Bourgoin-Jallieu to Aubenas 178 km,

Mark Cavendish makes it FIVE !!

The 19th stage,normally a transitional one to take the 158 riders left in the Tour de France to the Mont Ventoux,was raced at a very high pace of more than 46 km/h.

A group of 10 left the peloton 9 km from the start,joined shortly by another 9 including Cadel Evans who’s maybe trying to redeem himself with a stage victory.They took an advantage of 2’50” on the main group led by by teams Rabo Bank and Milram who have nobody in the leading group.

As the peloton is getting closer a few attacks occured at the front and Duque with Arrieta have opened a gap which Evans is trying to close but it is Gurierrez,Millard and Popovych who catch them.

Evans in between the leaders and the peloton now 1’30” behind the 5 in front with 50 km to go.The main group swallows the 14 riders in the middle 8 km further.

The colombien Duque jumps out of the leading group of 5 just before the col de l’Estrinet,a category 2 14 km ascent ,and rides alone for a few km before he is caught by the peloton in the ascent.There is many casualties as the pace has been hard all along,Mark Cavendish is producing a tremendous effort to stay in front with his Columbia’s teammates who are pulling him for a chance to win the stage at the final sprint and keep alive the small possibility left to take the green jersey from Thor Huschovd right there on his wheel.

Laurent Lefèvre attacks with 25.5 km to go and takes up to 12” on the peloton,when the lead shrinks to 8” World champion Alessandro Ballan jumps out and catches him.Lefèvre takes his wheel and they pass on top of the climb 15” ahead of the peloton.

Luis Leon Sanchez attacks on the descent but three Columbia riders are pulling the main group and Sanchez,a very dangerous rider,is reeled in. Lefèvre and Ballan resist to the charge of the peloton but despite a last effort from the world champion 2 km from the finish the Columbia’s and one Milram riders close the gap and it looks like a sprint with the best in the business right there.

Cavendish is forced to sprint from a litle further than he would like but holds off the best specialists to claim his record 5th victory in the Tour de France. Thor Huschvod is 2nd,Gerald Ciolek 3rd ,Greg Van Avermaet 4th and Oscar Freire 5th .

Great stage by Mark Cavendish who stayed close to the front of the peloton all the time and handled very well the last climb to position himself for the sprint.He will have another opportuity to shine at the finish line on the Champs Elysées in Paris.

The red jersey for the most aggressive rider of the day was awarded to the colombian Eduardo Duque from team Cofidis.

No change on the overall standings,Alberto Contador will be in yellow tomorrow on stage 20 with a 4’11” advantage over 2nd place Andy Schleck.

Saturday 25th Montélimar to Mont Ventoux 167 km

Contador has a big lead going into the last test of the Tour de France 2009 but the climb to the top of the Mont Ventoux is the most feared by all riders and the Schlek brothers will throw all the energy and strenght they have left to try to make history.

However I woundn’t be surprise to see Alberto Contador claim his third stage victory on the 2009 Tour de France tomorrow.

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