British Cycling - Road Tour of Britain

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 | Stage 5 – Prudhoe to Hartside

Edvald Boasson Hagen moves into Aviva Tour of Britain lead on Hartside

 

Author: Chris Maher/ Press Release, Pictures courtesy of: Chris Maher | Photography

 

September 06th-13th 2015

 

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 | Stage 5 - Prudhoe to Hartside

 

ToB_Stage_Maps_2015_Stage_5_AW(1)-1

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Stage Winner: Wouter Poels - Team Sky
Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Stage Winner: Wouter Poels – Team Sky

 

 W out Poels, who did so much sterling work for Chris Froome at the Tour de France this Summer, grabbed his own slice of glory with a superb win on the queen stage of this year’s Aviva Tour of Britain, finishing at the top of the Hartside climb in Cumbria.

 

The Dutchman, who put in several attacks on the ascent of Hartside, eventually overtook leader Edvald Boasson Hagen in the final 200-metres, to put himself just one-second behind the Norwegian, who took over ownership of the Aviva Yellow Jersey with three stages to go.

 

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 | Stage Five start-line Prudhoe to Hartside
Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 | Stage Five start-line Prudhoe to Hartside

 

The eight-kilometre climb to the 1,902-feet summit of Hartside re-shaped the GC, with Boasson Hagen and Poels, who started the day second and third respectively, doing battle with Lotto NL Jumbo’s Steven Kruijswijk for much of the ascent up the Cumbrian Fell, one of the longest continuous climbs in England.

 

Cannondale Garmin’s Ruben Zepuntke had been the first to put in a serious effort to go clear, before Kruijswijk broke away, being joined by Poels, who had been led into the foot of the climb at high speed by Peter Kennaugh, flushing out the serious challengers.

 

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 chasing points on Stage Five on the finish line... at Hartside.
Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 chasing points on Stage Five on the finish line… at Hartside.

 

But the powerful Boasson Hagen was not deterred and bridged across to Poels and Kruijswijk and then attacked strongly with 1.5km to go looked clear and set for a stage win.

 

Poels though is immensely strong and durable and had paced himself well, knowing that the finale was tough going as it turned into the strong Helm Wind which blows off these Cumbrian Fells no matter how benign the day – indeed it’s the only mountain wind in Britain that has a specific name! It was blowing gently by its own standards but it was still enough to have an influence on the race.

 

Gradually, and then quickly, Poels reeled the tiring Boasson Hagen in and with 150m to go passed the MTN Qhubeka rider and headed for the line and Team Sky’s third stage win of the Aviva Tour of Britain. Boasson Hagen however kept going bravely to limit his losses and was rewarded with the Aviva Yellow Jersey, with overnight leader Juan Jose Lobato being one of the first riders to be dropped after passing through the village of Melmerby at the base of the climb.

 

Behind Boasson Hagen and Poels, Denmark’s Rasmus Guldhammer of the Cult Energy team lies at 30-seconds, with Movistar’s Benat Intxausti a further three seconds back.

 

Team WIGGINS’ Owain Doull lies fifth overall, the Premier Inn Best British Rider and also the Chain Reaction Cycles Points Jersey thanks to his consistent top placings.

 

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Owain Doull - Team WIGGINS
Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Owain Doull – Team WIGGINS

 

With a classic tough day around Derbyshire and the Peak District in prospect on Day Six the race between first and second couldn’t be closer and Boasson Hagen, the overall winner of the Tour of Britain in 2009, and his team are certain to come under severe pressure.

 

In his favour however will be the inside knowledge he has on the Team Sky riders and their tactics after five years spent racing with the team and the fact that if any of the remaining three stages end in a sprint he might be better equipped to challenge for bonus seconds. It’s going to be an intriguing battle all the way to London and time bonuses could yet prove vital.

 

“It was really close.” admitted Poels. “At 500-metres to go when Edvald attacked really strongly, I thought I was going to be second but then he slowed down a little bit so I took my chance. I knew there was going to be strong cross winds in the last 500-metres, in fact it was quite rough for the last 3-kilometres.

 

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Yellow Jersey group through Greenside...
Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Yellow Jersey group through Greenside…

 

“Riding in a wind like that, can be real difficult, so I went back at one stage to try to work together – there was a group of about four of us – but everybody was looking for the stage win and also I had the GC in my mind. Then Edvald attacked and he looked very strong, but I still felt strong and I knew how hard it was out there in the front riding on your own.

 

“It’s always nice to go for your own win and GC occasionally. I don’t get to win a lot of races but I really enjoyed today. You know when you go to the Tour de France with Team Sky you are working for Chris Froome, that is your job.”

 

“It’s going to be difficult to get past Edvald now because he is a good sprinter. He is looking strong but I am going to do my best. Tomorrow though is going to be a very hard stage also, so perhaps there are possibilities.”

 

Boasson Hagen meanwhile acknowledges that perhaps he went a little early but it was a risk worth taking.

 

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Yellow Jersey - Edvald Boasson Hagen
Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Yellow Jersey – Edvald Boasson Hagen

 

“I knew the wind was going to be really hard but my hope was to build enough of a gap when we had the tailwind, but Wout was too strong. When he went past I tried to ride for second and I am happy to have the jersey.”

 

“Sky rode very strongly today and every stage is going to be hard from now on. They have been taking a lot of responsibility in the race every day. They have already won three stages and want to win the GC, so we will need to ride smart to defend the jersey. We will fight as hard as possible.”

 

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Chasing peloton into Haydon Bridge...
Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Chasing peloton into Haydon Bridge…

 

“This race is on another level from when I won in 2009, it has become very hard. It’s also a bigger race with the crowds and Team Sky have done a lot to make that happen, and encourage the interest in the British crowds.”

 

ONE Pro Cycling’s Peter Williams departed Prudhoe in Northumberland on Thursday morning wearing the YodelDirect Sprints Jersey, but after another day spent in the break through the packed crowds of Northumberland the Skipton based rider also had possession of the SKODA King of the Mountains climb.

 

Joining Williams in the break was Madison Genesis’ Mark McNally, who won the Rouleur Combativity Award, while thanks to the performances of Intxausti and Ruben Fernandez, the Movistar Team move into the lead of the Aviva Team Classification.

 

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Leading group into Brampton!
Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Leading group into Brampton!

 

Stage 5 | Prudhoe to Hartside Fell 166.4 Kms

 

1          25        POELS Wouter                                               SKY    NED    B:10″ 00″

2          81        BOASSON HAGEN Edvald                                     MTN   NOR   B:06″ 02″

3          106      INTXAUSTI ELORRIAGA Benat               MOV   ESP     B:04″ 17″

4          14        STYBAR Zdenek                                           EQS    CZE    18″

5          53        GULDHAMMER Rasmus                             CLT     DEN    ‘ ‘

6          133      KRUIJSWIJK Steven                                                TLJ      NED    ‘ ‘

7          65        MEURISSE Xandro                                       SKT     BEL    ‘ ‘

8          144      SÖRENSEN Chris Anker                              TCS     DEN    ‘ ‘

9          102      FERNANDEZ Ruben                                    MOV   ESP     ‘ ‘

10        44        TEUNS Dylan                                                BMC   BEL    ‘ ‘

11        194      DOULL Owain                                              WGN GBR    25″

12        155      PETERS Alex                                                 GBR    GBR    ‘ ‘

13        52        QUAADE Rasmus Christian                          CLT     DEN    31″

14        122      BRIGGS Graham                                           JLT      GBR    ‘ ‘

15        103      IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI Gorka                      MOV   ESP     ‘ ‘

16        1          VAN BAARLE Dylan                                   TCG    NED    35″

17        141      KISERLOVSKI Robert                                 TCS     CRO    ‘ ‘

18        2          BETTIOL Alberto                                          TCG    ITA     ‘ ‘

19        23        KENNAUGH Peter                                       SKY    GBR    01’00”

20        73        DEBUSSCHERE Jens                                   LTS     BEL    ‘ ‘

 

General Classification Aviva Yellow Jersey

 

Aviva_YellowJersey-Blog

 

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Stage Five podium & new yellow jersey holder... Edvald Boasson Hagen, MTN Qhubeka.
Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Stage Five podium & new yellow jersey holder… Edvald Boasson Hagen, MTN Qhubeka.

 

1          81        BOASSON HAGEN Edvald                         MTN   NOR   23h02’36” 00″

2          25        POELS Wouter                                   SKY    NED    23h02’37” 01″

3          53        GULDHAMMER Rasmus                 CLT     DEN    23h03’06” 30″

4          106      INTXAUSTI ELORRIAGA Benat   MOV   ESP     23h03’09” 33″

5          194      DOULL Owain                                  WGN GBR    23h03’13” 37″

6          44        TEUNS Dylan                                    BMC   BEL    23h03’14” 38″

7          14        STYBAR Zdenek                               EQS    CZE    ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘

8          102      FERNANDEZ Ruben                        MOV   ESP     ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘

9          133      KRUIJSWIJK Steven                                    TLJ      NED    ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘

10        144      SÖRENSEN Chris Anker                  TCS     DEN    ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘

11        65        MEURISSE Xandro                           SKT     BEL    ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘

12        122      BRIGGS Graham                               JLT      GBR    23h03’19” 43″

13        1          VAN BAARLE Dylan                       TCG    NED    23h03’22” 46″

14        103      IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI Gorka          MOV   ESP     23h03’27” 51″

15        52        QUAADE Rasmus Christian              CLT     DEN    ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘

16        141      KISERLOVSKI Robert                     TCS     CRO    23h03’31” 55″

17        155      PETERS Alex                                     GBR    GBR    23h03’42” 01’06”

18        73        DEBUSSCHERE Jens                       LTS     BEL    23h03’56” 01’20”

19        84        PAUWELS Serge                               MTN   BEL    23h04’00” 01’24”

20        6          ZEPUNTKE Ruben                            TCG    GER    23h04’02” 01’26”

 

Skoda King of the Mountains Jersey

 

SKODA_KoMJersey-Blog

 

1          176      WILLIAMS Peter                  GBR    ONE    32

2          91        MCNALLY Mark                  GBR    MGT   29

3          96        STEWART Thomas                GBR    MGT   29

4          163      BIBBY Ian                             GBR    NPC    28

5          62        DUNNE Conor                       IRL     SKT     26

6          121      HOUSE Kristian                     GBR    JLT      20

7          83        FARRAR Tyler                      USA    MTN   18

8          25        POELS Wouter                       NED    SKY    16

9          45        WYSS Danilo                         SUI     BMC   15

10        133      KRUIJSWIJK Steven              NED    TLJ      14

 

YodelDirect Sprints Jersey

 

YodelDirect_PointsJersey-Blog

 

1          176      WILLIAMS Peter                  GBR    ONE    18

2          62        DUNNE Conor                       IRL     SKT     11

3          74        LIGTHART Pim                     NED    LTS     8

4          64        KRUOPIS Aidis                     LTU    SKT     8

5          45        WYSS Danilo                         SUI     BMC   7

6          15        TRENTIN Matteo                  ITA     EQS    4

7          172      BIALOBLOCKI Marcin        POL    ONE    4

8          121      HOUSE Kristian                     GBR    JLT      3

9          91        MCNALLY Mark                  GBR    MGT   3

10        51        DOWNING Russell               GBR    CLT     3

 

Chain Reactions Cycles Points Jersey

 

ChainReactionCycles_PointsJersey-Blog

 

1          194      DOULL Owain                                  GBR    WGN 49

2          81        BOASSON HAGEN Edvald             NOR   MTN   40

3          104      LOBATO DEL VALLE Juan Jose    ESP     MOV   40

4          26        VIVIANI Elia                                                ITA     SKY    39

5          73        DEBUSSCHERE Jens                       BEL    LTS     31

6          71        GREIPEL André                                GER    LTS     27

7          53        GULDHAMMER Rasmus                 DEN    CLT     26

8          25        POELS Wouter                                   NED    SKY    25

9          122      BRIGGS Graham                               GBR    JLT      25

10        15        TRENTIN Matteo                              ITA     EQS    24

 

The Aviva Tour of Britain resumes in Stoke-on-Trent on Friday morning for Stage Six, getting underway in the city centre at 1030, before heading for Leek and the Staffordshire Moorlands.

 

The route heads into the Peak District National Park, including 3,500-metres of climbing during the 192-kilometre stage that finishes in Nottingham’s Forest Recreation Ground after passing through Buxton, Bakewell, Matlock, Belper and Ilkeston.

 

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 KOM Jersey on Tom Stewart, Madison Genesis... Brampton!
Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 KOM Jersey on Tom Stewart, Madison Genesis… Brampton!

 

 

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Chasing peloton in Haydon Bridge...
Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 Chasing peloton in Haydon Bridge…

 

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