Key occasions
100km to go: Gruppo Compatto, as they are saying in Italian. The gruppo stays very a lot compatto. Cavendish will hope his staff can put him within the combine in a bunch dash a bit of later. We hope that too, don’t we?
105km to go: The peloton simply rolled by a feed zone, loads of riders selecting up a staff musette containing a spot of lunch.
There’s unmistakably an undertone of rigidity right here as groups fear in regards to the potential influence of crosswinds within the second half of this stage. It’s removed from an ordinary dash day, evidenced by the truth that a breakaway was not allowed to go.
Stefan Küng fancied it from the beginning, however nobody joined him when he attacked from the flag, and that was just about that.
107km to go: Just below 15km to go to the day’s intermediate dash at Les Matellettes.
“It’s 36C … it’s roasting,” Blythe tells us from the again of that bike.
107km to go: Jeremy Whittle, our Tour de France reporter, was within the EF Training EasyPost staff automobile on stage 9:
111km to go: The Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale rider Larry Warbasse, on co-commentary responsibility, reckons this can be a very harmful day for potential splits within the crosswinds.
114km to go: The day’s intermediate dash, and the category-four climb, usually are not far-off now. The group is altogether, and if I was a betting man, I might say there gained’t be a lot curiosity in battling for both.
Nevertheless, on the bike, Adam Blythe reckons that in 10km or so, the wind goes to develop into extra of an element. He says the folks within the staff vehicles don’t need to converse to him now as a result of they need to be obtainable on the radios … the ambiance appears to be more and more nervous.
“Hopefully it’s going to kick off,” says Blythe.
115km to go: I wouldn’t rule out race-defining drama on the ultimate day. We’ve seen riders blow up in decisive time trials earlier than …
118km to go: “Concerning the GC,” emails Invoice. “I believe the penultimate and antepenultimate levels are going to be sensible. There’s a scintilla of an opportunity for the second to fourth positioned riders to get a stomp on hoping to claw a while again. Everybody’s human, right here, and a few are due a nasty day. Closing the hole within the GC would make the in any other case deathly uninteresting closing day barely extra attention-grabbing than watching numbers on a clock change.
“On closing days, there’s all the time been one thing greater than magnificent about Cav reaching into his bag, plonking the thrilling heroics on to the bars, and hurtling down the Champs-Élysées (and, weirdly, David Millar tried the identical, making a solo break on his swansong). It’s a disgrace we gained’t get to see that once more.”
119km to go: Beneath is what stays after in the present day (within the type of William Fotheringham’s pre-race stage information) ending in Good on Sunday with that particular person time trial:
Stage 17: Wednesday 17 July: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Superdévoluy, 178km
A “transition” stage, to get the riders into the Alps for the ultimate showdown which needs to be a very good likelihood for the all-rounders to get in a break and contest the end, so the early kilometres will probably be intense. Stage hunters similar to Magnus Cort, Ben Healy, Pello Bilbao or Simon Yates will fancy this one. With a really demanding closing weekend on the horizon, the favourites will watch and wait.
Stage 18: Thursday 18 July: Hole to Barcelonnette, 180km
A final likelihood for a breakaway earlier than the general battle takes centre stage, though the continuous ups and downs over 5 third class climbs imply that this stage would possibly simply curiosity a sprinter who can climb a bit, notably if the inexperienced jersey continues to be up for grabs. If Pedersen or De Lie is feeling good, their Lidl-Trek and Lotto-Dstny groups may attempt to preserve a lid on this one, however good luck with that given the terrain.
Stage 19: Friday 19 July: Embrun to Isola 2000, 145km
An early inexperienced jersey dash is the final time we’ll see the sprinters in motion, and after that it’s a climber’s day. The Col de Vars is a brute, however the Bonette is in a category of its personal, the best ascent the Tour tackles. Some will recall Robert Millar’s gutsy escape over that monster in 1993; as on that day, the possibilities of a break attending to the end are minimal as the general battle will take centre stage.
Stage 20: Saturday 20 July: Good to Col de la Couillole, 133km
Shorter than the day earlier than, however much more vertical metres of climbing. By now a lot of the questions ought to have solutions: can Pogacar grasp on to the shape that gained him the Giro, can Evenepoel discover some climbing legs in his first Tour, have Roglic and Vingegaard recovered from their horrific crash in April, and is Egan Bernal anyplace close to his previous self? As on Friday, this can be a day for the general contenders in a completely distinctive closing weekend to the Tour.
Stage 21: Sunday 21 July: Monaco to Good particular person time trial, 33.7km
A primary-ever end exterior Paris, as a result of Olympics beginning later that week. The Tour hasn’t resulted in a time trial because the LeMond-Fignon epic of 1989; if the highest of the standings is tight, this might be equally memorable however often by now the race is nailed down. It’s removed from flat, and really technical, which suggests Pogacar or Vingegaard slightly than Evenepoel for the win, however on day 21 it’s largely a matter of who has something left within the tank.
122km to go: Earlier, we talked about that Harry Kane was referred to as the “Raymond Poulidor of world soccer” on French radio yesterday.
David Alderton writes in: “It’s nicely price noting that though Poulidor didn’t ever win the Tour, he was racing in opposition to Eddy Merckx for just about all of his profession. Poulidor’s palmarès is greater than first rate sufficient to face on benefit, and he did win loads.”
124km to go: “Right now is my final alternative to take a stage victory,” Arnaud De Lie of Lotto–Dstny tells Eurosport. “We are going to give it a attempt, however now we have no strain. We’re within the greatest race on the earth so I want to remain formidable. However the folks we’re competing with are one of the best, so it’s not going to occur by chance. We’re within the third week, all the things must be good in the present day. It’s windy however that’s one thing I like. We’ll should be nicely positioned on the entrance if there are going to be echelons.”
128km to go: The general race chief Tadej Pogacar is pictured rolling alongside within the bunch. Philipsen has dropped again to have a chat with the race physician, it appears like, however nothing critical. If this was Sunday they’d be getting the champagne out.
130km to go: Luke Durbridge (Crew Jayco–AlUla) crashed earlier, and apparently that was brought on by a stray canine.
William Fotheringham
Select an image that sums up this Tour de France and it is perhaps this one: Tadej Pogacar on the appropriate, Jonas Vingegaard on the left, barely a tyre’s width between their entrance wheels as they sprinted for the end line on Wednesday, with the Dane scraping dwelling the winner.
Every nice rivalry on the Tour has created its key picture, and it could be that in years to return this ranks alongside Raymond Poulidor and Jacques Anquetil rubbing elbows on the Puy de Dôme, Fausto Coppi handing Gino Bartali a bottle of water – or was it the opposite manner spherical? – and Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond crossing the road hand in hand at l’Alpe d’Huez. Or, for the connoisseurs, Hinault and the Dutchman Joop Zoetemelk in a novel escape to contest the end on the Champs-Élysées in 1979.
133km to go: “As this appears like probably the most practical dash stage left within the race, implore all of your readers to comply with or swap on the telly as that is the final time we would see Cav competing for a dash within the tour.
“He’s proper up there in my favorite sports activities folks from this nation. Or anyplace. Full warrior. Think about if he have been Dutch or Belgian or French. He would have statues, he would enhance the financial system of every city he visited Taylor Swift-style, and be presenting Belgian X Issue.
“I bawled when he gained the opposite week. As I had with a lot of his victories. Andy Murray and Cav leaving in the identical yr. Two of one of the best now we have produced. Chapeau.”
135km to go: As you will have gathered, all is calm out on the highway. The remainder of this week is punishing, as common, however this yr the race ends with a time trial slightly than a largely ceremonial jaunt to Paris on Sunday.
That truth will probably be that includes closely in lots of riders’ minds. Some will fancy throwing all the things at a closing stage win within the 33.7km “race of reality” in Good, whereas the GC guys will probably be very nervous about going into Sunday with empty legs. It’s a protracted sufficient time trial {that a} dangerous day may spell catastrophe.
Vingegaard can be requested about followers at roadside booing the riders: “It’s not so good. That’s how it’s. I can not change it. I simply don’t perceive why you’d go and see biking and boo folks. It’s how they need to do it, however I don’t perceive why.”
Pogacar chips in: “In biking I believe that is uncommon. That is what you anticipate in soccer and basketball. Booing, I believe it doesn’t swimsuit in biking. It’s unwelcome.”
139km to go: Good concept from Eurosport: what do Pogacar and Vingegaard consider one another?
“I like how small he’s, and how briskly he can go on the flat,” Pogacar says of his Danish rival. “On the climb, he’s one of the best climber on the earth. His numbers on the climb are among the best on the earth. There’s nice respect between me and him.”
And what does Vingegaard consider Pogacar? “We swimsuit one another fairly nicely. In some type of manner, if I used to be not a comp to Tadej, I believe biking can be fairly boring proper now. And the opposite manner round. In that manner, we swimsuit one another nicely.”
148km to go: Right now’s route skirts the south coast not 1,000,000 miles away from Marseille. The route takes the riders simply north of Montpellier and onwards to Nîmes. In the event that they saved happening the identical course they’d find yourself in Avignon, and a bit of additional nonetheless would take them to the enduring Mont Ventoux.
150km to go: Adam Blythe, on the Eurosport bike, tells us the riders are taking frequent pure breaks. They’re consuming greater than common as a result of warmth.
151km to go: “A shout out for ITV’s highlights programme final night time,” writes Gary Naylor.
“Two options stood out. A beautiful piece on John-Lee Augustyn, the man who went over the edge in 2008, who was subsequently tormented by an unrelated harm, retired into tough days, however is now again and joyful in Italy, although his eyes betray a few of that historical past.
“And a visit again to 1989 and Greg Lemond vs Laurent Fignon on the Champs-Élysées, throughout which 35 years melted away. It targeted extra on Fignon than Lemond and it was simple to see why he wasn’t a lot favored, however he appeared great on and off the bike, like a rival for Alain Delon as a matinee idol. He’s been gone practically 14 years now, which is each heartbreaking and terrifying. Take pleasure in it when you can everybody.”
152km to go: Being “super-happy”, Girmay is clearly studying from one of the best.
Tremendous-happy was, in fact, Cavendish’s catchphrase for fairly a while.
“This Tour was unbelivable to date,” the factors classification chief, Biniam Girmay, tells Matt Stephens on Eurosport. “Simply super-happy with three victories, the staff efficiency. Each stage we’re attempting to find factors. I’m simply super-happy, we’ve gained greater than we anticipate.”
Does Girmay really feel strain? “For what?”
The strain to carry out, to win?
“For what?” (Girmay cracks a smile.)
“There isn’t any strain. For me it’s the opposite hand. If I don’t ship what I’m searching for, this provides me numerous strain. But when I’m delivering, doing an awesome job, I’ve no strain in any respect.”
159km to go: I hear there may be a bit of football news in the present day however clearly, you gained’t be worrying about that, what with the Tour de France on.
162km to go: “After seeing Cav haul himself over the road earlier than what was most likely a much-needed relaxation day for him, I’ve to say that even now I’ve reverted to spending all day worrying about him,” emails Jeremy Lee.
“Will a break get away, will he get caught behind a crash, will his lead out practice get him to the place he needs to be on the pointy finish of the race, by no means thoughts the dash itself and many others. and many others.
“I had lulled myself right into a false sense of safety that after the magnificent number 35 I wouldn’t actually care what he did any extra – however sadly it hasn’t labored. I used to be even dreaming of him elevating his fist in victory on the Promenade des Anglais till I remembered it was a time trial!
“Thoughts you, I can keep in mind Le Mond and Fignon and the drag coefficient of his pony tail – biking eh!”
Biking, certainly. Bloody hell!
165km to go: The race rolls into Béziers. The next is courtesy of the official Tour de France website:
“Town hosted the Tour de France six occasions between 1938 and 2006 (together with one begin). The final winner of a stage right here was David Millar, who out-sprinted a robust breakaway group together with Michael Boogerd and Laurent Brochard in 2002.”
167km to go: “It may occur. It’d occur. Some are hoping it gained’t occur,” says McEwen on Eurosport, of a possible crosswind-tastic bunfight for the stage win and certainly in GC.
“The forecast is for simply sufficient wind to separate issues up … it’s sufficient to separate the peloton if you happen to get a sustained gust … GC groups must be on their guard, since you may get a break up.”
168km to go: It’s trying fairly chilled simply in the meanwhile. Cavendish was simply pictured rolling alongside within the bunch and having a chat with a rider from one other staff.
170km to go: Eurosport play a snippet of staff radio from Astana Qazaqstan: “Somebody would possibly attempt one thing … be in the direction of the entrance,” was the overall gist. In different phrases, guarantee that a worryingly robust escape group doesn’t disappear up the highway.
There’s certainly numerous nervosity on the market.
171km to go: “I’m undecided I agree with Sean Kelly there, I need to say,” emails Kieran.
“I believe it would show a “actual tough one” slightly than a “actual, actual tough one”.
Effectively, the sport is all about opinions.
The factors classification high six, because it stands:
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Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) 363pts
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Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 277pts
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Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) 147pts
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Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny) 142pts
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Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) 141pts
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Tadej Pogacar (UAE Crew Emirates) 136pts
“We had a very good relaxation day,” mentioned in the present day’s favorite, Jasper Philipsen, talking earlier than the beginning. “We all know it’s going to be a troublesome week. But it surely’s a very good likelihood for us in the present day and now we have to be prepared.
“It’s going to be technical [at the finish]. We’ve got to be there. We’ve got to make the appropriate choices and attempt to be first over the road.”
177km to go: “If it was blowing a hooley, it will be an actual, actual tough one,” observes Sean Kelly on Eurosport in his inimitable fashion.
179km to go: It’s calmed down once more. Alpecin–Deceuninck are up on the entrance, controlling the tempo, patrolling any potential escapees. The helicopter pictures of the vineyards are pleasant because the pack rides throughout the Pont de Fleury.
181km to go: In the meantime … motion! Assaults! I don’t assume a break has shaped. However the tempo is all of the sudden highly regarded, to match the climate.
181km to go: That is most likely my favorite Cavendish stage win. Aubenas 2009:
182km to go: “Motion goes to occur in the present day,” says Adam Blythe on the Eurosport bike. “That is the calm earlier than the storm.”
184km: I’m a really occasional and small-stakes gambler … which is why I did not get my fiver on Cavendish earlier than the market was suspended on a widely known betting change web site. Let the document state: I sincerely hope he wins in the present day, wager or no wager.
185km to go: Right now’s intermediate dash arrives with 92.6km to race, at Les Matellettes. There’s one category-four climb, the Côte de Fambetou, which arrives with 76km remaining.
186km to go: Sean Kelly, on Eurosport commentary, says that lots of the riders could have been briefed to not attempt hassle to try to get within the break. That’s on the idea that the quick males’s groups are so decided to make this a dash day, any escape can be doomed to failure.
In the intervening time, we’re taking a look at a really uninteresting day up till the ultimate part. It needs to be mentioned this will additionally all the way down to Cavendish’s stature within the peloton. Would there be many riders who would need to go down as denying him no less than an opportunity of a closing stage win?
186.5km to go: Sandy Dujardin (TotalEnergies) is out entrance on his personal. He’s coasting, however the peloton is crawling alongside behind. Somewhat than a busy struggle for the breakaway that many anticipated, we’re seeing an entire cancellation of hostilities.
187km to go: Küng sits up, then stops for a pee. The peloton is massed behind and the highway is blocked for anybody who fancies a cheeky assault.
Racing on Tour de France Stage 16!
Stefan Küng (Groupama–FDJ) assaults from the beginning. He appears again to see if anybody else fancies it. They don’t.
Lower than a kilometre to trip till the flag is waved and we’re off and racing.
Right here is the Guardian’s report of Cavendish’s Nîmes stage win in 2008, his fourth, that the Manxman talked about in his pre-stage interview.
Poignant to notice the report was written by the late, nice Richard Moore. Relaxation in peace.
“Whats up,” emails Fiona.
“Once I have a look at a brownie, I acquire 5 kilos.”
See, there is hope for Pog’s rivals.
Now, I ought to point out, the riders are on the highway. They’ve bought 5km neutralised nonetheless to trip till the race begins.
Christoph Roodhooft, Alpecin–Deceuninck DS, says there will probably be “numerous nervosity” in the present day.
Mark Cavendish on his goals for in the present day: “We attempt for a dash. Eighteen years in the past … 16 years in the past, sorry, in Nîmes, I had a stage win.
“I’ve been right here since, however I’ve not been right here for a bunch dash since, I believe. Nils Pollitt gained in ’21, similar end as that final km or so. And the wind may play an element.”
“All of the sprinters who bought by these horrific days within the Pyrenees will desire a cause for getting by that,” Cavendish says.
What will probably be Cavendish’s legacy? “I don’t know actually. I don’t assume that’s for me to say. I do what I do. I like driving my bike. I hope different folks take pleasure in this sport, both driving or watching, as a lot as I do. That’s what would make me joyful.”
After which he’s off, for what’s presumable one final try at a Tour stage win … Allez, Cav!
On Eurosport, Matt Stephens asks Mark Cavendish about battling to make the time reduce on Sunday.
“It was solely the final climb we needed to go full on,” Cavendish says. “It’s as a result of we stayed to our plan … now we have a schedule on daily basis of what we will do on the climbs … within the gruppetto you assume you’d make time up within the valley, if you happen to trip like that. But it surely was a block headwind within the valleys, and the entrance guys have a motorcycle, and we don’t, so the draft they get from that’s phenomenal.
“So we have been a bit of bit behind the place we needed to be … it put us a bit shut for that final climb. We needed to give all the things … [Alexey] Lutsenko was there with a bidon each 500m pouring water over my again, to maintain me cool, so I may preserve going, preserve going.
“It’s all proper. It’s not the primary time I’ve needed to endure within the Tour de France, attempting to get by. You’d simply slightly not must empty your self. We did, and we had a relaxation day, that’s how it’s.”
Consulting the official withdrawals page, nevertheless, Pedersen packed it in.
William Fotheringham’s Stage 16 preview
William Fotheringham
The ultimate dash stage on a typically flat route. “Les grosses cuisses” gained’t need to let this one go, though if the wind blows, the race may break up aside because it has accomplished up to now right here. That would swimsuit the massive Dane Mads Pedersen or the diminutive Frenchman Bryan Coquard, both of whom may have an curiosity within the inexperienced jersey of factors winner, given the variety of levels the place the pure sprinters will battle to attain.
Jeremy Whittle
On a day wherein French radio described Harry Kane because the “Raymond Poulidor of world soccer” – Poulidor completed on the rostrum within the Tour de France eight occasions, however by no means gained – Tadej Pogacar was, for as soon as, not having to face the same old relaxation‑day questions on credibility that include sporting the race chief’s yellow jersey.
The consensus amongst Eurosport pundits is that is going to be chaos at the beginning.
Robbie McEwen says: “I raced on this space rather a lot throughout my profession and by no means had a peaceful day … even the “calm” days are actually windy.”
“Thanks a lot guys. You’re legends. Absolute legends.”
So mentioned Mark Cavendish to his teammates after they helped him make the time cutoff on Sunday’s mountain stage.
They’ll have had a brief spin yesterday to maintain the legs shifting … and they are going to be able to throw all the things at this stage in the present day.
We will safely say, within the absence of the same old dash end in Paris on Sunday, that that is Mark Cavendish’s closing likelihood to win a stage at this Tour … and maybe the ultimate victory likelihood of his outstanding, record-breaking profession. The Manxman fought onerous to make the time reduce earlier than the remainder day, and that gynormous effort will all have been with an eye fixed on in the present day. Don’t wager in opposition to him.
Jasper Philipsen is the clear favorite for the stage win in the present day. Biniam Girmay, Wout van Aert, Dylan Groenewegen, Mark Cavendish and Arnaud De Lie may also be within the combine. Will we see a textbook small breakaway reeled in by the sprinters’ groups for the quick riders to duke it out on the finish?
Preamble
Is there any hope for Tadej Pocagar’s GC rivals heading into the ultimate week? The Slovenian leads the general race by a commanding margin of 3min 09sec, so it appears not. On the plus aspect for Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and the opposite GC hopefuls, Pogacar revealed he ate a chocolate brownie on yesterday’s rest day. That’s about it relating to chinks within the armour of the 25-year-old who already has three grand tour wins on his palmarès.
There’s loads of scope for drama in the present day, nevertheless. This flat 188.6km route between Gruissan and Nîmes appears nailed on to complete in a bunch dash, however crosswinds are additionally anticipated to be an element – so we’re more likely to see a fierce battle to type the day’s breakaway. Who is aware of, if it’s blowing a gale on the market, we would even see splits within the peloton that can have an effect on GC.
Route evaluation, preview chat from riders and extra developing. Allez!
Stage begin time: 12.05pm BST