| Stage 6 |
Stage 6 - Commercy to Strasbourg, 220 km
No big changes in the GC, Lance and USPS all home safe and sound, other than keeping up with the pace a pretty "easy" day for the boys in blue... Stage 6 - Some "respite" - Kirsipuu takes the stage and Stuey still in Yellow 7/13 - 185 riders took to the line, temperatures in the upper 70s and overcast skies. While there were a couple of smaller Cat 4 climbs in the route, most eyes were on the Cat 2 Col du Donon about 80% into the 211 km stage. Some who were briefly in the top GC standings as a result of the TTT yesterday would likely be shaken off today by climb to that summit. There were several minor attacks within the first 42 kms, but it wasn't until Laurent Brochard and Axel Merckx had a go that anything developed. Rik Verbrugghe, Michele Bartoli, and Frederic Bessy soon joined the escape. Bessy was surely just "along for the ride" as he is a teammate of yellow jersey leader Stuart O'Grady. The peloton seemed unimpressed by this move (Bartoli the closest at 3'43") and let it go for the time being. The entire Credit Agricole had point duties today in the main pack, no help coming from any other teams so far. At about the halfway mark they were pacing the 5 leaders' gap to about 3'-3'30". Two-thirds into the stage and the gap was about the same, the average speed for the day so far: 26.4 mph. The strategy within the peloton seemed to be to let the 5 ahead have their day and simply pace along (recalling yesterday, looking ahead to next week?) - that is, as long as they didn't get too close to overtaking the GC leader O'Grady. As the major climb of the day loomed, the tactics would be interesting. The hardest part of the work was in the initial portion of the 8% average 4km climb, but after that it was more of a steady grind up to the top. As the 5 men away started the ascent they worked together, pacing each other along, no attacks from within - yet. The pack was now on the climb as well, only a few riders getting spit off the back of the peloton initially. David Millar - the current 'lantern rouge' - among the unfortunate few. As the pack progressed up the Col Credit Agricole was replaced up front by a host of team's riders, and then the attacks started to come. Cofidis went first but was quickly caught and passed by David Extebarria, then came Polka Dot jersey leader Halgand and Salmon. As the leaders summited, Brochard was in the lead - 58 kms to go. The main pack soon followed over the top, all the main riders still intact. At the base of the descent the lead 5 had 2'45" to a now regrouped peloton. Since everyone was, for the most part, recovered and ready, team strategies were being re-thought with 50kms to go to the line. Credit Agricole and O'Grady were still very present right at the front. 30 kms to the line and the 5 man gap was beginning to drop, but only a little at 2'35". The sprinter's teams were starting to move up, Telekom noticeably absent so far. 25 kms to go and now the gap was down to 2'... 20km and 1'20" - it was not looking good for the quintet. The gap continued to drop and a mass sprint was seeemingly inevitable - less than 10k and the gap was now 32", O'Grady would wear yellow for another day! Up front Brochard attacked to try and get away for the win and in the process dropped Bessy off the back. 20" back was the hammering peloton... Lotto's Rik Verbrugghe tried a solo shot with 6k, the other 3 finally swept up... 10" to the pack and 4k... Telekom to the front and that was it for him. Now the final sprint was all formed up, and again it looked very good for Zabel with 2k to go. Telekom, Lampre, and Domo very present... the final line in was long and wide, perfect for the mass of riders going for the win. And in a classic head down, elbow banging mass of speed, it was AG2R's Jaan Kirsipuu taking a huge sprint finish!
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