5th stage of the Turn of Italy 2007

The 5th stage of the Turn of Italy 2007 took place on May 17th. The course of 172 kilometers connects Teano to Frascati.

Account

The group of the Tour of Italy profits one day of transition between Teano, in Campanie, and Frascati, in the Latium, on the distance of 173 kilometers. This stage is very punt, only marked by a bump with about fifteen kilometers of the arrival. For the time being, Robbie McEwen (Predictor-Lotto) and Alessandro Petacchi (TEAM Milram) are with equality, a victory everywhere, but of other sprinters grognent in silence and dream to carry it in final tormented, the organizers having had the unreasonable idea to trace their last kilometer in narrow and sinuous streets, strewn with curves in zigzag. To animate the race, one can hope since the departure of this Tour of Italy on the Italian-Russian team Tinkoff Credit Systems. Not a morning escape did not emerge since launching from the pink race without the presence from one or the other from the members from the sporting group from the second division. Mikhail Ignatiev (Tinkoff) decides to provide efforts of race at the head. It attacks with the 15th kilometer in company of the French Mickaël Buffaz (Cofidis). Present both in the long escape which had marked the third stage of the Giro between Barumini and Cagliari, the two fighters launch out in a new rally at the conclusion well defined. The two runners will have five minutes a maximum and half advance for maximum advance, before a return of the group.

Intolerable, Mikhail Ignatiev refuses to be satisfied with such a fate. The former Espoirs world champion of the against-the-watch prefers to isolate himself by giving up Mickaël Buffaz with his sad fate with 55 kilometers from the arrival. Obviously, the group does not intend to be let at the head tenderize by the furnished efforts race by the Russian wheeler. The continuation is committed with virulence, which very quickly brings the group closer to the last morning attacker. Logically, Mikhail Ignatiev is joined with 18 kilometers of the arrival, after vain escaped from 135 kilometers. The teams of sprinters do not have then any more but to enter in scene to control the final one towards Frascati and to allow the group to arrive grouped under the red flame for a last tortuous kilometer.

Ca rubs enormously in the multiple turns of the last terminal. The road is not quite broad and the sprinters feel with narrow in the curves which project the group sometimes on the right, sometimes on the left. And finally, Alessandro Petacchi as Robbie McEwen will have to raise the foot. The Italian is packed against the barriers and must cut his effort at the worst time. More malignant, the Australian one tries to infiltrate in a way left without monitoring in the middle of the roadway, but it is surprised by an abrupt increase of Robert Förster (Gerolsteiner), which introduced there in its place. There is no place for two and Robbie McEwen must in its turn be raised. A boulevard opens in front of the wheels of Robert Förster, left by far and which finds just time to jump Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) to gain the stage!

Danilo Di Luca preserves the Pink Shirt before a semi-mountainous stage the following day between Tivoli and Spoleto (181 km).

Source: Velo101.com

Classification of the stage

General classification

Additional classifications

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