Cavendish squeezed past at least three rivals within the bunch before launching his attack from the left side of the peloton.
At around 11 p.m. Beijing time on July 3, the 2024 Tour de France Stage 5 (Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Saint-Vallier) concluded with a thrilling sprint finish after two early breakaway riders were reeled in by the main field in the last 30 kilometers. Cavendish lived up to expectations, securing the win and breaking a long-standing record. Girmay took over the green jersey. Let’s review the race.
The race route. The 177.4-kilometer stage started in southeastern France, heading northwest, featuring two categorized climbs and one intermediate sprint. As a flat stage for sprinters, teams converged their strategies around the final five kilometers leading to the finish, anticipating another showdown between the fast men.
Amidst the cheers of spectators in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, the race began. With the first climb not coming until after 108 kilometers, only Vichot (FDJ team) and Russo (TotalEnergies team) managed to break away, while the rest of the peloton remained calm behind them.
▲Breakaway riders
▲The peloton
As the two-man breakaway maintained a 140-kilometer lead and claimed points at the intermediate sprint and one climb, the main group gradually closed in, though crashes and mechanical issues occurred repeatedly.
Abrahamsen (Uno-X team), the incumbent green jersey holder, did not contest the intermediate sprint. After the peloton passed it, Girmay (Wanty-Gobert team) surpassed Abrahamsen in the virtual sprint standings, given his superior sprinting skills. Consequently, Abrahamsen would lose the green jersey after the stage.
Entering the final 10 kilometers, teams started forming their “sprint trains,” with domestiques battling to lead out their respective leaders. A crash occurred on the right side of the peloton about 400 meters from the finish, affecting riders like Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo team). Fortunately, medical checks later confirmed no serious injuries.
The crash forced many sprinters to fight solo and seek new opportunities. Cavendish positioned himself perfectly within the bunch, displacing at least three rivals, before launching his decisive attack from the left side of the peloton. Philipsen and Kristoff attacked from the right, but Cavendish, better prepared, crossed the line a bike length ahead, securing his 35th Tour de France victory and breaking a long-standing record.
In his post-race interview, Cavendish said, “It’s hard to comprehend this success, but we’ve worked so hard as a team. We’ve done everything we could, and today is the result. We have an incredible team, fantastic teammates who support me not just in the Tour de France but always. Today, we had the chance to celebrate together. I’m delighted to be part of the Astana team, where I found friends and, more importantly, an incredible family. The team performed fantastically, and everything was perfect. I believed in success, but most importantly, the team believed in success. We were aligned in our goals, and with their unwavering support, we achieved what we did today.”
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2024 Tour de France Stage 5: Record-Breaking! Cavendish Claims His 35th Tour Victory. Author：Sports UEFA.Please indicate the source when reproduced：https://www.sportsuefa.com/multi-sport-zone/15435.html
