Aussies’ joy and despair

IT was heaven for Simon Clarke but the “Hell of the North” cobblestones lived up to their reputation as Australia’s two best overall chances suffered disastrous days in the Tour de France.

Clarke, 35, was unemployed last Christmas after his previous team folded at the end of last year. The Victorian only got a lifeline through Israel-Premier Tech in January.

But after facing what he thought could be the end of his career, Clarke (pictured) has claimed his biggest win after just edging ahead in the final sprint following the brutal 157km fifth stage of this year’s race from Lille to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut.

After finding himself in the breakaway, which attacked early and was able to hold off the peloton on a course that included 11 sectors of the famous cobblestones, there was a fourman sprint to the finish line.

Clarke won in a photo finish over Taco van der Hoorn (Intermache-Wanty-Gobert) and the Australian was overcome with emotion.

“All year this season, I’ve come out in every race swinging,” he said. “I still can’t believe I got it on the line there.”

While it was a dream come true for Clarke, it was a nightmare day for Australia’s big guns, who were caught up in the cobblestone carnage.

Jack Haig, a contender for the top five, crashed out for the second year in a row when caught in a pile-up caused by an errant hay bale on the course.

The chances of last year’s fourth-placed finisher Ben O’Connor winning the yellow jersey or claiming a podium finish are also in tatters after he had a puncture on the second sector of cobblestones.