The breakaway stage par excellence, today’s route offers many in the peloton a shot at glory. There’s also a trap for the overall contenders as the forecast says the local Vent d’Autan will blow, promising crosswinds for the finish.
Month: July 2018
The Tour’s Team Prize
Nairo Quintana and his Movistar team mates have yellow helmets. It’s because they lead the Tour de France’s team competition and is a visible sign of a largely hidden but sometimes tactically significant prize.
The team prize is the least understood of the official classifications in the Tour de France but it can have a direct tactical influence on the race. With all that’s going on in the race this prize rarely gets any attention but it matters to some.
Tour de France Stage 14 Preview
A good day for the breakaway and the tough finish above Mende that’s always harder than it looks on paper.
Tour de France Stage 13 Preview
A sprint stage? Probably but with few sprinters left in the race it means fewer teams to chase.
Tour Podcast Reviews
Back in 2015 this blog looked at the explosion of podcasts on offer, marvelling at the audio choice. Now those look like lean days, the medium has taken off and there’s more choice than ever. A few suggestions and feel free to share yours in the comments below…
Tour de France Stage 11 Preview
Hardly a metre of flat, if some riders tried to save energy yesterday then today was a reason. It’s only 108km and packs in four good climbs.
Tour de France Stage 10 Preview
The Tour heads into the mountains with the first of three consecutive Alpine stages. There’s no gentle start, this is a hard stage with some steep climbs throughout.
Rest Day Review
Not many years ago the opening week of the Tour de France was something for followers to get through as the race crossed the plains of northern France with little else than repeat sprint finishes. This year it’s a been an endurance test for TV viewers sometimes but also a gruelling variety event for the contenders with crashes, cobbles and stress. The race has resembled the old board game of Snakes and Ladders. A roll of the dice here and a rider crashes; a roll there and they regain time in another stage.
Tour de France Stage 9 Preview
The pavé of Paris-Roubaix await, a constant succession of cobbled sectors and two races within the day: the race to win the stage and the race to stay in contention on the overall classification.