ToB Stage 5

The finish looks fairly similar to last year's Stoke stage (just goes on for an extra few hundred flat metres), and Boom won that, but there were sprinters up there too.

I was thinking of dropping a couple of sprinters for strong guys, but couldn't really spot anyone I fancied, apart from 2 that I already have (Vanmarcke and Caruso).

So brought in JTL and Rowe, as I think both of them will be going for GC and will hopefully be scoring high over the next few days. Leaves me with a very boring team, but I tried experimenting in the Vuelta and that got me absolutely nowhere! (575th to be precise, after 150th in the TdF. Bit of a comedown).

I was quick to learn during the Giro this year that as soon as you start to 'experiment' or take risk you're only going to lose ground. Playing it safe is always a better bet unless you get lucky (Voeckler/Kessiakoff at the TdF, De Gendt/Cataldo at the Vuelta).

I've gone fairly safe and just brought in a couple of stronger people who should contest a sprint finish but kept my team fairly stable.

drheaton - i agree kept my team fairly stable for stage 6 which should be the stage that sorts it all out.

I forgot to make my changes....

And this years finish is nothing like last years.

Its uphill untill you hit the final left hand bend with about 250m to go and then its flat as a pancake, whereas last years finish was very technical on narrow roads going uphill completely to the line for the last 500m

Sprint 1 result;
1. Leigh Howard.
2. Luke Rowe
3. Russ Downing
4. Pete Williams

So that's points for just about everybody in the comp.

KOM 1 Result;
1. Barta.
2. Sanchez.
3. House.
4. Hampton.

There was an early crash too, Brett Lancaster has retired

I suspect that this will make a difference to most teams will have stuck to sprinters. If these three pick up all the sprint and KoM points that'll upset most teams.

It wont really upset mine too much, as i dont have House so at least he wont be scoring much.

Plus i can make 4 changes for tomorrow so may take some risks.

Sprint 2;
1. Basso.
2. Huzarski.
3. Salzberger
4. Williams.

Sprint 3 ;
1. Huzarski.
2. Basso
3. Sulzberger.
4. Eisel.

If that's correct then I'm chuffed that I kept the faith with Basso.

Took out Sabatini for VanMarcke this morning to leave me with the following AND 4 transfers(banked one yesterday).

Basso
VanMarcke
Cavendish
House
VanPoppel
Urtasun
Downing
Rowe
Howard

KoM 2 ;
1. Sulzberger.
2. Basso.
3. Huzarski.
4. Urtasun.
5. Holohan.

The race is all over the shop now

Really annoyed now that i forgot to make my transfers and take out schron for vanmarcke

Crazy from Wiggo, Cav out the back by 3 minutes

Just tuned in, Wiggo "I've had to much for breakfast"

He's just rolling along helping Cav out

Sky GC over too, why did they send Wiggo back

Gonna be some crazy fantasy scores tonight, glad i can change it up tomorrow

Wiggo's not interested in this tour, He said, Its just a victory lap of the UK. So he's quite happy to drop back and help Cav. I also think he doesn't want to show his hand before the world champs. He's not racing the TT, So its all in for the RR.

I didn't make any changes as I thought Urtasun, House and JTL would be up the front anyway.

At least I have JTL, I can only hope Caruso, Schorn and Martias are in that front group but i doubt it

Fairly pleased so far today

Cav
Rowe
Howard
boy
SS
Urtasun
House
Locke
Downing

Was hoping Wiggo was gonna have go today or tomorrow.......

Even happier that Van Poppel and Howard are in the main bunch. Giving me a few up there and 4 changes for tomorrow.

Sky have given up though.....Lazy buggers. It wasn't a huge task today

To be honest, I thought Sky would let Cav lose the jersey today, I reckon he'd rather win stages in the World Champ jersey that ride around in the 'gold' one.

Nice to see that they're not dominating though, I didn't want to see a Sky vs the rest race.

I'm out and about with just my blackberry for company, anyone fancy giving me a brief overview of what's happening?

Official word is: "riders currently spread all around Staffordshire".

Whats the bets on shabby results today......After all. The only time we've had instant stage results is when Cav wins

1-2 for United healthcare
3-4 for Garmin

SO nevermind the buzzcocks wins

The fight for second between

Van Poppel
VanMarke

1 De Maar
2 Van Marcke
3 Van Poppel
4 Haas
5 Howard

6 Bennet
7 Caruso
8 Koenig
9 JTL
10 Coppel

Thats fine, Still have 3 in the top 10 +5 for the winner

A piece of useless information for you

Marc De Maar one of the only riders to have won National Road Race Championship and Time Trial Championship for two different countries

Drat I swapped De Maar for House!!!

2,3,5 and 9 so far today plus +5 for the winner. No doubt the rest of the top 20 will get displayed sometime tommorro

Now im really annoyed i didnt make my transfer!!!

Made a secret weapon change for tommorro Lets hope it pays off.

Cool, 23579 should keep me in a decent spot. Sounds like a more interesting day?

True: Dutch Antilles and Curaçao. The Dutch Antilles have been disbanded as per October 2010, with Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten now independent countries and Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius now municipalities within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Now head to your local pub quiz and show off your knowledge of Dutch Caribbean trivia!

11 163 Josh Edmondson Great Britain st
12 75 Yannick Talabardon Saur Sojasun st
13 22 David Clarke Node 4 - Giordana st
14 5 Christian Knees Sky Procycling st
15 103 Bartosz Huzarski Team NetApp st
16 85 Jacek Morajko Vacansoleil - DCM st
17 73 David Lelay Saur Sojasun st
18 33 Christopher Jones UnitedHealthcare at 0' 25''
19 43 Pierre Cazaux Euskaltel Euskadi at 0' 40''
20 41 Samuel Sanchez Euskaltel Euskadi at 1' 18''

Other results now up at http://www.tourofbritain.com/_ns_results/default.asp?stage=5

Well the OP guess WELL wrong. Dan Lloyd stage??

Your last four guys home.....

88 Daniel Lloyd
89 Simon Yates
90 Michael Cuming
91 Ronan Mclaughlin