What Do Points Make? #TDF

Today as in every year since 1975 the Tour de France is heading for 8 circuits of the Champs-Élysées. Most of the prizes have been decided.

On the Col Du Tourmalet on Thursday the Polka Dot Jersey for the King of the Mountains was finally planted firmly on shoulders of Anthony Charteau (BBox). The challenge from fellow Frenchman and the old man of the Tour Christophe Moreau (Caisse d'Espange) failed to close the remaining gap.

Yesterday it was as you were for Yellow and White (Young Rider) as last year. Alberto Contador (Astana) was 31" ahead of Andy Schleck (Saxobank) in the time trial into Pauillac. It means that Contador leads by 39", an irony not lost on many which was the exact time difference he took out of Schleck following his chain falling off when he was attacking Contador on the Port de Bales on Monday. It means that Contador is in Yellow and Scheleck will equal Jan Ullrich with a third successive White Jersey. The top three have all been the best young rider because Denis Menchov rode a good time trail yesterday to displace the Olympic Champion Sammy Sanchez from the final podium.

Lance Armstrong in his last Tour will be on the podium but only as a part of the best team as Radioshack have won that prize.

However, the real excitement lies in the Green Jersey competition for points. The current standings are:

• Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) 213
• Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) 203
• Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) 197

The point allocation on the line will be 35 for first, 30 for second, 26 for third, 24, 22, 20, 19 etc. There are also two intermediate sprints on the Champs-Élysées offering 6,4 and 2 points. It means that three teams will be working hard to secure the Green Jersey today.

If Mark Cavendish can repeat his performance in the French Capital from last year and win on the famous boulevard. The Norwegian would have to be second to stay ahead and the Italian if he was seventh would be equal on points but behind the Manxman on stage wins therefore losing his lead. The question is will any of them be in a position to take the intermediate sprints as often these go to a breakaway, or will the teams keep up the tempo for the full eight circuits to give their men a chance to get a shot at the 12 points on offer.

This will be an exciting afternoon on the approach to Paris, especially for three sprinters and a busy one for their teams.

That Centenary is Looming Up Ahead #TDF

As I wrote at the start of my Tour de France coverage is marking the centenary of the grand mountains hitting the tour. Tomorrow is actually the repeat of a 100 year old stage. On Tuesday we climb two famous two Pyreneean peaks the Col d'Aubisque and the Col du Tourmalet (which gets an encore on Thursday) 99 years and 363 days after they were first climbed.

However today is the first of four tough days in the Pyrenees.



Today after what has been an most strenuous transition phase between the Alps and Pyrenees the peleton has set out from the relative plain of Revel 220m above sea level. Later today at 102 km into the stage they will start to go uphill, and keep going up until the top to the Port de Pailhères at 2001m at 155.5 km. then after 18 km descent it is another 9km climb up to the ski station of Ax 3 Domaines. The former is a Hors Catégorie but that doesn't mean the First Catégorie climb to finish will be any easier. There will be no respite between one and the other. Andy Schleck or Alberto Contador could attack on the Pailhères to try and mark their authority on the other.

On the Pailhères there are two steep segments with an average gradient of 9.5% and then over 10% for two kilometre stretches. This is similar to the ascent into Mende on Thursday when Contador pulled 10 seconds back on Schleck but this time it isn't the end of things.

The climb to Ax 3 Domaines is also the mountain that in 2003, the centenary Tour, Jan Ullrich broke Lance Armstrong and a certain Alexandre Vinokourov the winner of yesterday's stage started that move. Of course Vino then launched the move for his team mate in the leading group, this year he is riding for Contador. You wonder if history might repeat itself, but then Vino has attacked hard in the last two days so may not be up there again today.

The other question is hot the rest of the GC riders will shape up behind the top two. Any of them might crack and the result is that the top 15 or so could easily reshuffle with minutes at stake for a poor day. As I said earlier it is not like we have had a nice relaxing and smooth transition from the other mountains. The climb to Mende and then the little Côte de Saint-Ferréol. Neither major for time shift but would be felt in the legs.

How Could We 'Cav' Doubted? #TDF

*
Well I got on the bus earlier and opened Tweetdeck to some very good news. The picture to the left is a clue.

Yeah earlier today I did ask 'where had the sprinting legs of Britain's Mark Cavendish go to?' well it seems we now know. The answer is simple they were waiting for him in Montargis which is where today's stage ended.

For the second day the three man escape was caught in the closing stages on this occasion with 4km to the finish, with Cavendish's HTC team heading the peleton as the last man ahead of the race Jose Juan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) is finally swept up. Along with Jurgen Van de Walle (Quick Step) and Julien El Fares (Cofidis) they had been ahead since the early stages. Gutierrez sweeping up all three of the intermediate sprints on the way, coming second to the other two in the two fourth category climbs of the day.

But after HTC has led the sweep up the train seemed unable to keep it as they weaved into Montargis. In fact Garmin took over the lead at one point and Britain's own David Millar (sitting 15th overnight) at the fore. Cavendish and Thor Hushovd are yet again further back riding shoulder to shoulder. But as the last Garmin rider peels off it is Mark Renshaw on the wheel followed closely by a certain Manxman.

As you can tell by the picture Cavendish did indeed win his eleventh stage on the Tour over the last three years. Followed by Gerald Ciolek (Milram), Edvald Boasen (Sky), Jose Joaquin Rojas (Caisse d'Epargne) before Hushovd.

Sprinters are often some of the toughest men in pro-cycling. Day in day out they are getting elbowed at the front of the pack in the closing stages. If something goes even slightly wrong they are involved in some of the highest speed crashes in traffic. Only a crash over a wall descending a mountain can compare. But how much does it mean to someone like Cav to have won today, having crashed out on the first ideal stage, punctured before the cobbles and had nothing to give yesterday? Well I think this says it all.



So congratulations Mark Cavendish, and that comes not just from me but from a certain seven time winner as well. Having apologised to his team yesterday for not being able to repay them for their support he made it up for them all today.



Now if you are quick you can catch the highlights on ITV4 which is about to start.

* Pictures via Tour News 2010

The Tour Takes on the Hell of the North #TDF

Well the Hell of the North certainly added to the excitement of the opening to this Tour de France. I've never seen an opening three stages being so tough and it certainly is making looking forward to the other 17 days of racing. Somehow yesterday may have been a day to wait, but today it was pedal to the medal and hope that your bike holds up to task at hand.

However, one of the contenders Frank Schleck ended up by the side of the road with a broken collar bone on the cobbles, the cyclist's worst nightmare. Falling while near the head of the race, the ideal place to ride the pavé. However, he fall led to confusion behind. But at the head of the chase pack Fabian Cancellara, yesterday's slow it down man, pushed the pace. The younger Schleck brother Andy his Saxobank teammate was with him, as well as Cadal Evans. But other tour contenders Alberto Contador, Bradley Wiggins and Lance Armstrong were dropped.

There were numerous bike changes and more that he needed for the unfortunate man in yellow Slyvain Chavanel. He kept having mechanical issues and having to change his bike. Even the master Lance Armstrong had to pursuit back to the chasing pack after a mechanical issue. His teammate Yaroslav Popovych buried himself for the cause and when he had given his all and the gap was still there it was Lance himself who fought through the cars to catch those ahead.


Thor Hushovd did take the sprint at the end of the race, beating a British sprinter into second. But not Mark Cavendish he was some way back, however Gerraint Thomas on his debut tour now has a second place finish, is second in the Green Jersey behind Hushovd and leader in the young rider jersey. So the British national jersey will not be on display tomorrow and hopefully for some time, tour colours take precedent. But being 23 seconds off the lead shows that for Sky there really is no limit to their expectations.

Wiggins while not in the leading group only lost 53 seconds to them. But more importantly made time over Contador and Armstrong 2o secs and 1 min 15 secs further back.

While Hushovd got maximum points in the sprint Mark Cavendish picked up his first one, yes only one when he trundled over the line 4th in a big group 2'08" back. I hope he doesn't live to rue those other 3 points on the Champs-Élysées on the 25th.

Tomorrow is meant to be a tame day but we've said that before. Here is the route.

After that Thank God Tomorrow It's Over

What a stage! What a race!

The real battle of the Tour de France came down the the climb of Mont Ventoux and good choice by the Tour Organisers, the final hour of the ascent of the Giant of Provence lived up to it hype of being the place where the general classifications would be decided.

The seven heads of state Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck, Lance Armstrong, Bradley Wiggins, Andreas Kloden, Frank Schleck and Vincenzo Nibali were the ones who kept together when the big group hit the slopes above Bedoin. They started to close down the leaders up the slopes Juan Manuel Garate and Tony Martin, but that wasn't the reason for their speed.

Frank Schleck attacked a number of times, but each time he was marked by Lance Armstrong determined not to cede his third step on the podium. When little brother Andy attacked it was the Maillot Jaune on the back of Contador that came with, but when Frank didn't follow he sat up. Obviously more determined to help his brother get a leap on Armstrong rather than try and get the 4'11" he needed over the man who was covering his every move.

Kloden was the first of the big 7 to suffer and slip off the back. But Nibali and Wiggins also at times seemed to struggle to get back. But over and over again 6 of the heads of state kept together. Kloden any time he thought there was a hope of getting back on the back wheel suffered as another acceleration pulled them away again.

Then in the final two kilometres Andy went again this time with brother Frank on his wheel. Armstong and Contador went with, but Wiggins seemed unable to respond. Was this the time that more British hopes were to fade, almost at the point when the memorial marks the death of Tom Simpson on the same slopes. But no Wiggins kept digging in finding reserves from somewhere.

At the line Garate crossed first, then Martin. Then the three leaders of the race A. Schleck, with Contador and a three second gap to Armstrong. But with Kloden down the road the only real gap that mattered was going to be between Frank Schleck and Bradley Wiggins. At 43" after Garate the elder Schleck crossed the line Brad had to get there before the race showed +1'06". Then on the left hand side of the road almost out of view of the camera Bradley Wiggin's reminiscent of Steven Roche he appeared crossing the line at +1'03" twenty seconds lost both 4th place retained for the procession towards the Champs Elysees tomorrow.

Of course the Brits have had a good tour David Miller has been doing sterling work, and just missed out on the run into Barcelona of individual glory. Wiggins of course has ridden high up the GC and has given hope of making a podium in Paris in the years to come (why did that Texan have to come out of retirement this year?). But a little man from the Isle of Man is going for 6 tomorrow. If only he hadn't been disqualified on the run into Besancon we may still have seen him and Thor Husovd competing the two intermediates as well as the final bunch sprint on the Champs Eylsees tomorrow.

But as it is Britain's top stage winner Mark Cavendish and equal top finisher Bradley Wiggins can look forward to Paris tomorrow one to relax the other has one more goal, to be the first of the men to cover the 3252km of the 96th Tour de France, even if only by a few yards and hundredths of a second.

Crunch Day on Ventoux

Today is the day that the general classification will finally be settled in this year's Tour de France and for the 8th time in Tour history it will act as a mountain top finish. The roll of honour to win on the summit reads like a history of worthy post war recipients.

• 1958 Charley Gaul Luxemborg Individual Time Trail (Champion 1958, King of the Mountains 1955, 56 )
• 1965 Raymond Poulidor France (8 times on podium 3 times each behind Anquetil and Merckx)
• 1970 Eddie Merckx Belgium (5 Time Champion 1969-72, 74)
• 1972 Bernard Thévenet France (Champion 1975, 77)
• 1987 Jean-François Bernard Individual Time Trail France
• 2000 Marco Pantani Italy (Champion 1998)
• 2002 Richard Virenque France (Most successful King of the Mountains (1994-7, 99, 2003-04)
• 2009 ???

But what makes Ventoux special? It is not the tallest, not the steepest but has a mystique all of its own. It stands out on the horizon however you approach its 1912m summit. Indeed from the feed station at78km into today's 167 km stage the riders will start a circuit around it. Admittedly that circuit will include the 4th category Col de Fontanbe and 3rd category Col des Abeilles. Certainly the Mont holds a little bit of a psychological hold over the riders.

But it is the 21 km ascent to the summit from Bedoin to the peak that is the real test. It starts in the airless forests at the base before exploding into the barren lunar landscape at the peak. From Saint-Esteve at 5 km up the climb to the peak (with only brief respite through Chalet Reynard and the treeline) it is greater than 6% climbing and for long stretches greater than 95 all the way to the top.

Ventoux was first climbed in the Tour on 22 July 1951 when it was including in the 17th stage from Monpellier to Avignon. On that occasion a lead group of 12 were together at the foot. At Chalet Reynard Hugo Koplet attacked*, only Raphaël Géminiani**, Luison Bobet, Gino Bartali and Lucien Lazardes*** could stay with him. 2km from the summit Lazardes attacked and reached the top alone followed by a lone Bartali and thus was Ventoux first conquered in the Tour.

Its not just the breaks but the mountain that has claimed men. In 1955 Jean Malléjac who had finished second two year previously was described 10km from the summit "Streaming with sweat, haggard and comatose, he was zigzagging and the road wasn't wide enough for him... He was already no longer in the real world, still less in the world of cyclists and the Tour de France". He collapsed as was taken to hospital struggling and shouting after regaining consciousness on the side of the road.

The same year Swiss racer Ferdi Kübler was setting such a vicious tempo that Géminiani survivor of that first ascent warned him off. Advise he ignored to his cost. He started to struggle in the last kilometre of the ascent and fell repeatedly on the descent finishing 26 minutes back on the line for his efforts on the climb.

In 1967 the British cyclist, that Bradley Wiggins is most closely competing with for prestige in the major tours, Tommy Simpson came to his own fate. He began weaving across the road in the last kilometre and fell twice. The tour doctor Pierre Dumas reached him after the second collapse spent more than an hour giving him heart massage and mouth to mouth. But realised he was dead and had him removed from the mountain by helicopter to Avignon where the cyclist was pronounced dead at 17:40. Of course Simpson's death is an object lesson on how the drugs don't always work.

So what of today's stage. Alberto Contador may well have a 4'11" lead over Andy Schleck but this is the sort of stage that that might be clawed back, especially as tomorrow there is just the gentle roll into Paris to come.

The Schleck brothers will well be aware tht their fellow countryman Gaul was the first winner on the summit here. Older brother Frank will need to do something to climb back unto the podium. He'd gained that spot on stage 17 on the Col de Colombiere but lost it the following day on the TT around Lac d'Annecy. Expect him to attack at some point on Ventoux.

As for younger brother Andy lying in second he may go with his brother, and they may launch tandem attacks to see it Contador has anything to give. If they can get a gap then it is just a matter of how big they can get it. Although he may well already know that Contador is not going to be beaten this year, but then Ventoux does await.

As well as Frank Schleck wanting to get back unto the podium don't forget that Bradley Wiggins is sitting just 16" behind that spot over a man he has climbed better than on a couple of mountain finishes this year. But that man is the man who came second to both Pantani and Virenque on those other two Ventoux top finishes this decade and in that 2002 pursuit of Virenque set the record for the fastest ascent at 50 minutes. He also has the small matter of 7 successive victories in this race to his name, so don't rule out Lance Armstrong from the challenge of Frank Schleck, Wiggins or Vincenzo Nibali just yet.

Today is going to be a very interesting day and coverage live on ITV4 starts at 13:00 BST but it already underway by text on the BBC website.

*The eventual winner.

**That year's eventual King of the Mountains and 2nd overall.

***Who would be first when the Tor reached Paris.

Gentlemen a Little Attention Please

Many of the menfolk are well aware that in the same week that cycling hero Lance Armstrong is fighting well in the Tour de France on his comeback, John Hartson the former footballer has had crucial surgery for cancer.

There is one thing these two gentlemen have had in common. Their cancer started in their testicles. Lance found his early sought advise and got his sorted. Hartson waited longer before seeking help and we have yet to know the outcome. As someone who has found an benign lump down there I was encouraged when Iain Dale posted this earlier. Iain had found this post from a Miserable Old Fart which included this educational video:




As Miserable Old Fart also points out:

Unfortunately some of the most at risk group will not be able to view this video. It is age restricted because it shows real testicles so people between 15 and 21 are not allowed to view it due to US obscenity laws!

Testicular cancer is most prevalent amongst young men aged 15 - 35, so a large section of those who need to know how to check their own balls are denied on line video advice! That is immoral, disgusting and unacceptably obscene!

I totally agree with this and Iain's Tweet:



But I'd also like to urge you also to be aware of the early signs of Bowel Cancer which it isn't so easy to detect. You never know quite when your may well need to know those signs.

And gentlemen don't be stoic about it. If in doubt, check it out. Give yourself the best chance to LiveStrong for a long time.