Farewell Professor - Laurent Fignon 1960 - 2010

There are very few top class sportsmen who wear their glasses while participating in their sport. But the bespectacled face and flowing mane of blond hair tied back in a ponytail were what earned Laurent Fignon his nickname as the Professor on the professional cycling circuit.

We and he knew this day was coming when we would bid farewell to a two-time winner of the Tour de France and the man last man to ride unto the Champs-Élysées in the maillot jaune to lose it by the narrowest margin ever, only 8 seconds to American Greg Lamond. Last year he had announced to the world that he was undergoing chemotherapy for metastatic cancer. He had in his retirement become a commentator on the sport, something he was doing again this July and there was an interview with him during the ITV converage when his familar voice was struggling but he current one was determined to carry on.

He was brought into the Renault-Elf-Gitane team in 1982 to support the four time winner of le Tour Bernard Hinault. But the team leader failed to make the start line in 1983, Pascal Simon assumed that role, but midway through the race had effectively lost that position to Fignon losing 3 minutes over a 15.6km on the individual time trial up the Puy-de-Dôme. A couple of days later on Alpe d'Huez Simon also lost the lead of the race to the young pretender to the crown France's next big thing. However, at just 22 he became the youngest winner of the tour since 1933 when they rolled into Paris.

He repeated the feat the following year, after winning the King of the Mountains in the Giro d'Italia while coming 2nd. In 1989 having won the Giro for his only time the order was reversed by that new aerodynamic bike and riding position adopted by Lemond on the Champs-Élysées.

His best finish in the third Grand Tour the Vuelta a España which is currently in progress was third in 1987.

Here is the day in 1989 that he attacked Lemond and keeps tabs on Pedro Delgado to take the maillot jaune, in honour of the Professor



Laurent Fignon 1960-2010

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.

Where the Tour was Won #TDF

Well we now know where the Tour de France was won. It wasn't beating the man it was man on the point of being beating taken advantage of the opponent he swerved around on the Port de Bales.



Without the 39 seconds that Alberto Contador gained from that incident Andy Schleck would have gone into this time trail still 31 seconds ahead and not 8 behind. In the end the gap that Alberto Contador picked up off Andy Schleck in today's time trial was 31", without Port de Bales they would have been tied on time.

Tourmalet Act Two #TDF

On Tuesday the bulk of the field rolled into Pau together after following the sequence of mountains that set up Eddy Merckx for the first of his five yellow jerseys. O t would have been a year if it had existed that Eddy would have won the white jersey for Best Young Rider along with the Yellow, Green and Polka Dot that he did actually win in 1969. It would have been a singular achievement.

Today will be like a case of retracing your steps as it the riders had lost something. Normally having reached Pau after tacking the Pyrenees in a westerly direction the Tour will put the mountains behind them, but not today. We're heading back in, and back to the Tourmalet. But before we get there it is no stroll in the park.

The first major climb of the day is the Col de Marie-Blanque. Not particularly big at only 1035m. However, the last 4 km of the ascent average 10% gradient. Next up is the Col du Solour which was climbed but not categorised on Tuesday as part of the ascent of the Col d'Aubisque this time it is being approached from its toughest northern approach, earning it the Premier Category classification. From the Solour the last 56.5km are very familiar to the riders, they were only here on Tuesday heading the opposite direction.

It is back up the Tourmalet with a longer ascent and with a steeper kick near the end. This is the last mountain of this years tour and surely one on which several of the leading GC contenders are going to have to attack on. Schleck will need time over Contador at the top if he is to follow him as a winner of the Yellow and White jersey in the same Tour, this is Andy's last year eligible for the young rider category and while he'll be emulating Jan Ullrich with a third success along with Contador and Laurent Fignon he'll want to have won yellow and white together.

Behind the leading two the 2003 winner of the white jersey Denis Menchov is going to have to open up a gap on Sammy Sanchez the Olympic Champion who is 13 seconds ahead of him and the somewhat better time trialist over a long distance. Although they both had the same time over the short Rotterdam prologue. Three previous winners of the young rider category have never filled the podium positions in Paris, so this year's Tour may just make a little bit of history in that way.

Even further back there is a possible battle to be the laterne rouge (the last man). German Bert Grabsch (HTC-Columbia) currently brings up the rear at +3h 55' 10" but only 2 minutes 1 second up the road is Italian Adriano Malori (Lampre).

Tourmalet Act One #TDF

Crossed Tourmalet STOP Very good course STOP Perfectly passable STOP

So read the Telegram sent by Alphonse Steinès on 28 January 1910 to his boss Henri Desgrange about the possibilty of including the Col de Tourmalet on that year's 8th Tour de France. That isn't the whole story however.

On the 27th Steinès had asked an innkeeper near the Tourmalet for directions to pass over it. The innkeeper barked back 'you can barely cross it in July'. However, Steinès was underterred and hired a car and driver Dupont and drove up the cart path that was the route over the 2115m pass. Near the top after 16km of climbing he was stopped by snow, and even though it was 6pm he got out in his city clothes and continuted on foot. After 600m Dupont turned back, shouting 'The bears come over from Spain when it snows', but Steinès continued. He was found at 3am having fallen several times and been lost by a police search party. After food and a hot bath he dispatched his telegram to Paris.



When it was announced in the itinery of the Tour several of the big names protested and 26 said they would not ride. Lucien Petit-Breton, the winner from 1907 and 1908 said 'It's murder....those bastards want our skin!' he did not finish the 1910 Tour. Gustave Garrigou ended up 3rd that year and won the following year said 'People were telling us about avalanches, road collapses, of the killer moutains and the Thunder of God!'. Riders told reporters 'Desgrange is sending us into a circle of death!'


In the end of course the race did climb up the Tourmalet on a stage from Bagnères-de-Luchon to Pau. The first attack came from Charles Crupelandt, who had won the opening stage to Roubaix, then came one from François Faber the previous year's winner, then Emile Georget. But eventually it came to Octave Lapize to take on Faber, the rest of the field and the Col. The previous days to Luchon over the first Pyrenees he had won the stage and it was he who was the first man to summit on the Tourmalet, marked by the momument shown. Riding on to Bayonne on the coast to complete the stage as winner. The on to Paris to win the Tour itself in what was the only time he finished the race.

So today the peleton pass over it on their way to Pau, but they'll be back on Thursday to finish on its summit and the last climb of the 2010 Tour de France.

Contador Apology #TDF

Alberto Contador has issued the following apology for his not noticing the 'mechanical' of Andy Schleck yesterday and then taking advantage of it for pretty much the last 24 km of yesterday's stage.



Wonder what Andy Schlecjk would rather have. An apology recorded in your hotel room, rather that on the podium or in the press interviews afterwards, or 39 seconds back? Hmm tough call.

I reckon most of the neutral cycling fans will be backing Andy Schleck everytime he goes on the attack today or on Thursday.

Eight Seconds #TDF

Eight seconds has featured before in the race for the Maillot Jaune in the Tour de France. In the 1989 Tour it was the gap that Greg LeMond took the race by over Laurent Fignon when the Champs-Elysees witnessed a time trial final stage. Today however it wasn't a matter or man against man that led to eight seconds.

On the Port de Bales Andy Schleck had his Saxobank team setting the pace. One by one they led him up the Col closing down the gap with the head of the race. Then about 3 km from the top of the Climb Schleck attacked but Contador took some time to respond, but then calamity, the Luxembourger's chain came off. Contador raced on up the hill while Schleck stopped at the side of the road to sort it out. He then had to climb through all the dropped riders from the group that his teams pace had got rid off in pursuit. At the summit he was about 20 seconds behind at the summit. Ready to chase the larger group down the slopes to the finish.

In the end the group in front managed to edge further out crossing the line 39 seconds ahead of the Maillot Jaune. Meaning it had changed hands by that 8 second margin to the defending champion, who may or may not have been in trouble on the Port de Bales. However, there is previous that you don't attack the leader when he has a disaster outside his control in a tight race. Look at Jan Ullrich hold up for Lance Armstrong here, from 2003.



If Contador felt he had to take advantage of that and couldn't beat Schleck man on man maybe he really was starting to struggle in this tour. Schleck has seemed in control and more and more confident with each stage he has worn the yellow for. However Andy hasn't given up hope yet as he has just tweeted.



The incident will overshadow the fact that the French Champion Thomas Voeckler won the stage in a solo effort from the day's long breakaway to mark the 100th anniversary of the Tour climbing the Pyrenees today.

Update The view of the pros Robbie Hunter who's had to abandon this year' Tour 'Contador should have waited,had he waited everybody would have waited..my opinion this was not cool!'. Chris Broadman former British rider in the Tour and now part of ITV4's team 'I predict a spirited moral debate, lets call it 'Chaingate'.

A Case of History Repeating It's Heights #TDF

One hundred years ago today the first of the big mountains* were included in Henri Desgrange's vision of the Tour de France, the Porter-d'Aspet and the Col des Ares were on that first day. He had been reluctant to include the big mountain passes fearing that the riders would die in the mountains from over-exertion, exposure, brigands or bears. His assitant Alphonse Steinès persuaded him otherwise, of which more tomorrow, that it would be doable.

Today both those original climbs are merely category 2 climbs at 1069 and 797 metres respectively. However, today they will be drawfed by the 1755m Port de Balès, though it was only first used in 2007, it will be the third Hors Catégorie climb on this year's Tour.

Here what an amateur cyclist made of the ascent of the Port de Balès prior to that first ascent of this hill.



The 21.5 km descent into Bagnères-de-Luchon is full of twisting bends as this video of Sky's recognisance of the stage shows.



Yesterday after seeing Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador marking each other and almost playing games on the ascent to Ax-3 Domaines I suspect there may be a little bit more of a test from Schleck today. He still needs to gain some further time over the next three days 31 seconds may not be enough for him in the final time trial. Yesterday he merely showed he is able to take anything that Contador could lay at his feet.

* The Ballon d'Alsace had been included in 1905

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.

Peleton Less Deep, Mountains High #TDF

Sylvain Chavanel took the yellow on the damp and treacherous road into Spa, he only wore it for one day after that the cobbles of the Hell of the North causing his problems. However, just as Spa is famous for Formula 1 today on a Formula 1 Sunday the French man is back in yellow.

Yesterday on the penultimate climb up the Col de la Croix de la Serra Chavanel in a grop of 7 started to pursue the leading group of 3 including his Quickstep team mate Jérôme Pineau. Pineau had taken maximum climbers points in the first 5 climbs yesterday to secure his early hold on the Polka Dot Jersey being the only man so far to wear it. Meanwhile behind him the man who took the yellow jersey back off Chavanel Fabian Cancellara was struggling to stay with the pace and was only just ridden back up to the pack by the summit.

On the last climb of the Côte de Lamoura the head of the race changed hands within the same team when Chavanel on his second lone breakaway of the Tour overtook his team mate in the spots. In the end he crossed the line 57 seconds ahead of Rafael Valls (Footon-Servetto) and 1'27" ahead of Juan Manuel Gárate (Rabobank). However more crucially, 1'47" ahead of the group of Alberto Contador, Cadel Evans, Lance Armstrong, Andy Schleck and Bradley Wiggins. However, Gerraint Thomas who had been second was 5'12" back on the leader having suffered a puncture on the last climb 10km from the end. But the maillot jaune on the back of Cancellara suffered merely in the legs and not mechanically to end up 14'12" behind.

It means the Frenchman leads today as we skirt the toe of Switzerland by 1'25" from Evans, Schleck is 4th +1'55", Contador 6th +2'26", Nicolas Roche (the son of Tour winner Stephen) is 8th +2'28" and Bradley Wiggins has climbed to 11 +2'35".

Today's stage is the start of the high mountains although as Bradley Wiggins said of yesterday's stage ""I think the stage was harder than a lot of people expected but it's good to get the first mountain one out of the way". Today however there are the arrival of the first category climbs to this tour. The first Col de la Ramaz is a 14km climb averaging 7% gradient. The descent is an even steeped hill getting to 10% in places so it is fast and winding. Then after the descent a minor 3rd Category climb up Les Gets before climbing 14km out of Morzine up to Avoriaz at 6.1%. Not as tough as la Ramaz but at the end of a hard day and other cllimbs just before, somebody might just lose the Tour today.

So the mountains are here, this guy has posted a video of his reconnoiter of those final climbs.

The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Pedals #TDF

When I signed off my Tour report on Wednesday after Mark Cavendish had failed on the road to Reims I said:

"Cav has been one to bounce back before when he hasn't won as expected with a double, Friday's stage is also for the sprinters. So we wait and see."

Well who needs Paul the Octopus?

Two stages later and in first Montgaris and yesterday in Gueugnon it was the Manx Missile that shot to the front in the final 200 metres and was never headed. He is now level on 12 stage wins in the Tour with other great sprinters from my memory:

• Mario Cipollini (Italy) wins in 6 tours over 7 years (1993 -1999) Luçon -Les Sables [93]; Perros Guirec -Vitré, Alençon - Le Harve [95]; Hertogenbosch - Wasquehal [96]; Rouen - Forges-les-Eaux, St Valery-en-Caux - Vire [97], Cholet - Châteauroux, La Châtre - Brive [98]; Laval - Blois, Bonneval - Ameins, Ameins - Maubeuge, Avensnes-sur-Helpe - Thionville [99]
• Eric Zabel (Germany) 6 tours, 8 years (1995-2002) Dunkirk - Charleroi, Pau - Bordeaux [95]; Wasquehal - Norgent-sur-Oise, Turin - Gap [96]; Vire - Plumelec, Marennes - Bordeaux, Sauternes - Pau [97]; Belfort - Troyes [00]; St-Omer - Boulogne, Antwerp - Seraing, Orléans - Évry [01]; Forges-les-Eaux - Alençon [02]
• Robbie McEwan (Australia) 6 tours in 9 years (1999-2007) Arpajon - Paris [99]; Metz - Reims, Melun - Paris [01]; Charleroi - Namur, St Léonard-de-Nobat - Guéret [04], Chambord - Montgaris, Lunéville - Karlsruhe, Mirama - Montpellier [05], Obernai - Esch-sur-Alzette, Huy - Saint-Quentin, Lisieux - Vitré [06], London - Canterbury [07]

Of Course Mark has won all twevle of his to match these sprint kings is just 2 and a third tours. So far:

• 2008 Cholet - Châteauroux, Figeac - Toulouse, Lavelanet - Narbonne, Narbonne - Nîmes
• 2009 Monaco to Brignoles, Marseille to La Grande-Motte, Limoges to Issoudun, Vatan to Saint-Fargeau, Bourgoin-Jallieu to Aubenas, Montereau-Fault-Yonne to Paris
• 2010 Épernay - Montargis, Montgaris - Gueugnon

He has also won back to back stages on four occasions 12&13 in 2008, 2&3 and 10&11 in 2009 and now 5&6 this year.



Today we start to really go uphill. We're entering the Jura region on the way to the Alps on Sunday (no not the Whisky producing Island). It is a rarely visited part of France for the Tour but the narrow roads and forested switch back up and down the six progressively harder clims of the day lie ahead. The toughest climbs of today are only category 2 so it shouldn't challenge any of the GC contenders, but a group might take a change to get away and stay away today.

After the last climb however there is a 4km roll along the plateau into the finish at the ski Station des Rousses. Which may be enough of a chance for Fabian Cancellera to maybe recover any time he may lose on the ascent to defend his maillot jaune. Although yesterday a break of more than a second in the peleton meant that Gerraint Thomas who was in the leading 14 clawed back 3 seconds to make Cancellera's lead down to 20 seconds. Bradley Wiggins and David Millar are also both Brits currently in the top 15. We'll soon be seeing what Brad has for this year and well as discovering what Gerraint might have in the Cols. Millar doesn't usually contest the mountains every day but can do the odd good one.



You can watch it all live on ITV4 from 2:30 this afternoon.

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.

Tour de France 2010 Stage Three: The Cobbles #TDF

Ok so far we've had the many crashes in the final part of stage one. Then the wet and slippery roads of yesterday's small hills. So what does today's stage of the Tour de France hold?

Well over 7 different sections there are 13.2km of cobbles in the final 90 km of the route from Wanze to Arenberg.

But like yesterday the roads aren't unknown to the pros. Yesterday is was the Liege-Baston-Liege classic that had the nod, today it is Paris-Robaix. The last of the 7 sections of cobbles in 2300m worth up to 10km from the finish. But the three sections before are 2400m followed pretty soon by 2500m then the longest 3700m before the final stretch.

It will lead to another interesting day in the Peleton for the racers. However, there have been rumours overnight about some of the casualties of yesterday and whether they will start or not. American sprinter Tyler Farrar is one who is is rumoured to be making the start line later despite fracturing his wrist in the falls yesterday. His compatriot Christian van de Velde is not so lucky as he tweeted:

"Laying in bed beat down, full of painkillers. Thanks for all the well wishes. I am gutted to have to leave in this fashion"

We wish him a full and rapid recovery from his cracked ribs. Although both the Schleck brothers despite being two of many who were heavily scarred from yesterday's going ons will drag themselves to the start line.

The only real winner of yesterday was Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel who was in the breakaway and stayed ahead of the neutralised peleton to secure enough seconds to take yellow as well as enough points to become the points leader as well, because his points did count as he was ahead of the neutered race.

Chaos on Stage One of Tour de France #TDF

Well it wasn't the coastal winds that caused chaos on the first mass finish of this years Tour de France but some of the bends towards the finish of the race.

First having just entered the last 3km when anybody involved in a crash has their time protected with the group they are with sprint king Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia), fellow Brit Jeremy Hunt (Cervelo) and Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and were amongst those that went down.

Later just inside the flame rouge marking the final kilometre there was a second crash which literally blocked the road behind a lead group of about 25-30. This took out Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions) amongst others.

So it was left to Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) who also benefitted when Cav crashed in the Tour of Switzerland to take the line, Cav's normal lead out man Mark Renshaw took second, which makes you wonder what would have happened in the Manx engine was there. Last year's Green Jersey winner Thor Hushovd (Cervélo) took third place. With Robbie McEwen (Katusha) and Mathieu Ladagnous (Française des Jeux) the first French men making up the top five.

There had been an earlier all day break away of three who had been captured with 8km to go before the real drama of the day took over. The fact was that all the sprinters' teams were vying for position in the lead up to the finish. All in all a thrilling end to what might otherwise have been a normal bunch finish. Just have to hope that nobody else is going to have to retire as a result, Swiss rider Mathias Frank (BMC) didn't not line up at the start this morning having broken his wrist in a crash in the 8.9km time trial prologue yesterday.

Update: Just heard that Adam Hansen has suffered a broken collar bone and will be out of the HTC-Columbia train.

Tomorrow we have the first hilly stage of the race. In total there are three each category 3 and 4 climbs so someone in a breakaway coud pull on the first King of the Mountains jersey when they arrive in Spa. See below.

Tour De France 2010 Stage One

We it is the first day of the mass starts, another day another country. After a rather wet Prologue yesterday the riders will leaveRotterdam then it is off island hopping along the coast before heading inland near Antwerp and over the plains of Belgium to Brussels.

I expect Tour favourite Alberto Contador to be paying close attention at the front. This may be the first stage of the Tour but he'll be remembering another coastal stage last year. It was only Stage 3 of the race but rounding a corner 31km from the line Mark Cavendish's HTC-Columbia team were pushing the pace at the front when a change in wind direction caused a break in the peleton. On 27 including all nine of Cav's team and Contador's then team mate Lance Armstrong but not the man himself. By the line the gap had grown to 40secs a time that can make a difference in General Classification (GC) so exect to see all the GC contenders, not just Contador, paying attention near the head of the race today.

And Now....The Prologue

No it is not an Up Pompeii! reference to Frankie Howerd's Lurcio, even though I'm sure Woolwich educated Frankie would approve of a prologue on London Pride. (Also I just had to include an image)

And although it is nothing to do with Italy it is strange that this year both the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia have decided to start from the Netherlands (who actually may well be still partying like Brazilians after knocking the 6 times winners out of the World Cup). Oooh noo, please, it's wicked to mock the afflicted!

No it is that time of year that the French all head off on holiday, but these days on certain of their roads they are being joined by the Spanish, Dutch, Italians, Americans, Austalians, Kazachs, Luxembourgers and of course a growing contingent of Brits amongst others.

So instead of tulips in Amsterdam, as the Giro started, Le Tour kicks off in Rotterdam. Here is the route.


The other glorious thing is that little freeview box is enough to get me live coverage whenever I can get back in time to see it. As every stage will be having some live coverage on ITV4. Seeing as there are more Brits taking part that the last time we had a British national team in the field. We have British Team Sky headed by Bradley Wiggins who equalled the best British performances last year. And the winningest Brit in any tour with six stages last year Mark Cavendish going for Green with his impressive HTC-Columbia train.

Other Brits taking part are David Millar (Garmin Transitions), Charlie Wegelius (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Geraint Thomas and Steve Cummins (both Team Sky), Daniel Lloyd and Jeremy Hunt (both Cervélo)

But titter ye not, the Tour de France to mark the 100th Anniversary of its first mountain stages is starting in the flattest country in Europe.

It's Friday so...Tour de France 2010

Yes tomorrow is le Grand Depart in the 2010 Tour de France from Rotterdam. There will be cobbles, mountains and the thrills to come over the next three weeks.

So let's start with the classic* Kraftwerk song.



This year marks the hundredth year of the mountains as a part of the tour, yeah the Pyrenees were first included in the 1910 edition of the race. The Col du Tormalet is being climbed twice in this years tour. So here is one of the approaches to and descents from the summit quicker than the peleton will manage.



If your not convinced that the Tour is for you, bear in mind we have Brits in Mark Cavendish who will be competing for the sprints most days having won six stages last year and Bradley Wiggins going for a better place than his fourth overall last year as the head of the BSkyB team. Here are some of the highlights from last year.





*Yes I do have this on vinyl in my collection.

Tour de France 2010

Mister Stephen managed to get the lovely Miss Caron to watch some of this year's Tour de France. It is a little cold outside to day so what better way to warm my paws up than to think of the sunny climes of France in July when the Grand Tour is almost exclusively within France itself. For Caron and others here is a preview of the route.




Last year the race was decided on the climb of Mont Ventoux and even Miss Caron was enjoying the spectacle and acheivement as the top five in the General Classifiacation of last year launched attack after attack on that famous climb. The race last year also started straight into a stage but 2010 will see the Prologue return as the peleton race mano a mano against the clock around Rotterdam.
Stage Two includes a reverse approach of the Rosier Climb from the Liege-Baston-Liege Classic, before ending up in Spa. Two Formula One locations in two years the Tour organisers are spoiling us cross-over fans. The following stage and the entry into France will see an astonishing 13.2 km over cobbles, hopefully not enough to stop Mark Cavendish looking for what may very well be his second or third stage win of the race if he keeps up his form of last season.

The Alps appear first in this years Tour with only two days of high mountains separated by a rest day so don't expect to race to be decided as we leave the alps on Bastille Day with the run from Chambéry to Gap.

So expect the race to heat up in the Pyrenees, where there are three consecutive days of racing from 18-20, then the climb to the top of the classic Col de Tourmalet after the rest day in Pau it what looks set to be the highest Pyrenees passes second Mountain top finish.

If it is still tight at the top of the Col it may well come down after the long run into Bordeaux with the only time trail apart from the prologue on next years tour at Paulliac on the penultimate day. Then after the overnight transfer into the heart of the country from the coast it will be run up to the arrival on the Champs d'Elysée on the 25th of July.

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.