There’s a time cut for every stage of the Tour de France. A rider finishing outside of the time limit is out of the race. Another of the Tour de France’s Frequently Asked Questions is how are the time cuts calculated. Here’s the explainer and the numbers for this year’s Tour.
Tour de France Stage 14 Preview
The Tour de France has a fourth dimension. It can indulge in time travel and today it crosses the Col d’Izoard, the high point of the race this year and a highlight from over the years, a road that’s become legendary over the years.
Today’s vintage might be less celebrated but there’s still plenty to race for. It’s also live on TV from start to finish.
Tour de France Stage 13 Preview
For all the talk of a certain Vincenzo Nibali victory we’ve only had one real mountain stage so far. Now here’s the first of the two Alpine stages, one of the decisive days. The Col de Palaquit is new to the Tour de France and a nasty surprise for some before the surprisingly tough finish to Chamrousse.
Filtering The Breakaway
Several stages have been shown live on TV so far and sometimes there’s a fierce battle to get in the break the suddenly the bunch suddenly sits up and the breakaway is allowed to ride away. How? Why?
Tour de France Stage 12 Preview
A repeat of yesterday’s stage? It looks similar with third and fourth category climbs late in the stage before a descent to the finish. But the geography is very different and it should make for a different kind of stage.
Tour de France Stage 11 Preview
After the Vosges, the Jura. Today’s stage doesn’t get too mountainous but the finish includes several steep climbs that will eject the sprinters and let attacking riders take their chance.
There’s also a bonus climb after the categorised ones and just for fun it’s got running water, loose gravel and potholes on the way up… and down.
How Are Climbs Categorised?
The Tour de France has completed three stages in the Vosges, visits the Jura range tomorrow before the Alps and then the Pyrennes. The race rates climbs with five labels, from 4th category for the easiest all the way to 1st category and then HC for hors catégorie, or “beyond categorisation”. A frequently asked question is how are these categories determined.
Tour de France Stage 10 Wrap
With no preview tomorrow because it’s a rest day here’s the daily take on the day’s stage. It was a day marked by the loss of Alberto Contador as much as the win by Vincenzo Nibali.
Roads to Ride – The Planche des Belles Filles
As part of a series to explore the famous roads of cycling, here is the Planche des Belles Filles in France. The idea with this series is to discover the road and its place in the world, whether in cycling’s folklore or to explore what it is like on a normal day without a race.
The Planche des Belles Filles is a novelty that first appeared in the Tour de France in 2012 after the Tour de France boss Christian Prudhomme came across cyclists buzzing about the climb on a forum. It’s back for the 2014 Tour and could well feature again and again.
Tour de France Stage 10 Preview
If they lack the altitude of the Alps and the mystique of the Pyrenees the Vosges have plenty of offer. Today’s stage is a showcase for the small mountain range, crossing six passes before stinging finish at the Planche des Belles Filles.
It’s 14 July, Bastille Day, the French national holiday so expect giant crowds and beaucoup d’attaques. It’s live on TV from start to finish.