February 13, 2008 РAlberto Loddo (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems won Stage 5 of the Tour of Langkawi today on a 140km stretch from Johor Bahru to Bandar Penawar. He outsprinted second place Mauro Abel Richeze (Arg) CSF Group Navigare and third place Aur̩lien Clerc (Swi) Bouygues Telecom. Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bouygues Telecom holds the GC lead by a mere second.

Results

1. Alberto Loddo (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems
2. Mauro Abel Richeze (Arg) CSF Group Navigare
3. Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Bouygues Telecom
4. Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
5. Baek Sung Park (Kor) Seoul Cycling
6. Anuar Manan (Mas) Letua Cycling Team
7. Hariff Mohd Salleh (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
8. Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
9. Marco Corsini (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte
10. Haidar Ahmad Anuawar (Mas) Letua Cycling Team
11. Ho Seon Park (Kor) Seoul Cycling
12. Nolan Hoffman (RSA) South African National Team
13. Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Crédit Agricole
14. Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2r – La Mondiale
15. Sergey Kudentsov (Rus) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
16. Enrico Rossi (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte
17. Mizan Maleki (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
18. Zakkari Dempster (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
19. Hing Chun Chan (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
20. Johnnie Walker (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
21. Jae Won Lee (Kor) Seoul Cycling
22. Danilo Hondo (Ger) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
23. Kuei Peng (Tpe) Giant Asia Racing Team
24. Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
25. Joseph Chapman (NZl) New Zealand National Team
26. Mohd Saleh (Mas) Malaysia National Team
27. Jasmin Mohd Ruslan (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
28. Yip Wang Tang (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
29. Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
30. Matteo Priamo (Ita) CSF Group Navigare
31. Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Crédit Agricole
32. Li Yong Ng (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
33. Wai Siu Ko (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
34. Rizza Abdullah Pahlavi (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
35. Juan Mouron (Spa) Karpin Galicia
36. Gustavo Cesar (Spa) Karpin Galicia
37. Gene Bates (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
38. Walter Pedraza (Col) Tinkoff Credit Systems
39. Mohd Sayuti Zahit (Mas) Letua Cycling Team
40. Jackson Rodriguez (Ven) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
41. Ben Brooks (Aus) Team Type 1
42. Matt Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1
43. Erik Hoffmann (Nam) Giant Asia Racing Team
44. M. Daud Firdaus (Mas) Malaysia National Team
45. Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
46. Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
47. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Letua Cycling Team
48. Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
49. Jean-Marc Marino (Fra) Crédit Agricole
50. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
51. Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
52. Mitchell Docker (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
53. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2r – La Mondiale
54. Herwin Jaya (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
55. Alejandro Paleo (Spa) Karpin Galicia
56. Vladimir Lopez (Col) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
57. Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
58. Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1
59. Yauhen Sobal (Blr) Tinkoff Credit Systems
60. Mathieu Claude (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
61. Fuyu Li (Chn) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
62. Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
63. C̩dric Pineau (Fra) AG2r РLa Mondiale
64. David Garcia (Spa) Karpin Galicia
65. Jacobus Venter (RSA) South African National Team
66. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
67. Justin Kerr (NZl) New Zealand National Team
68. Ken Onodera (Jpn) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
69. Mohd Razak Abd (Mas) Malaysia National Team
70. Tanel Kangert (Est) AG2r – La Mondiale
71. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Crédit Agricole
72. Jean-Charles Senac (Fra) AG2r – La Mondiale
73. San Kin Wu (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
74. Denis Bertolini (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
75. Saiful Mohd Aziz (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
76. Massimiliano Maisto (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte
77. Serguei Klimov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
78. Glen Chadwick (Aus) Team Type 1
79. Ruslan Ivanov (Mda) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
80. Ramon Troncoso (Spa) Karpin Galicia
81. Dennis van Niekerk (RSA) South African National Team
82. Stefan Trafelet (Swi) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte
83. Rony Martias (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
84. Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
85. Stef Clement (Ned) Bouygues Telecom
86. Ian McCleod (RSA) South African National Team
87. Benjamin King (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
88. Moises Aldape (Aus) Team Type 1
89. HongKi Yoo (Kor) Seoul Cycling
90. Maxime Mederel (Fra) Crédit Agricole
91. Chris. Meschenmoser (Ger) Team Ista
92. Jorg Lehmann (Ger) Team Ista
93. Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
94. Nico Keinath (Ger) Team Ista
95. Mustafa Amir Rusli (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
96. Carlos José Ochoa (Ven) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
97. David George (RSA) South African National Team
98. Farshad Salehian (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
99. Blaise Sonnery (Fra) AG2r – La Mondiale
100. Waylon Woolcock (RSA) South African National Team
101. Diego Nosotti (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte
102. Alex Coutts (GBr) Giant Asia Racing Team
103. Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Karpin Galicia
104. Scott Lyttle (NZl) New Zealand National Team
105. Stuart Shaw (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
106. Johann Tschopp (Swi) Bouygues Telecom
107. Jeremy Yates (NZl) New Zealand National Team
108. Kovij Fahridi (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
109. Jai Crawford (Aus) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
110. Ashley Whitehead (NZl) New Zealand National Team
111. Vyacheslav Dyadichkin (Kaz) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
112. Ahmad (Mas) Malaysia National Team
113. Amir Zargari (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
114. Budi Santoso (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
115. Tanha Saeidi (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
116. Suk Hyo Gong (Kor) Seoul Cycling
117. Hari Fitrianto (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
118. Zamani M. Mustarudin (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
119. Kuan Lai (Tpe) Giant Asia Racing Team
120. Robert Williams (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
121. Jose Perez Serpa (Col) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
122. Yoshimasa Hirose (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
123. Nikolai Schwarz (Ger) Team Ista
124. Mohd Misbah Nur (Mas) Malaysia National Team
125. Hyeon Gu Kim (Kor) Seoul Cycling
126. Mark O’Brien (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
127. Tonton Susanto (Ina) Letua Cycling Team
128. Paul Odlin (NZl) New Zealand National Team
129. Ryan Arihan (Ina) Letua Cycling Team
130. Suhardi Hassan (Mas) Malaysia National Team 0.20
131. Peter McDonald (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program 0.26
132. Sea Loh Keong (Mas) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team 0.36
133. William Ford (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS 0.42
134. Filippo Savini (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 0.48
135. Francesco Tomei (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 0.55
136. Nicolas Roche (Irl) Crédit Agricole 3.04
137. Rolf Hofbauer (Ger) Team Ista
138. Stefan Loffler (Ger) Giant Asia Racing Team
139. Simon Clarke (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
140. Ian MacGregor (Aus) Team Type 1 4.38
141. Yan Xing Dong (Chn) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team 17.14

GC after Stage 5

1. Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 19.12.05
2. Mitchell Docker (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program 0.01
3. Gustavo Cesar (Spa) Karpin Galicia 0.03
4. Diego Nosotti (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte 0.04
5. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Letua Cycling Team 0.06
6. Jackson Rodriguez (Ven) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 0.07
7. Matt Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1
8. Jeremy Yates (NZl) New Zealand National Team
9. Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR 0.08
10. Baek Sung Park (Kor) Seoul Cycling 0.10
11. Jean-Marc Marino (Fra) Crédit Agricole 0.11
12. Zakkari Dempster (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS 0.12
13. Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil-Shimano 0.13
14. Ruslan Ivanov (Mda) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
15. Yauhen Sobal (Blr) Tinkoff Credit Systems
16. Glen Chadwick (Aus) Team Type 1
17. Ian McCleod (RSA) South African National Team
18. Alex Coutts (GBr) Giant Asia Racing Team
19. Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
20. Anuar Manan (Mas) Letua Cycling Team 21.50
21. Mohd Misbah Nur (Mas) Malaysia National Team 21.58
22. Jae Won Lee (Kor) Seoul Cycling 22.02
23. Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR 22.11
24. Ahmad (Mas) Malaysia National Team 22.13
25. Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Bouygues Telecom 22.59
26. Danilo Hondo (Ger) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 23.02
27. Alberto Loddo (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 23.03
28. Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Crédit Agricole 23.05
29. Mauro Abel Richeze (Arg) CSF Group Navigare 23.09
30. Matteo Priamo (Ita) CSF Group Navigare
31. Stuart Shaw (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program 23.12
32. Hariff Mohd Salleh (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team 23.13
33. Hing Chun Chan (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
34. Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
35. Mohd Razak Abd (Mas) Malaysia National Team
36. Haidar Ahmad Anuawar (Mas) Letua Cycling Team
37. Yip Wang Tang (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
38. Ho Seon Park (Kor) Seoul Cycling
39. Kuei Peng (Tpe) Giant Asia Racing Team
40. Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
41. Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1
42. Mohd Sayuti Zahit (Mas) Letua Cycling Team
43. Zamani M. Mustarudin (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
44. Denis Bertolini (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
45. Chris. Meschenmoser (Ger) Team Ista
46. Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
47. Moises Aldape (Aus) Team Type 1 23.15
48. Farshad Salehian (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
49. Tanha Saeidi (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
50. Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Crédit Agricole 23.17
51. Marco Corsini (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte
52. Walter Pedraza (Col) Tinkoff Credit Systems 23.18
53. Mathieu Claude (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
54. David George (RSA) South African National Team
55. Enrico Rossi (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte 23.19
56. Nolan Hoffman (RSA) South African National Team 23.21
57. Mohd Saleh (Mas) Malaysia National Team
58. Juan Mouron (Spa) Karpin Galicia
59. Sergey Kudentsov (Rus) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
60. M. Daud Firdaus (Mas) Malaysia National Team
61. Stefan Trafelet (Swi) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte
62. Mizan Maleki (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
63. Wai Siu Ko (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
64. Ben Brooks (Aus) Team Type 1
65. Alejandro Paleo (Spa) Karpin Galicia
66. Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2r – La Mondiale
67. Vladimir Lopez (Col) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
68. Herwin Jaya (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
69. San Kin Wu (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
70. Joseph Chapman (NZl) New Zealand National Team
71. Erik Hoffmann (Nam) Giant Asia Racing Team
72. Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
73. Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Karpin Galicia
74. Jorg Lehmann (Ger) Team Ista
75. Suk Hyo Gong (Kor) Seoul Cycling
76. Dennis van Niekerk (RSA) South African National Team
77. HongKi Yoo (Kor) Seoul Cycling
78. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2r – La Mondiale
79. David Garcia (Spa) Karpin Galicia
80. Jacobus Venter (RSA) South African National Team
81. Johnnie Walker (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
82. Li Yong Ng (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
83. Budi Santoso (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
84. Ramon Troncoso (Spa) Karpin Galicia
85. Hyeon Gu Kim (Kor) Seoul Cycling
86. Jose Perez Serpa (Col) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
87. Scott Lyttle (NZl) New Zealand National Team
88. Jasmin Mohd Ruslan (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
89. Massimiliano Maisto (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte
90. Kuan Lai (Tpe) Giant Asia Racing Team
91. Rolf Hofbauer (Ger) Team Ista
92. C̩dric Pineau (Fra) AG2r РLa Mondiale
93. Tanel Kangert (Est) AG2r – La Mondiale
94. Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
95. Fuyu Li (Chn) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
96. Blaise Sonnery (Fra) AG2r – La Mondiale
97. Justin Kerr (NZl) New Zealand National Team
98. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
99. Carlos José Ochoa (Ven) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
100. Robert Williams (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
101. Nikolai Schwarz (Ger) Team Ista
102. Jean-Charles Senac (Fra) AG2r – La Mondiale
103. Maxime Mederel (Fra) Crédit Agricole
104. Ken Onodera (Jpn) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
105. Jai Crawford (Aus) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
106. Benjamin King (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
107. Waylon Woolcock (RSA) South African National Team
108. Saiful Mohd Aziz (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
109. Mustafa Amir Rusli (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
110. Serguei Klimov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
111. Ashley Whitehead (NZl) New Zealand National Team
112. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
113. Paul Odlin (NZl) New Zealand National Team
114. Vyacheslav Dyadichkin (Kaz) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
115. Amir Zargari (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
116. Simon Clarke (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
117. Kovij Fahridi (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
118. Johann Tschopp (Swi) Bouygues Telecom
119. Mark O’Brien (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
120. Hari Fitrianto (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
121. Tonton Susanto (Ina) Letua Cycling Team
122. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Crédit Agricole 23.38
123. Suhardi Hassan (Mas) Malaysia National Team 23.40
124. Peter McDonald (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
125. Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR 23.41
126. Yoshimasa Hirose (Jpn) Skil-Shimano 23.43
127. Rizza Abdullah Pahlavi (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team 23.44
128. Sea Loh Keong (Mas) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team 23.57
129. Francesco Tomei (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 24.07
130. Ryan Arihan (Ina) Letua Cycling Team 24.24
131. Gene Bates (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program 24.30
132. Nicolas Roche (Irl) Crédit Agricole 26.25
133. Stefan Loffler (Ger) Giant Asia Racing Team
134. Rony Martias (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 26.52
135. Filippo Savini (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 26.59
136. Stef Clement (Ned) Bouygues Telecom 27.58
137. William Ford (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS 28.37
138. Ian MacGregor (Aus) Team Type 1 28.39
139. Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR 31.11
140. Yan Xing Dong (Chn) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team 39.22
141. Nico Keinath (Ger) Team Ista 43.55

February 7, 2006 – Today’s stage five on the 2006 Tour de Langkawi, is the one that most characterizes this event, and singles it out as a climber’s race. The 100km stage is notorious for its long and often steep climb to the amusement park resort, nestled atop the infamous Genting Highlands. The climb is just over 40 km long, and begins with a winding ascent that gradually increases in steepness over the first 20 km. The actually HC KOM begins with 10 km to go, but by this point, the field has already been pared down to all but the most elite climbing crew, and the steep sections that punctuate the remainder of the climb put a devastating sting into the strongest of the mountain goats.

Beginning in Kuala Lumpur at the base of the beautiful and exotic skyscraper, the Menara TM building, the course took a wide loop around the outskirts of the city before heading north towards Genting. After a very controlled opening 50 km in which South Africa let a 7 man escape go, and then rode a brisk tempo, Credit Agricole took over the pace making as the lower stages of the climb began. Gradually upping the pace, the French Pro Tour team stretched the peloton into a long line, and the action at the back of the field was dramatic. After one short steep pitch, the road dropped down to a roundabout that put the large field onto the access road to Genting. Now CA flipped the switch, and a hard but steady acceleration blew the field to bits. A tight selection of about 20 riders formed at the front, with Agricole railing the pace. The three Selle Italia riders were there, along with race leader David George, his KOM teammate Darren Lill, and able lieutenant, Ryan Cox. Navigators Insurance had Mark Walters and Cesar Grajales, and Panaria’s Julio Perez was another notable climber in the selection.

It was the expected attack from Selle Italia’s Serpa (yesterday’s victor) that shattered the lead group, and first Cox, and then Lill were forced to drop from their leader. Walters was also gone leaving Grajales isolated, but the CA boys were still in good shape. Stage 3 winner Saul Raisin was the man at the point, and his pace was terrific. A series of attacks by Belotti, Grajales, and Pedraza pared the lead group even more, and eventually, it was a 7 man group that chased Serpa. Selle’s Missaglia (2nd on GC) came off, and so the leader was riding with Grajales, Pedraza, Belotti, Galinda from Relax, and Ianettti from LPR. Serpa was over 6 minutes back on GC, so although he was over a minute clear, he was not a classification danger. With a multitude of attacks, the yellow jersey was perfect in defense, covering every critical move as Grajales, Belotti, and Pedraza tried to put the leader in jeopardy. Ianetti was dropped several times, but valiantly fought back from each struggle, until with just less than 2 km to go, Galinda jumped clear. As the four GC contenders marked each other, Ianetti put in a dig, and rode away from the others. The four Classification contenders kept a steady pace, but did not attempt to pull back the run-always.

Serpa, the man who won yesterday’s flattest stage in a long breakaway, doubled up with a dominating ride on one of the toughest climbs of the season. Galinda stayed for 2nd with Ianetti third, as Belotti, Grajales, Pedraza, and George finished together.

Results:
1 José Serpa (Col) Selle Italia Diquigiovanni 3.01.00 (39.64 km/h)
2 Jose Miguel Elias Galindo (Spa) Relax-Gam 1.28
3 Massimo Iannetti (Ita) LPR 1.33
4 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Credit Agricole 1.38
5 Walter Pedraza (Col) Selle Italia Diquigiovanni
6 Cesar Grajales (Col) Navigators Insurance 1.39

Overall GC:
1 David George (RSA) South Africa 16.10.33
2 Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) Selle Italia Diquigiovanni @ 1.57
3 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Credit Agricole @ 2.19
4 Walter Pedraza (Col) Selle Italia Diquigiovanni
5 Cesar Grajales (Col) Navigators Insurance @ 2.20

February 1, 2005 – Today’s fifth stage of the Tour de Langkawi, was another “sprinter’s delight”, with a near perfectly flat profile, and an almost straight run for the final 5km into the finish. As has been typical of every stage so far, the attacks began immediately as the riders passed through the neutral zone. The one big difference today was that the Japanese Bridgestone Anchor team was not part of the instigation. Anchor had a different mission in that their role today would be to protect the lead of their new hero, race leader Koji Fukushima, and keep him in the leader’s jersey for as many days as possible.

Fukushima’s team laid back as one attack after another kept the pace high, and the field intact, until about the 15km mark when three riders established a slight advantage. Aqua Sapone’s Valery Kobzarenko, Action ATI’s Kazimierz Stafiej, and Landbouwkrediet-Colnago’s Nico Sijmens were building a twelve second gap when the yellow jersey punctured. As the field waited for Fukushima to make his repair, the three leaders built a 40 second advantage. As the peloton resumed action, a crash at the front sent one rider flying across the road, and again the field stalled, allowing the Bridgestone team to organize and begin to ride tempo. The field settled down, and was content to watch the leader’s team make the pace. As Japan’s professional road team set the tempo, the gap grew to almost 5 minutes before stabilizing. About 80 km in, the Panaria team came forward do lend a hand, and the gap started to drop fairly rapidly. At 100km, it was all back together until Ireland’s Paidi O’Brien launched a solo suicide attach. The Anchor lads let him sit at 25 seconds for 10-15 km before the pace quickened a bit, and the Irishman was absorbed. From here it was the Panaria and Aqua and Sapone teams rolling the front. By the time the group reached the 20km to go mark the speed was intensifying, and a field sprint was imminent. By 15km to go the pace was near 55km/hr, and the Great Britain team had joined in the action at the front. Panaria’s sprinters Brown, and Bongiorno were hovering with their lead out man, Brett Lancaster, and Navigators Insurance had their boys up front, setting up sprinter Oleg Grishkine.

With about 6km to the finish, a tall bridge crossing proved to be the major obstacle of the day. A crash as the field exited the bridge, sent a dozen riders to the ground, and split the bunch. The sprinters trains were going full tilt, and the dropped riders had virtually no chance of regaining the front group of 75 riders. As the field sped into the final km, the Panaria trio held their position and then ramped hard at 350 meters. Lancaster went so strong that he gapped Brown who had to kick hard in the last 100 meters to take the victory in front of team-mate Bongiorno, with Lancaster holding on for third, and a clean sweep for the men in Orange. Navigators Insurance’s Grishkine was a close fourth, and Credit Agricole’s Lequatre was fifth.

Stage 5:
1. Graeme Brown (Panaria)
2. Guillermo Bongiorno (Panaria)
3. Brett Lancaster (Panaria)

GC (Unofficial):
1. Koji Fukushima (Bridgestone-Anchor)
2. Nathan O’Neill (Navigators Insurance) @ 1:20
3. Ryan Cox (Barloworld) @ 1:22