The race leaves the Alps behind for a stage that should see a battle between the breakaway and the sprinters teams because many team have yet to win a stage and this is their last chance.
Tour de France Stage 18 Preview
Will the final mountain stage and its high altitude summit finish be enough to prise apart the overall contenders? This is a double day of racing, tune in to watch La Course and then again to see Le Tour.
Higher Calling Book Giveaway
Want a signed copy of Max Leonard’s new book “Higher Calling”? It was enjoyed and reviewed the other day here and now here’s your chance to win a copy with a simple quiz.
Tour de France Stage 17 Preview
The first of two days in the Alps and a giant stage awaits. This year’s race has a theme of short steep climbs but today reverts to a classic Alpine route where duration and altitude matter more than the gradient… and so does the direction of the wind on the final descent because it will either reward or condemn an attack on the Galibier.
Tour de France Stage 16 Preview
The race heads towards the Alps via likely sprint finish but beware the crosswinds on the plains for the last 50km.
Rest Day Review
2664.5km and 64 hours of racing over more than two weeks and there’s still less than 30 seconds separating the top four riders overall, they’re now closer together on the general classification than they were after the opening time trial Düsseldorf. If the Tour de France is a gradual contest to establish a hierarchy there’s some way to go before the order is settled.
Tour de France Stage 15 Preview
A stage for the breakaway specialists and the strong riders with something left in the legs. The penultimate climb of the Col de Peyra Taillade is tough and includes a steep “short cut” to make it harder still.
Tour de France Stage 14 Preview
A transitional stage to Rodez and the chance for Team Sunweb to make it two in a row with an uphill finish that’s perfect for Michael Matthews and out of reach for the pure sprinters. But everyone knows this so maybe their rivals will send riders up the road knowing one or teams can’t bring the breakaway back.
Book Review: Higher Calling
Higher Calling, Road Cycling’s Obsession with the Mountains by Max Leonard
As the Tour de France races across the Pyrenees do you want to try these roads for yourself? Perhaps but maybe the Tour’s passage is only a part of it. The scenery, the challenge, perhaps the hope of better weather or a week away from it all are part of the attraction.
Why do the mountains hold such an important place in cycling’s iconography, it’s myths and travel business? This book sets out to explore the mountains, not the roads but our approach to them.
Tour de France Stage 13 Preview
A lively stage that promises action from start to finish. The Tour’s theme of steep climbs continues with a triptych of short climbs on Bastille Day, France’s national holiday so we can expect big crowds.