, dangled, mangled and wrangled. Voskamp veered sideways to put Heppner in the barriers, the German fought back and leaned on the Dutchman. It was as if they went or lent sidewasy as much as they tried to go forwards for the line. As one of the best Tour chroniclers of the time wrote (my translation):
So what do they say, these commissaires? Do we at least know which one was at fault? Who are we going to punish? The little German or the big Dutchman? It’s unbearable. At least the president of the jury has got religion and decides to split the difference. King Solomon speaks… …The two men are disqualified. Mario Traversoni, third, who finished 26 seconds behind the two group riders, is declared the winner.
– “Les gogos d’une arrivée aux coups à coudes” by Jean-Louis Le Touzet, Liberation 26 July 1997
Apparently it took 35 minutes before Traversoni was declared the winner. And if you think it’s unusual it is, but this was the third stage that year revised by the commissaires that year after Stage 6 saw Erik Zabel cross the line first but Jeroen Blijlevens was awarded the win and Stage 11 went to Laurent Desbiens after Serguei Outschakov was relegated too. Here’s hoping for a safe sprint in Dijon today.