The undulating and well-designed roads of Saône-et-Loire are particularly suitable for team time trials. In this field, the German national team showed its collective strength on the 27,9 km of continuous false flats between Gueugnon and Saint-Vallier. Not only did the Germans finish very strong to make up a small gap and take the best time of the stage from the already impressive Belgians, but they also put Michel Hessmann in the yellow jersey.
So, the leaders’ waltz continues, with a fifth yellow jersey since the Grand départ in La Roche-sur-Yon (the Dutch rider Van Belle in the prelude, the Norvegian Waerenskjold after the first stage, the Rhone-Alpes rider Labrosse and then the British rider Gloag), which shows a strong competition.
Michel Hessmann has made his presence felt in the breakaway trio that was present the day before at the finish in Chaillac, where the young German rider, 21 years old and already member of the World Tour team Jumbo-Visma, had finished 3rd behind Gloag and Dane Jörgensen.
The only average performance of Great-Britain (4th at 28”) didn’t allow Thomas Gloag to continue his adventure in the yellow jersey. As for the French team, 9th at 1’4”, it nevertheless limited the gaps in order to preserve the chances of its climber Lenny Martinez (30th overall at 1’50”) who did rather well on the roads of his region in an exercise that caused him some concern.
The Tour de l’Avenir enters a new phase with a difficult 6th stage in the Jura, including five climbs or third category passes along the 124,6 km of very rough terrain between Saint-Amour and Oyonnax.
