What is there to say? Someone gave the alien a gap and yeah they only saw him at the finish 50 Kilometers later. Was another epic solo win, between the humans Jakob Fuglsang came first and Simon Yates came third who are the riders completing the podium alongside Evenepoel.
Positive: Evenepoel taking a big win and honouring Jakobsen in a nice way, Malecky finishing 7th was a massive surprise, he was in yellow earlier in the race from a breakaway bonification collection, and it was a big surprise seeing him up there with the big guns. Also Quinn Simmons finishing in the Top20, another big surprise.
Negative: Richard Carapaz had the bad luck of having a bad crash, nothing to point at him, sometimes it happens and he wasn't able to defend his lead because of it.
The Route
Stage 5 will be the final stage as the race was shortened, despite being a flat finish into Krakow the stage is rather hard with a start in Zakopane and some rough climbing in the first half. Breakaway or a stage for the sprinters are the likely scenarios, however you can't discard a finish between some punchy riders that can get creative in the Polish hills.
The finish takes place in a rather big finishing straight, a circuit in Krakow which should set for a solid final battle between the sprinters that are left in the race.
The Weather
Hot temperatures and a slight breeze, where have I head this? Comes from the east so nothing really meaningful actually.
The Favourites
The sprinter field took quite a hit on the first stage but still there are some very fast men left in the field and the main favourite, despite being beaten by Pedersen some days ago is Pascal Ackermann who in paper is the man to beat having his leadout on spot, hopefully some good legs for him aswell. His main competition may come in the form of Jasper Philipsen who crashed on stage 1 but is one hell of a potential and also has quite a strong, yet not so experienced leadout in the Oliveira twins and Juan Sebastian Molano.
Then there's Luka Mezgec who tasted success quite a lot last year here however wasn't close to a win yet this year, but he's got another chance to get there and he should be in the fight and there's Trek with their massive leadout, no way of knowing who they will back but I would go for Theuns, they do switch up a lot and Pedersen took his shot (quite brilliantly!), Stuyven was there in Bielsko Biala so now is Theuns' time to shine.
Then there's some outsiders, some very quick ones at that as Rudy Barbier of Israel, Alberto Dainese of Sunweb, Szymon Sajknok of CCC or for example Davide Ballerini of Deceuninck, if there's no need to protect his leader. Ryan Gibbons and Phil Bauhaus also two good names to consider and finally I'd like to see the Movistar boys come in action, Sebastian Mora and Albert Torres more specifically.
Also the weather doesn't favour, and lots of team are interested in a sprint, but yet there's a bit of a chance for a breakaway to win as the profile suits it. I'd have Thomas de Gendt in eye, he looks to be looking for one and for sure he'll try tomorrow. Quinn Simmons, Hugo Houle, Benjamin Thomas, Dorian Godon, Charles Planet, Heinrich Haussler would be some of the names I would tip, I'm sure they'll all have massive odds to their name and they are powerful riders suited for a breakaway, with freedom and a good sprint.
Prediction Time
⭐ de Gendt, Bauhaus, Dainese, Ballerini, Pedersen, Sajnok
I'm gonna go with Edward Theuns for tomorrow, Ackermann didn't win the other stage because Bora screwed up the leadout, however Ackermann hasn't look at his best so far whilst Trek has they will nail the leadout again, and as the team's main sprinter he'll for sure be there tomorrow and I trust he can win.
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