The Tour heads into the Vosges.
Postcard from the Ballon d’Alsace
The Tour de France tackles the Ballon d’Alsace today, and will do again tomorrow too. It’s the first big mountain climbed by the Tour de France and the first celebration of climbing in the race and possibly the origin of the mythology of the climber as a lone rider ahead of the rest. And recently it’s been the subject of a mini-polemic.
The Race For Survival (updated)
Having looked at the team sponsors and what they do the other day, time to reprise a post from February looking at the sponsorship prospects, the topic keeps coming up with several teams facing financial challenges and things have changed since then.
Postcard from Nevers
Ever been to Nevers? If not, chances are that it’s come to you because Nevers is the capital city of clipless pedals.
Tour de France Stage 10 Preview
The 14 July stage in France, the culmination of a long weekend and Round 2 of the breakaway championships.
Postcard from Chaumeil
Imagine a cycling and music festival. Think of Tadej Pogačar, Mathieu van der Poel, Paul Seixas, Jonathan Milan and Jonas Vingegaard and others coming to party and race in an event organised by DJ David Guetta and this attracts tens of thousands of people for the weekend? Something like this happened before.
Tour de France Stage 9 Preview
Round 1 of the breakaway world championships.
The course is shortened by about 30km because of the ongoing heat wave.