Giro d'Italia 2008 - Stage Five

The 2008 Giro d'Italia started from Palermo, southern Italy on May 10 and is held over 21 stages until June 1.

Stage 5 - May 14 Belvedere Marittimo - Contursi Terme 170km

Russian Pavel Brutt, riding for the Tinkoff team, won the fifth stage of the Giro on May 14, whilst David Millar broke a chain in sight of the line - more

David Millar, who was the other breakaway rider, had a mechanical breakdown in the final kilometre to mess up his chances and he threw his bike over some barriers into a ditch in frustration.

What can you do? fotoreporter sirotti - More pics in Gallery

Millar said afterwards: "I was so motivated to get the win that I was just really angry at that moment. I will try again another day, not tomorrow, but another time. I really want to win a stage in this Giro."

Writing on the Slipstream website Millar says. "Before I knew it, I was in a race winning break, and I rapidly switched into race winning mode. I started to get ultra switched-on and even a little short-tempered, a sure sign I’m in the zone."

"It was hard. I was feeling totally in control, but it was hard. I averaged 154 heart rate for 5 hrs. I have a max of 190 when fresh. So I was hurting myself, and yet I never doubted myself. I decided to win the sprint. I did this until my chain broke. I was so raging and so focused that all the energy I had for winning the race was taken out on my bike. I’m not that person, I don’t see red. But I think it’s quite funny I did that. I’ve yet to see the footage…

Anyway, probably the nicest thing is seeing how affected by it Whitey (Mechanic) is. He’s never affected. Makes me remember how much he cares. The same goes for the whole team here. They’ve been lovely."

Team head Jonathan Vaughters took a look at the offending chain and seems wonders where it all went wrong.

"I’ve been reviewing some Aztec sacrificial procedures the last few hours. Somehow, I think I’ve gotten it wrong. The manual is very hard to read to say the least, and the animals in our neighborhood seem to have become scarce recently. It’s either that or the fax to the Devil releasing my soul got stuck in the machine. I don’t know. But one way or another, we need to change something around here."

"After looking at the chain that Mr. Millar broke today, the mechanics are plain dumbfounded. It didn’t break on the pin, but right in the middle of the link."

Director Sportif Orlando Maini was delighted with Pavel's victory. :" Finally we obtained a victory, all the squad showed its value and the enterprise of Brutt got us the win."

"This was precious for the victory of Pavel". said Dmitri Konishev. The team did excellent work."

Pavel Brutt - "I am very pleased... I endured much in the final kilometre, but I clenched my teeth."

Franco Pellizotti, the Liquigas team leader, said a lot of the riders had been in agreement that the stage should be shortened. "We spoke during the stage with (Robbie) McEwen, and (Danilo) Di Luca.

Practically everyone was in agreement in asking for the next stage to be shortened. (See below) "The proposal was accepted but 230 kilometres is still a very long way."

And on his overall lead Pellizotti added: "I've only got a one-second lead in the overall standings but that second has changed everything. I have been in pink for four days thanks to that second."

Franco Pellizotti also remarked. "This is the colour I want to be wearing on the final podium in Milan. The team is seriously motivated and we want to honour the Giro of our country. On a personal level, I want to prove to others as well as myself that I‘ve really got what it takes".

Looking ahead Pellizotti said of the stages to come. "They’re “risky” finishes for my leadership, mainly because a rider like Di Luca is only 7 seconds behind and with bonus points he could overtake me: but if someone tries to get one over then, I won’t stand idly by."

Pellizotti leads overall by one second from American Christian Vande Velde and by seven seconds from Danilo Di Luca.

Sprinter Daniele Bennati talking about stage three said . "The first Giro win is an unforgettable experience for an Italian. I badly wanted to win after having such a terrible start to the season, and today I got the chance to take out all my frustration on the pedals. I dedicate this amazing result to my wife Chiara and to my son who will be born soon.But the sprint wasn’t as easy as it seemed «because when Velo moved I thought I was still to far from the finish. I’m sorry that Petacchi isn’t here: I’d have liked to have taken him on as well".

Directeur sportif Stefano Zanatta, comments.: "We’ve started this Giro in the best way possible. Now we’ve got to hold it together and keep going like this"

Team CSC sports director Kim Andersen siad of stage 5. "It was predictable that a break was to get off early and we really wanted to have one of our guys there. Jens Voght tried his hardest and almost made it. I think the next three stages will be more or less the same as today and of course we'll have to try and make the breaks, as I'm sure some of our guys are well able to go the distance and maybe win a stage.

The fact that it was Brutt, who won today, just underlines the fact that it pays to be aggressive, because he's been there almost every single time – and not just in the Giro. Nicki Sorensen did well in the finish so he's maintaining his spot in the overall standings," said after the stage."

Fabrizio Bontempi, Lampre’s sport director, said . “We knew that there might be good breakaways and we wanted to be in them. In the first attempt we had Mauro Santambrogio, then it was Francesco Gavazzi’s turn, but in the last and decisive attack we weren’t in. It’s a lost chance, but it was not so simple”.

“I was in the first breakaway attempt, but the bunch recovered on us”: Santambrogio explained.

Rabobank manager Erik Breukink had expected a winning break to form.. "On this day, you know that there is less control." He instructed his cyclists to ride along. "This was an opportunity to win something, but then again, that is what all teams intend to do. It is regretful that we were unable to get someone in the leading group, we were very close."

Sprinter Mathew Hayman is recovering from his crach on stage four and kept out of the action. "He still has strains in his back. The climbs especially, were very tiring for Mathew. Of course, it had been a really hard smash. He did finish well, but the pain has to go away, otherwise there's no use," Breukink said.

Mauricio Soler made sure to stay away from risks. The Colombian rider feels better than last days, even if still suffering for the consequences of the crash in stage 2: "I am trying to recover from this injury, at least today I was able to push hard on the pedals on the final climb, and not be charged with any further delay."

"My aim at the moment is to do my best every day, as I am doing, and try to fully recover in time for the third week."

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Thursday's stage has been shortened by 33.4 kilometres, Tour director Angelo Zomegnan said, so the sixth stage from Potenza to Peschici is now 231.6 kilometres instead of the original 265km, which he told AFP was to help the riders' fatigue and stress after difficult conditions since the start of the race. See stage preview below.

Milram's Alberto Ongarato says of the stage. "The stage has a hard finish. I think there will be a small bunch sprint. We will try to get in a break in the early part of the stage, but if not, we will save our energy for the next sprint."