Riders "Go-Slow" After Race Goes Off-Route

 

Stage 5, Southeast, Rochester to Canterbury

Saturday,September 2 | www.tourofbritain.com

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• STAGE EXTRA - The story of the stage in images with captions >>>>
• INTERVIEWS - Hard-hitting interview from Kristian House on the problems during the stage >>>>

STAGE REPORT

The fifth stage of the Tour of Britain descended into farce after riders staged a go-slow to protest at what they saw as organisational and policing issues. This situation developed after the race accidentally went off course in the neutralised (i.e. non-racing) section immediately after the start in Rochester.

 

The whole race ground to a halt - riders, police, commissaires and all other race vehicles - for approximately 20 minutes whilst officials tried to sort out the problem. The indications are that the police escort made a navigational error.

 

World Champion Tom Boonen makes his feelings clear during the delay early in the stage in front of an audience of amused riders and a, probably, bemused policemen

 

Whilst the race organisers sorted out the correct route and the police prepared and cleared it, the riders voiced their concerns to the chief commissaire and other race officials. The upshot of their discussions, which were led by the Pro-Tour teams' riders, was that the riders rode most of the stage at "tempo".

 

A bunch sprint was organised in the closing kilometres and was won by Francesco Chicci of QuickStep, from T-Mobile's Mark Cavendish. World Champion, Tom Boonen, was one of several leading sprinters who chose not to contest the sprint.

 

Chicci wins ahead of Mark Cavendish, who now leads the points competition

 

From post-race interviews given by some of the riders, it is clear that all attacking or aggressive moves were swiftly discouraged by senior Pro-tour riders. Both Kristian House of the Recycling team and GB's Ben Swift were "dissuaded" from continuing with attacking moves, Swift reportedly by being pulled back by the seatpost, so feelings were clearly running high.

 

House said after the race that he and the other riders from non Pro-Tour teams felt like "the meat in a sandwich", caught between the riders who didn't want the race to go ahead and their own managers who wanted them to get on with it. It was particularly disappointing for House, whose home stage this was and who has had such a good race to date:

 

In an extract from a longer interview (link below) Kristian said: "It wasn't unsafe. There were a few problems but they can happen at any race and I can understand also the organisation are trying their hardest to get this right. It's disappointing especially for me because this was my home stage and I really wanted to race. This is the day I have been looking forward to for the last eight weeks. And then you look at who won it, Quickstep, the guys who said we're not racing. I spoke to Tom Boonen at one point and he said, 'today no racing and at the end of the stage we have no result and no podium'. And you look at who wins today, its ridiculous!" (More from the interview >>>>)

 

Meanwhile, the only ride to make significant progress in the race's ongoing competitions was Mark Cavendish who now leads the battle for the Points jersey by 2 points from Russell Downing.

 

There was more good news for Mark Cavendish with the annoucement on the T-Mobile website that he had signed a two year contract with the team. He was understandably upbeat about his chances for the final stage:

"The conditions were bad today but it played into my hands being a bunch sprint. With the headwind, I ran out of legs in the bunch gallop. Mike (Rogers) was there as always for me and is great. I also knew what the GB lads lead out routine for Roger was from stage 2 and took advantage of it. I'm hoping I can go one better tomorrow. I came here for a stage win and have come close and that's my main aim. I'm quite confident I can keep the Green jersey and want that stage win. This is the highest profile event that I have held the Green jersey in for sure."

Results (General Classification & other competitions >>>>)

1 Chicchi, Francesco QuickStep-Innergetic 4h24'42"
2 Cavendish, Mark T-Mobile 4h24'42"
3 Vierhouten, Aart Skil-Shimano 4h24'42"
4 Vanlandschoot, James Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 4h24'42"
5 Downing, Russell DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed 4h24'42"
6 Ten Dam, Laurens Unibet.com 4h24'42"
7 Ljungblad, Jonas Unibet.com 4h24'42"
8 Lancaster, Brett Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 4h24'42"
9 Tjallingii, Maarten Skil-Shimano 4h24'42"
10 Keisse, Iljo Chocolade Jacques-Topsport 4h24'42"
11 Degano, Enrico Barloworld 4h24'42"
12 Rooijakkers, Piet Skil-Shimano 4h24'42"
13 Hammond, Roger Great Britain @ 03"
14 Mattan, Nico Davitamon Lotto @ 05"
15 Lisabeth, Kenny Chocolade Jacques-Topsport @ s/t
16 Sabido, Hugo Barloworld @ s/t
17 Pasamontes, Luis Unibet.com @ s/t
18 Allegrini, Mirko Ceramica Panaria-Navigare @ s/t
19 Morkov, Michael Denmark @ s/t
20 Rogers, Michael T-Mobile @ s/t
21 Roberts, Luke CSC @ s/t
22 Nuyens, Nick QuickStep-Innergetic @ s/t
23 Pedersen, Martin CSC @ s/t
24 Jennings, Cameron DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed @ s/t
25 Cappelle, Andy Landbouwkrediet-Colnago @ s/t
26 Pozzato, Filippo QuickStep-Innergetic @ s/t
27 Thijs, Erwin Unibet.com @ s/t
28 Swift, Ben Great Britain @ 10"
29 Downing, Dean DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed @ 12"
30 Vandevelde, Christian CSC @ 14"
31 Priamo, Matteo Ceramica Panaria-Navigare @ 17"
32 Steensen, Andre Denmark @ s/t
33 Oliphant, Evan Recycling.co.uk @ s/t
34 Thomas, Geraint Great Britain @ s/t
35 Schleck, Andy CSC @ s/t
36 Tschopp, Johann Phonak iShares @ s/t
37 Kroon, Karsten CSC @ s/t
38 House, Kristan Recycling.co.uk @ 22"
39 Weissinger, Rene Skil-Shimano @ s/t
40 Clarke, Simon South Australia.com-AIS @ 25"
41 Partridge, Rob Recycling.co.uk @ s/t
42 Cox, Ryan Barloworld @ s/t
43 Sinkewitz, Patrik T-Mobile @ s/t
44 Garate, Juan Manuel QuickStep-Innergetic @ s/t
45 Astarloa, Igor Barloworld @ s/t
46 Christensen, Mads Barloworld @ s/t
47 Veuchulen, Frederik Chocolade Jacques-Topsport @ s/t
48 Greenwood, Ben Recycling.co.uk @ s/t
49 Barbe, Koen Chocolade Jacques-Topsport @ s/t
50 Meadley, James South Australia.com-AIS @ s/t
51 Merckx, Axel Phonak iShares @ s/t
52 Cretskens, Wilfried QuickStep-Innergetic @ s/t
53 Coutts, Alex DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed @ s/t
54 Clancy, Edward Landbouwkrediet-Colnago @ s/t
55 Stannard, Ian Great Britain @ s/t
56 Rasmussen, Alex Denmark @ s/t
57 Willems, Frederik Chocolade Jacques-Topsport @ s/t
58 Lloyd, Mathew South Australia.com-AIS @ s/t
59 Sander, Ross Great Britain @ 33"
60 Newton, Christopher Recycling.co.uk @ 45"
61 Roesems, Bert Davitamon Lotto @ s/t
62 Kessler, Matthias T-Mobile @ s/t
63 McCarty, Patrick Phonak iShares @ s/t
64 Van Summeren, Johan Davitamon Lotto @ s/t
65 Manning, Paul Landbouwkrediet-Colnago @ s/t
66 Tennant, Andrew Great Britain @ s/t
67 Clarke, Jonathon South Australia.com-AIS @ s/t
68 Higgerson, Shaun South Australia.com-AIS @ s/t
69 Van Bon, Leon Davitamon Lotto @ s/t
70 Gates, Nick Davitamon Lotto @ s/t
71 Sharman, Robin Recycling.co.uk @ s/t
72 Boonen, Tom QuickStep-Innergetic @ 01'05"
73 Piil, Jakob CSC @ s/t
74 Barras, Tom DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed @ 01'24"
75 Jorgensen, Casper Denmark @ 02'18"

 

(General Classification & other competitions >>>>)