Following yesterday’s return to French soil, Wednesday’s stage 5 of Tour de France 2024 took the professional cycling peloton on a 177.4-kilometer ride from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Saint Vulbas. The route was situated in hilly terrain. Though featuring two Category 4 climbs, it was expected the stage finale would culminate with a mass sprint across the finish line.

General classification favorite Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) fired on all engines in yesterday’s Tour de France stage and managed to take the yellow jersey from Richard Carapaz, who delivered a disappointing performance for his EF Education-EasyPost team.

Today’s stage 5 of Tour de France 2024 was on, and it did not take long after the start before multiple attempts were made to form a viable breakaway group. Attacks were launched by riders such as Oier Lazkano (Movistar Team), Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates), Tim Declercq (Lidl-Trek), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), and Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-EasyPost). But it was Clement Russo (Groupama-FDJ) and Matteo Vercher (TotalEnergies) who eventually succeeded at forming a viable gap.

With one hundred kilometers of today’s stage 5 remaining, the front duo had an advantage of 03:30 minutes over the peloton. The sprinter teams were at the front of the main peloton and did their best to control the advantage of the front duo. With 55 kilometers remaining, sprinter teams such as Lidl-Trek, Alpecin-Deceuninck, and Intermarche-Wanty had reduced the lead to 01:10 minutes.

The front duo was approaching the final climb of the day – the Cote de Lhuis (Category 2). They now had no more than a 23 second lead over the main peloton, which was led by the sprinter teams supported by Team Visma – Lease a Bike.

Russo and Vercher were caught shortly before the climb and it were now up to the heavier sprinters, such as Great Britain’s Mark Cavendish (Astana), to prove they could keep up with the rest of the peloton on the climb. Cavendish is riding the final Tour de France of his long and proud career and is aiming for a final stage victory and some sweet moments on the Tour de France stage winner’s podium.

Several teams were active at the front of the peloton after the two breakaway optimists had been caught. Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe, Uno-X Mobility, Astana, Visma – Lease a Bike, Arkea B&B Hotels, and Ineos-Grenadiers were setting a fast pace. With the Astana team active at the front, apparently Cavendish was having a good day on the bike and was no longer ill.

Uno-X Mobility’s sprinter Alexander Kristoff crashed on the descent and was, for a moment, rather riding for Team Uno-X Immobility. The Norwegian rider did, however, manage to get back on his bike, but he was having pain in his elbow.

Additional crashes occurred in the main peloton. Christophe Laporte slipped on the wet tarmac while cornering. Other riders were down too. All riders returned to racing.

The peloton was still united with ten kilometers left.

UAE Team Emirates riders were keeping their Tour de France leader Tadej Pogacar at the front of the peloton until the five-kilometer point. They then fell back and let sprinter teams such as Jayco-Alula, Intermarche-Wanty, and Lidl-Trek take over at the front.

Alpecin-Deceuninck were bringing Jasper Philipsen to the front with two kilometers left.

The sprinters launched their sprints with one kilometer left. Cavendish looked strong. 

Mark Cavendish launched a faboulous sprint and powered towards the finish line. The Manx Man looked incredibly strong and no other sprinter in the Tour de France peloton was able to deliver the same power in the final meters. Cavendish was crying tears of joy after crossing the finish line in Saint Vulbas. 

“The Tour de France is bigger than cycling. You know what I mean,” a smiling and proud Cavendish told Roadcycling.com shortly after crossing the finish line. “I know how it works. If everyone knew how it is to ride the Tour de France I would have even stronger competition here. I don’t like to have bad days and I don’t like to suffer. But I just fight on and then I experience sheer happiness,” Cavendish explained.

”It’s my 35th Tour stage victory. This is a historic moment and I thank the people around me for believing in me ever since I was in hospital after my crash in last year’s Tour de France.”

Riders from all teams were approaching Cavendish in the finish zone to congratulate the man from Great Britain, who had taken an additional Tour stage victory in his final Tour de France. 

Tadej Pogacar remains general classification leader of this year’s Tour de France and will also wear the yellow jersey in tomorrow’s stage 6 of Tour de France 2024.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for complete coverage from Tour de France 2024.

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