2022 Tour de France, cobbles, Photo galleries, Racing -

Gallery: High drama as the Tour visits the cobbles of Roubaix

Gallery: High drama as the Tour visits the cobbles of Roubaix

It wasn’t quite as long as Paris-Roubaix, and there weren’t as many cobblestone sectors, but Wednesday’s stage 5 of the Tour de France was still a remarkable day’s racing.

We had Simon Clarke taking a career-best win from the break – after nearly being forced out of the sport late last year – we had GC riders crashing out, we had Tadej Pogačar proving he can do just about anything on a bike, and we had Jumbo-Visma scrambling after a series of unfortunate events.

In short, there was plenty of drama to keep us glued to our screens. And of course, being a race across the pavé, there are plenty of amazing images to share from the stage as well. Without further ado, please make your way down the page to see some terrific shots from the Grubers – Jered and Ashley – and Kristof Ramon.

Overall leader Wout van Aert had a small fan for company at the stage start.
Impressive crowds, yet again.
The day’s break would go all the way to the line.
At one stage, Alberto Bettiol came to the front and rode hard … despite having two teammates in the leading group. It seemed a little strange.
Primož Roglič had a bad day. He crashed, dislocated his shoulder, and lost more than two minutes to main rival Tadej Pogačar.
The six-rider break, with eventual winner Simon Clarke on the front.
Ben O’Connor had an unfortunate day, a flat tire forcing him out of the group of GC favourites.
Dusty as.
The break down to five riders.
Behind the break, Jasper Stuyven and Pogačar were on a mission, trying to put distance into those behind.
And then there were four up front.
Pogačar made riding the cobbles look easy. Is there anything he can’t do?
Former Roubaix winner Philippe Gilbert finished roughly four minutes back.
Gilbert’s teammate, Caleb Ewan, had an even worse day. The Aussie sprinter fell in a crash caused by a stray hay bale after being very well placed to that point.
Speaking of riders not on their best day, Mathieu van der Poel finished well off the pace. He’s been struggling lately, but doesn’t know why.
Overall leader Wout van Aert tows a chase group, riding for his GC leaders.
Those shoes are mint.
The stage came down to a matter of centimetres, with Clarke (right) beating Taco van der Hoorn with a very impressive bike throw.
Neilson Powless had launched a move from the break with 1.2 km to go, but was caught and finished fourth.
The cobbles of northern France are no joke.
Enric Mas rode well to finish in the main group of GC favourites.
2018 Paris-Roubaix winner Peter Sagan finished well down, in 147th place.
It was a cobbled stage in 2014 that ended Chris Froome’s chances of winning that year’s Tour. He won the year before, and won the next three.
Simon Clarke, individual stage winner at the Tour for the first time (he was part of a TTT-winning squad at the 2013 Tour).
While it wasn’t a great day for Jumbo-Visma (Roglič lost two minutes to Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard lost 13 seconds), Van Aert did hold on to yellow for another day.
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