Tour de France Team Talk Stage 5

Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia) won his first Tour stage building his reputation even more since his two stage wins in the 2008 Giro d'Italia.. - report

Mark Cavendish took a bike length win ahead of three-times World Champion Oscar Freire of Spain, with German Erik Zabel in third. It was Cavendish eighth road-race win of 2008 and 19th road-race victory of his career. In a remarkable year so far for Team Columbia, Cavendish win is the 46th of 2008 for the men’s team.

Top spot on the podium - Pic fotoreporter sirotti

“This is far and away the biggest win of my career.” Cavendish said afterwards.

“Everyone knows what the Tour is, when you’re a kid you watch it on tv, you dream of being there. I’ve always known how important the Tour is.”

Strongly supported by all eight Columbia team-mates in the frantic finale, Cavendish said their hard work “shows just how self-sacrificing they are.”

“They did everything they could do to help me there, and I had to do my best to pay them back and win.”

“They’ve worked with total commitment all week. Today we had to top the podium. I couldn’t really come away without the victory.”

Although Olympic ambitions are high on Cavendish’s list of priorities this year, he is adamant that he has no plans to abandon. “I want to go all the way to Paris. To plan to do otherwise would be disrespectful to the organisers, my team, the other riders and the race.”

Discussing the team’s role in the finale, Cavendish said that German team-mate Gerald Ciolek “led me out from 600 metres. That’s a long way to go in the headwind, but you saw how fast he went past the other guys.”

“Then when rival rider Mark Renshaw went with sprinter Thor Hushovd with 250 metres to that was a bit early in the sprint for me to accelerate.”

“But after Renshaw had given Hushovd a good lead-out then my own final acceleration would have been less efficient if I had waited for my usual distance.” “So I had to go for it when they did.”

“Fortunately my strength was enough to take me all the way to the line. I was able to hold it all the way there and it all paid off.”

Lampre decided to have a quiet day and worked to keep Damiano Cunego out of harms was on the longest stage of the Tour.

Team domestic Massimiliano Mori explains what he has done for Damiano: “I guided Cunego in the last kilometres into a sure position in the bunch, where you can avoid crashes. Our race ran parallel to the sprinters - When: they were going fast way next to us, we kept out of their way and everything went well."

Mario Bruseghin crashed, but with no substantive injury.

Tomorrow first mountain arrival in Super Besse: “The road becomes tough and someone will try to do something – Cunego said – I think that the most important thing is to be steady”.

The watch word was caution, but still it was a tough day for Nicki Sorensen.

"Luckily it was a fairly quiet day because I've still got big pains in my knee and wrist. The hand was better today though but the knee was really bad. Tomorrow is gonna be a tough one so I'm a bit nervous about that," said Sorensen after the stage.

Race leader Stefan Schumacher defended the yellow jersey - "The feeling was amazing. The cheering of the spectators. Luckily the stage was a long one - time enough for me to enjoy the whole thing a little bit. Moments I won't forget. A great day for me and for the team"

"The team controlled things superbly", said the Tour leader, who is hoping to remain in that position. "The jersey certainly has an uplifting and motivating effect on us", said the rider from Nürtingen. On Thursday the first mountain arrival is on the agenda in Super-Besse. A real challenge that Schumacher will face squarely: "We will see how things go. But there is no doubt about one thing: I will give it my very best and fight to defend the jersey."

Team manager Christian Henn said that the "The early group represented no danger - and enabled us to control the race until the sprinter teams picked up the speed in the finale", said Henn, adding with an eye on the Yellow Jersey amongst his own riders: "That was really nice, a great experience."

Heinrich Haussler suffered a fall in the finale - "I had to slam in the breaks since there was no room left in front of me, and then I fell on my shoulder", said Haussler, adding: "At first I was somewhat shocked - not wanting to move. But I gather it's only a couple of grazes and abrasions. Nevertheless I'll have to wait and see how thing go tomorrow". Then Haussler grinned and said: "We've still got the yellow".

.Team Barloworld placed two riders in the leading positions of this bunch sprint, as Aussie Baden Cooke was fifth and Robert Hunter sixth. "Me and Baden were in a good position in the last few metres - stated Hunter after the finish - but we didn't manage to reach the maximum speed. Cavendish was very fast today".

Maurico Soler had to adandon during the stage - more

Erik Zabel sprinted to third place on the fifth stage of the Tour de France. "That was a very fast sprint today, considering that it was a false flat uphill and the wind also played a role,” Erik Zabel said after the sprint, in which he missed out on the second place only by a few centimetres. “Congratulations to Mark Cavendish – he’s simply the fastest at the moment.”

Alejandro Valverde crashed, not an uncommon occurrence for the rider at the Tour. His team manager, Eusebio Unzue said "Alejandro fell when he rode over an object on the road," explained Unzue.

"His shoulder is hurting and he's got grazes on his forearm and his elbow, but for now we're not treating it as too serious.

After being in a stage long break of four riders, Nicolas Vogondy bid for a stage win ended when he was caught at the death - " Again a beautiful day for the team. When one attacks, there is always belief. I had a small margin at the end and I had a little left in reserve. But that did not suffice".

Oscar Freire said - "Cavendish was too strong."

Team manager Erik Breukink commentated - "The team did well, Flecha and Langeveld assisted Oscar. The rest had to lead Menchov to the finish." Peter Weening had a bad day suffering from gastric problems.

The team now look to Dennis Menchov on the first mountain stage on Thursday.

Aurelien Passeron crashed into a spectator and taken to the Châteauroux hospital for an abdominal ultrasound scan after completing the race, but he´ll be able to continue..

Josep Jufre said - "Tomorrow is the big day for us and for me in particular. We´ll try to appear in breakaways and fight for a stage win, our main goal. This is my first Tour, and I´m gradually adjusting to it, feeling better by the day. Although somehow I´d expected it, it´s kind of shocking that everyone´s so nervous in the first week, with all the riders seeking a place ahead. I was a little bit afraid, but the flat stages are over. As of tomorrow, we´ll have to assist Riccò and Cobo and help them claim victory in this Tour."

Riccardo Ricco - "Tomorrow could be my day. Yesterday´s time-trial doesn´t count; as I´ve said before, my goal is not the GC. I´ve felt great so far, and tomorrow´s course suits me. It suits some of the favourites, like Valverde or Cunego, too, though. I´m not familiar with the drag up to the finish at Super Besse, but Piepoli´s told me about it, and he says my skills are good for it. We´ll put my legs to the test."

Sports manager Marc Sergeant summed up the stage - "Leif and Summie placed Robbie very well for the sprint. It was a lost opportunity, but others will come. Cavendish deserved to win, he is probably the best sprinter at this moment.

Cadel and the other riders of the team have spent the day well inside the peloton. Gerolsteiner have controlled the race, and afterwards the sprinters' teams have taken their responsibility."

Thursday is the first mountain stage, but Marc Sergeant does not expect big time differences. Maybe Kim Kirchen will wear the yellow jersey tomorrow night. Cadel has not seen the route, but the team's staff knows it and will advise him."

Herve Duclos Lassalle, Cofidis - stage 1
Angel Gomez, Saunier Duval - stage 3
Maurico Soler, Barloworld - stage 5

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