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STAGE 4: SPRINTERS LOOK FOR A STAGE WIN WEDNESDAY IN CHATEAUROUX
Road Bike Action & AFP
July 8, 2008
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Wednesday's Tour De France Stage 5 from Cholet to Chateauroux may offer a thrilling sprint finish like Stage 1 to Plumelec. Ahead of Thursday's potentially hazardous racing terrain, sprinters like Thor Hushovd, Robbie McEwen, Mark Cavendish and Gert Steegmans are looking to finally dispute a bunch sprint. McEwen, a 12-time Tour stage winner and his fellow fastmen have been looking forward to Stage 5, at 232km over mainly flat terrain from here to Chateauroux.
American Christian Vande Velde admitted the lack of cohesion among the sprinters teams, who normally work together to bring back the escapees, had been doomed because of the weather - and lack of cooperation. "It's a case of cat and mouse and who's going to put their guys up there first," he told AFP. "They left it too late and there wasn't enough cohesion left in the peloton to bring it back. If you don't bring it back before (the break benefits from) the tailwind, you're not going to bring it back." Look out for Liquigas star Pippo Pozatto who is determined to get in a break that can go to the finish and Wednesday's Tour De France Stage 5 from Cholet to Chateauroux is his last chance for a while.
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