[themaclad]

Dreams of barmy summer days next year the route for men on bikes 2025

[themaclad]

It's time, hopefully it won't be a Pogacar procession, not the wall to wall coverage this year hopefully will be out most weekends, but will have some vin de France and fromage at hand plus the occasional bagette when possible.
The TNT coverage is exceptional and the experts are really good, Matt Stephens very knowlegeable as Rob Hatch is a commentator at the top of the tree.

Allez

[ritchiebaby]

Allo, Allo. Good moaning to you.

No, no, I can't be drawn into such nonsense. What I really mean to say is I'll be on holiday abroad (that's Englandshire) for the next two weeks so I'll miss most of the TdF. As usual, I'll limit my limited viewing to Cooncil TV - that's ITV 4 - instead of the TNT lot.

My favourite websites will still be the boring Beeb on https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/arti...ymzd6169jo and the official waffle on https://www.letour.fr

Also here are the teams and riders who will no doubt be causing lots of thrills and spills along the way.


Merci et bonne nuit

[themaclad]

Jasper Phillipson wins first stage in a frenetic sprint, highlight was the second sprint for the KOM point, Thomas and Vercin going full pelt, Thomas throws imself at the line, gets the point loses control of the bike and brings Vercin down, Vercin less than impressed
Front on camera gives a brilliant view on how fast these lads go.
Apparently stages 18/19 they climb more than 10000 metres in two days which is higher than Everest.

[themaclad]

Another sprint, same team won, different rider Van der Poel beat the GC contenders up the hill in Boulougne to take yellow jersey, four man breakaway for most of the day temporarily reduced to two when two fell at the same corner but when push came to shove, iy was a big guns day, Pogacar looked in ominous form

[themaclad]

A fairly dull stage until three crashes the first took out of the race first day winner Phillipson who ended up in L'Hospital, the second brought down Evenpoel although it was within the safety zone and a few lesser lights bit the dust in the sprint at the end. Merlier beat Milan by a inches in the sprint apart from that there was precious little action.
Van Der Poel still in yellow

[themaclad]

The tour moves West, the scenery gets better as does the racing, the finish in Rouen was great entertainment, Pogacar won the stage in a sprint with Vand der Poel, Evenopoel and Vinnegaard. It was Tads 100th win in less than a year's worth of racing time, didn't get the yellow, level on time witth Van der Poel, all change today it's a time trial

[themaclad]

Time trial won by Evenepoel, Pogacar finished second took the yellow jersey, whilst the other big gun Vinegaard had an iffy day, shout out for young British rider who is just outside the top ten.

General classification after stage five
1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 17hrs 22mins 58secs

2. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal Quick-Step) +42secs

3. Kevin Vauquelin (Fra/Arkea-B&B Hotels) +59secs

4. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma - Lease a Bike) +1min 13secs

5. Matteo Jorgenson (US/Visma-Lease a Bike) +1min 22secs

6. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned/Alpecin - Deceuninck) +1min 28secs

7. Joao Almeida (Por/UAE Team Emirates - XRG) +1min 53secs

8. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) +2mins 30secs

9. Florian Lipowitz (Ger/Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) +2mins 31secs

10. Mattias Skjelmose (Den/Lidl-Trek) +2mins 32secs

[themaclad]

A day for the Irish, a stage win with a 45 kilometere solo break by Ben Healey took the stage by a couple of minutes, the Irishman one of those riders who likes to go solo from a distant way out, worked yesterday and every credit to him for doing so. On the victory podium, his teammates all attended to applaud his victory.
Van Der Poel was also in the break and was looking at having regained the yellow jersey by a couple of minutes, however the Peloton reduce the gap and VDP lead was one second.
Scenery wise tres magnifique, bit lumpy today expect Pogacar to exert pressure

[themaclad]

Tadej won stage, Tadej leads, suspect that could be in although he didn't quite manage to shake off his main challengers, does look omninous but one can hope, bubbling under those is 22 year old Scottish rider Oscar Olney who finished third on the stage and is now in the top ten of GC contenders.
Only one bit of carnage on the final climb, an exploding tyre caused tarmac action for about 6 riders.

The Britany and Normandy areas of France are absolutely outstanding.

Two flat stages to come but as it's a tad warm a seat watching cricket may be the way to go this weekend