ToF Stage 5

Today's stage would be the last chance for any rider to have a crack. After a few unsuccessful attacks, Darren Reid from Specialized intentionally allowed a split in the pack after another attack went. With 2 riders at the front, he told his guys not to follow and they eased off, opening up a gap. There were 7 guys up ahead, with none of the GC riders in it. It was a very difficult decision to make for me at that time. I really believed it was going to be a sprint finish today and with all the GC riders in my group, i would expect the group to come back together in the later stage. If I go in the break, i could end up tired for the sprint if we were caught. So it was a risk that i took, to stay with the GC riders and conserve as much energy for the final sprint.

The group pulled ahead quickly and opened up a steady gap of 2-3mins. Behind, my pack was very active, there were many attacks from the GC riders and the pace was very unsteady. None was allowed to get away. Soon the GC riders accepted the fact that they can't get away and their teammates started going to the front to control the pace. Team DirectAsia.com, Thanyapura, Cannasia and Confero were all contributing to the pace setting. Even the yellow jersey Fredrick himself was involved. Team DirectAsia.com was doing the main bulk of the pulling with Damian Barrett and Dave Cristenson pulling hard at the front. I was starting to believe that my gamble was paying off. The pace for a good 1hr was quite hard even by following at the back. But at an intermediate checkpoint, the head marshal announced that the gap was now 4mins. 4mins! How could it be possible that the gap had went up when we were chasing hard?! After hearing the time gap i could feel that the teams were a little demoralised and were starting to accept the fact that the break will stay away. But they kept pulling anyway. In the last 10km the gap still remained somewhat the same. It was impossible to catch them now and we have to be content with fighting for a 8th spot instead.

My predictions were right, it would be a bunch sprint unless a big group gets away. Today, I made the wrong gamble. As the group began setting up for the sprint, some riders tried to attack. It was near impossible to stay away as the pace was quite fast and the headwind was very strong. I kept myself on the left side of the group as there was a slight crosswind from the right. I managed to conserve a lot of strength by doing so. In the last 1km or so, Dave Cristenson took advantaged as the pace slowed down and atacked hard. He opened up a 20-30m gap. I kept my patience this time and stayed near the front. In the last 200m, the Specialized riders started going hard at the front. I went with them. I was now 4th wheel. There wasn't any space on the left to sprint. So in the last 100m, I came round them on the right and finished ahead of them. Dave managed to stay ahead for the last km. So i finished in 9th place, behind the 7 man break and Dave. I can only knock myself in the head and imagine what would happen if the break was caught. I could and should have gotten a podium spot. Such is the luck I have in this whole tour...