Stage 5 from Rouen to Saint-Quentin brought the Tour back East just over top of Paris to set up for the race in the Alps. The stage went perfectly to script; A small breakaway who took their chances early which nearly paid off. It’s always exhilarating watching the breakaway get gobbled up in the final 500m. You know they’re doomed but there’s nothing better than when they pull it off!
Orica-GreenEDGE Backstage Pass
Loving these Backstage Pass videos guys. Keep up the good work!
Photo Gallery
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- Greipel takes his second stage in a row and his third career Tour de France victory.
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- Anti-Doping control. After every stage the stage winner and 6 random riders are chosen for urine and blood samples. Straight after the stage they are whisked away by Chaperones to a trailer backstage where produce their samples.
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- Tyler Farrar goes down in a crash for the second day in a row. It was within the final 3kms so he doesn’t lose any time
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- Andrei Greipel winning stage 5 of Tour de France in Saint Quentin. This one could have been Gossy’s if he had waiting just 100m longer
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- The peloton approaching the final sprint in Saint-Quentin
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- The peloton approaching the feedzone
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- Veeral Patel lining up a photo that didn’t work out.
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- Riders passing by the cathedral in the center of Rouen at the start of Stage 5
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- BMC’s Jim Ochowicz giving a statement about media reports today on the USADA investigation relating to George Hincapie
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- Jonathan Vaughters giving his statement about media reports that some of his riders have been handed a six month suspension for confessing to doping in the Lance Armstrong USADA case.
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- What’s a typical day in the life of these podium girls for three weeks in July? I had a good chat with these two lovely ladies at the Tour village before the stage. They start their day by entertaining the sponsor’s VIPs (in this case Brandt is sponsoring the Combativity award) at the Tour village. After the stage gets underway they drive to the finish line where they put fresh makeup on and get dolled up for the presentation. While on stage they do the obvious – hand the rider flowers and the jersey and a kiss the winner on each cheek. Laura (right) has been doing this job for 6 years and during the rest of the year she’s a physical education teacher. The other lovely lady (I’m sorry, I’ve forgotten her name) has been on the job for 2 years and is a mother and a hostess for the remaining year. Both of them got the job by auditioning with the sponsor when they advertised for the position of “Podium Girl Wanted”.
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- Still a long way left to go to Paris
Stage 6 Preview
Stage 6 from Éparney to Metz runs over mostly flat terrain with only one categorised climb that shouldn't give anyone any trouble. This stage is the last chance for the sprinters this week before the Tour heads for the hills on Saturday.
Quiz
Q. When was Lance Armstrong’s last individual stage win?
Hint – page 282 of the Ride Official Tour Guide
Q. True or False. Cadel Evans is the oldest GC champion in Tour history.
Hint – page 282 of the Ride Official Tour Guide
Q. In the past 5 years, who has won the white jersey three times?
Hint – page 280 of the Ride Official Tour Guide
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