August 7, 2008 – Another day, another plan – that’s the way we need to roll around here. On Stage 4 we controlled the race, but we also lost seven minutes. According to the locals and the media, it was a major accomplishment for Cam to still be in yellow, but the time bomb was on. It would simply a matter of time until Pena Pena took the jersey from him they said. A rider from another team even had to audacity to come and tell me that I should show my riders how to ride and stop messing up the breakaway attempts adding, “It doesn’t matter, I know Pena Pena from last year, and he’ll take 10 minutes on you today. We looked you up on the web, and you’re not that good!”

I did not need more incentive to motivate the team and change the plan. The best defensive is the attack. After all, if I get three guys to work during the last five stages in this heat they’ll all be dead before Sunday! We needed to put pressure on the local king, Pena Pena. If he truly owns this race like everyone says, he must take it and own it.

Within the first few km, Dustin went to work and made them panic a little bit. Not too long after, Pena Pena came to see Cam to ask for two Canadians to work with two Guadeloupians (he rides for a local team) Рdeal! This would then bring us to the mountains with fresh legs for Dustin and Cam. Ryan and Andr̩ punched in to work. Under these circumstances, I was confident Cam would not lose too much time on a one-on-one battle with Pena Pena in the mountains.

With Dustin fresh, this meant one or two mountains, out of four, would be well covered for Cam. At the top of the last climb, the damage was not too bad, about 3:45. With about 20km of smaller up and down roads, Cam’s group of four riders managed to bring down the lead to 3:00 – something never seen over the king of Guadeloupe cycling!

At the end of the day, Pena Pena moved up to 2nd, but is still 3:28 behind Cam. The Columbian is worried – we’re breathing – although we know a lot of work needs to be done on tomorrow’s last mountain stage. It’s a big fight, but through it all we seem to be not only making enemies, but some locals and media are starting to cheer lightly for us!

Heat rashes and through jersey sun burns (yes, believe me, they do burn through jerseys there!), and small dehydration are a common thing around here for the “guys from the cold” as they like to call us. It certainly keeps our soigneur, Nena Kennedy, busier then massages.

Results

1. Flobert Pena Pena (Col) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 3:20:53 (35,931 km/h)
2. Adam Pierzga (Pol) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN 1:23
3. Edwin Sanchez Anzola (Col) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 2:42
4. Andreï Medyannikov (Kaz) Matouba Rayon d’Argent 2:44
5. Cameron Evans (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique
6. Holger Sievers (Ger) Italie
7. Nelson Ismael Sanchez Jimenez (Dom) Matouba Rayon D’argent 6:40
8. Serge Nipau (Fra) AS Police
9. Marek Canecky (Svk) ZP Sport 7:43
10. Florent Gougeard (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent
11. Josef Palcak (Svk) ZP Sport
12. Leonard O Grullon Garcia (Dom) AS Baie-Mahault 7:49
13. Giovani Rousseau (Fra) Orange 8:26
14. Valéry Derby (Fra) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 8:29
15. Marechaux Régis (Fra) Digicel JCA
16. Mickaël Clarico (Fra) AS Police 8:31
17. Juan Emilio Féliz Salvador (Dom) AS Baie-Mahault 8:35
18. Alexandre Bosquain (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent 9:33
19. Fremin Jérôme (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent
20. Robert Glajza (Svk) ZP Sport 9:38
21. Timo Scholz (Ger) Italie
22. Jean-Charles Arethus (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe
23. André Tremblay (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique
24. Arnaud Girard (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent
25. Eddy Lembo (Fra) Espoir du Sud
26. Maurizio Vandelli (Ita) Italie
27. Philippe Palmiste (Pol) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN
28. Rodrigue Lond As (Fra) Sélection Martinique
29. Clément Magne (Fra) AS Police
30. Martial Gene (Fra) Excelsior
31. Jean-Louis Pheron (Fra) Excelsior 9:45
32. Martin Haring (Svk) ZP Sport
33. Quentin Legrand (Fra) AS Police
34. Huaca Hector Ruben Chiles (Ecu) Matouba Rayon d’Argent
35. Freddy Hamlet (Fra) Excelsior 9:53
36. Jean-Marc Dollin (Fra) Vélo Club Trois-Rivières 15:18
37. Emerick Jean -Jacques (Fra) AS Police 18:10
38. Christophe Cospar (Fra) Orange
39. Romuald Claude Claudeon (Fra) Digicel JCA
40. Aurélien Moyon (Fra) Espoir du Sud 20:51
41. Niv Libner (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club
42. Aitor Azpiazu (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 20:52
43. Adrien Gorand (Fra) Espoir du Sud 20:56
44. Blevinal Cédric (Fra) Orange
45. Cornelie Cédric (Fra) Pédale du Centre
46. Damien Wojciechowski (Pol) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne
47. Jean-Christophe Mergirie (Fra) Sélection Martinique
48. Dustin Macburnie (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique
49. Yarden Gazit (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club
50. Emrick Cornelie (Fra) Pédale du Centre
51. Ramothe Cédric (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe
52. Yvan Boos (Fra) AS Baie-Mahault
53. Didier Dougaparshad (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais
54. Miroslav Keliar (Svk) ZP Sport
55. Jean-Claude Luce (Fra) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN
56. Jean-Louis Varo (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule 20:56
57. Viktor Ulzen (Ger) Italie
58. Frédéric Attaud (Fra) AS Baie-Mahault
59. Fabrice Cornelie (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe
60. Wilfrid Noyon (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule
61. Pierre Theophile (Fra) Digicel JCA
62. Cyril Narcisse Theophile (Fra) Digicel JCA
63. Julian Rammler (Ger) Italie 23:05
64. Julien Barbier (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent
65. Lars Pria ROM Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 24:22
66. Jean-Franois Tabar (Fra) Sélection Martinique 24:29
67. Rony Rex (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg 25:20
68. Jean-Marie Marimoutou (Fra) Matouba Rayon d’Argent 25:21
69. Patrice Perrot (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais 25:27
70. Bernard Gene (Fra) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN
71. David Nagapin (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg
72. Steeve Promeneur (Fra) Matouba Rayon d’Argent
73. Johan Baptiste (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais
74. Frédéric Theobald (Fra) AS Baie-Mahault
75. Vidian Bordin (Fra) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 27:25
76. Willy Belgio (Fra) Excelsior 27:54
77. Adrien Alidor (Fra) Orange 28:00
78. Luis Sablon (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule 28:57
79. Laurent C̩dric (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg
80. Ruddy Jeremie (Fra) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne
81. Ruddy Clavier (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule
82. William Bondot (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe
83. Miguel Cuirassier (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais
84. Ryan Belliveau (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique
85. Christophe Palie (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais
86. Sony Eleore (Fra) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN
87. Olivier Hebreu (Fra) Espoir du Sud 29:07
88. Hervé Antonides (Fra) Pédale du Centre 30:52
89. Stéphane Rieux (Fra) Sélection Martinique
90. Steven Mapolin (Fra) Pédale du Centre
91. Yannick Claudeon (Fra) Excelsior 30:55
92. Denis Permayie (Fra) Vélo Club Trois-Rivières
93. Jean-Daniel Damas (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg
94. Alexandre Lami (Fra) Pédale du Centre 32:18
95. Zachi Boygen (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 38:03
96. Amos Wolff (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club
97. Ritchi Miatti (Fra) Orange
98. Jean-Robert Manne (Fra) AS Police
99. Martin Frano (Svk) ZP Sport
DNF Jonathan Louis (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe
DNF Sylvain Menerville (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg
DNF Omer Ram Saha-Samlall (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule

GC after Stage 5

1. Cameron Evans (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique 17:43:03
2. Flobert Pena Pena (Col) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 3:28
3. Andreï Medyannikov (Kaz) Matouba Rayon d’Argent 7:04
4. Edwin Sanchez Anzola (Col) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 10:01
5. Martial Gene (Fra) Excelsior 11:31
6. Marechaux Régis (Fra) Digicel JCA 12:35
7. Nelson Ismael Sanchez Jimenez (Dom) Matouba Rayon D’argent 13:36
8. Leonard O Grullon Garcia (Dom) AS Baie-Mahault 13:54
9. Serge Nipau (Fra) AS Police 14:21
10. Adam Pierzga (Pol) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN 14:35
11. Valéry Derby (Fra) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 15:41
12. Fremin Jérôme (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent 15:57
13. Eddy Lembo (Fra) Espoir du Sud 16:46
14. Freddy Hamlet (Fra) Excelsior 17:36
15. Philippe Palmiste (Pol) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN 18:03
16. Florent Gougeard (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent 19:34
17. Robert Glajza (Svk) ZP Sport 20:01
18. Josef Palcak (Svk) ZP Sport 20:18
19. Marek Canecky (Svk) ZP Sport 20:40
20. Juan Emilio Féliz Salvador (Dom) AS Baie-Mahault 22:14
21. Martin Haring (Svk) ZP Sport 23:03
22. Jean-Claude Luce (Fra) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN 24:03
23. Holger Sievers (Ger) Italie 24:56:00
24. Jean-Charles Arethus (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe 26:15
25. Alexandre Bosquain (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent 26:26
26. André Tremblay (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique 26:45
27. Quentin Legrand (Fra) AS Police 26:52
28. Giovani Rousseau (Fra) Orange 27:23
29. Christophe Cospar (Fra) Orange 28:01
30. Mickaël Clarico (Fra) AS Police 28:42
31. Frédéric Attaud (Fra) AS Baie-Mahault 28:44
32. Clément Magne (Fra) AS Police 29:59
33. Jean-Marc Dollin (Fra) Vélo Club Trois-Rivières 30:28
34. Rodrigue Lond As (Fra) Sélection Martinique 30:58
35. Timo Scholz (Ger) Italie 31:31
36. Jean-Louis Pheron (Fra) Excelsior 33:16
37. Frédéric Theobald (Fra) AS Baie-Mahault 33:49
38. Dustin Macburnie (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique 35:10
39. Arnaud Girard (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent 35:21
40. Aurélien Moyon (Fra) Espoir du Sud 35:30
41. Ramothe Cédric (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe 37:40
42. Damien Wojciechowski (Pol) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 38:02
43. Niv Libner (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 38:37
44. Bernard Gene (Fra) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN 40:00
45. Adrien Gorand (Fra) Espoir du Sud 40:42
46. Emrick Cornelie (Fra) Pédale du Centre 40:58
47. Jean-Louis Varo (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule 42:06
48. Julian Rammler (Ger) Italie 42:27
49. Pierre Theophile (Fra) Digicel JCA 42:39
50. Cyril Narcisse Theophile (Fra) Digicel JCA 42:56
51. Emerick Jean -Jacques (Fra) AS Police 43:22
52. Lars Pria ROM Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 45:56
53. Julien Barbier (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent 46:11
54. Jean-Marie Marimoutou (Fra) Matouba Rayon d’Argent 46:15
55. Blevinal Cédric (Fra) Orange 46:22
56. Patrice Perrot (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais 46:24
57. Rony Rex (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg 48:25
58. Cornelie Cédric (Fra) Pédale du Centre 48:52
59. Didier Dougaparshad (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais 49:12
60. Huaca Hector Ruben Chiles (Ecu) Matouba Rayon d’Argent 49:13
61. Christophe Palie (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais 49:40
62. Yarden Gazit (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 50:16
63. Viktor Ulzen (Ger) Italie 50:26
64. Romuald Claude Claudeon (Fra) Digicel JCA 51:14
65. Maurizio Vandelli (Ita) Italie 51:20
66. Fabrice Cornelie (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe 51:42
67. Wilfrid Noyon (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule 51:52
68. Jean-Francois Tabar (Fra) Sélection Martinique 51:57
69. Johan Baptiste (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais 51:59
70. Vidian Bordin (Fra) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 52:13
71. William Bondot (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe 52:41
72. David Nagapin (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg 53:17
73. Luis Sablon (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule 53:55
74. Ruddy Jeremie (Fra) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 54:30
75. Steeve Promeneur (Fra) Matouba Rayon d’Argent 55:24
76. Hervé Antonides (Fra) Pédale du Centre 57:46
77. Jean-Robert Manne (Fra) AS Police 58:45
78. Alexandre Lami (Fra) Pédale du Centre 58:54
79. Aitor Azpiazu (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 1:02:39
80. Laurent C̩dric (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg 1:03:14
81. Miroslav Keliar (Svk) ZP Sport 1:08:59
82. Zachi Boygen (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 1:10:03
83. Amos Wolff (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 1:10:25
84. Sony Eleore (Fra) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN 1:10:48
85. Olivier Hebreu (Fra) Espoir du Sud 1:11:10
86. Adrien Alidor (Fra) Orange 1:11:33
87. Jean-Christophe Mergirie (Fra) Sélection Martinique 1:11:43
88. Ruddy Clavier (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule 1:15:53
89. Jean-Daniel Damas (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg 1:16:06
90. Miguel Cuirassier (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais 1:16:11
91. Ritchi Miatti (Fra) Orange 1:17:48
92. Steven Mapolin (Fra) Pédale du Centre 1:19:26
93. Denis Permayie (Fra) Vélo Club Trois-Rivières 1:20:09
94. Yvan Boos (Fra) AS Baie-Mahault 1:21:38
95. Yannick Claudeon (Fra) Excelsior 1:24:58
96. Willy Belgio (Fra) Excelsior 1:25:36
97. Ryan Belliveau (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique 1:34:31
98. Martin Frano (Svk) ZP Sport 1:40:42
99. Stéphane Rieux (Fra) Sélection Martinique 1:56:32

Team Classification

1. Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 52:22:29
2. Excelsior 15:11
3. Matouba Rayon d’argent 25:06
4. Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barenti 26:31
5. Lynx Optique Eafit/UVN 28:47
6. ZP Sport 31:32
7. AS Police 32:42
8. AS Baie-Mahault 33:40
9. Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique 38:02
10. Italian National Team 53:56
11. Digicel JCA 1:00:47
12. Orange 1:02:24
13. Espoir Du Sud 1:04:36
14. Club Region Guadeloupe 1:20:40
15. Vélo Club Saint Annais 1:33:33
16. Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 1:35:41
17. Martinique Selection 1:39:19
18. Union Cycliste Du Moule 1:45:29
19. Pédale du Centre 1:50:25
20. Rixxom-Vélo Club Petit-Bourg 2:10:11