You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
It ain't over till it's over - but it's all over bar the shouting, isn't it? Vingegaard has the Yellow Jersey sewn up, Ciccone cliched the KOM jersey with a fantastic effort yesterday, Pogacar sealed his white jersey with a second stage win and Philipsen holds a commanding lead in the green jersey stakes. The only thing remaining is the customary ceremonial procession into Paris followed by the official unofficial sprinters world championships, sadly lacking more than a few of the world's top sprinters - Cav and Caleb went home, as did Phil Bauhaus, and Demarre may be more than a little annoyed at being left out in favour of Thibaut Pinot having his last hurrah. Pinot promised so much and looked very good for a while yesterday (the Pinot army on the Petit Ballon was spectacular!) but ultimately failed to deliver as the GC race kicked off yesterday. Actually that's not true, the GC race is done and dusted, what happened yesterday is that the main contenders in the GC race had their own private battle and showed the gulf between them and everyone else. Let's hope next year that we get a couple more stage where the breakaway is allowed more than 90 seconds leeway, then we might see two races for the price of one? I mean, there's been some exciting racing this year, but it's nice to see wins going to unexpected riders from the breakaway rather than seeing them being passed at the foot of the final climb. Anyway, back to today's action:
As we've said, it's hard to look past Philipsen for today, but he isn't the only sprinter left in the race: Jordi Meeus, Dylan Groenewegen, Bryan Coquard, Alexander Kristoff, Mads Pedersen, Sam Welsford and Biniam Girmay are all still here, and of course there's the fact that this is also Peter Sagan's last TDF and wouldn't he love to sign off with a win? Add to that those who aren't sprinters but do have a handy turn of speed such as Christophe Laporte and even Fred Wright, and the foregone conclusion doesn't look quite so foregone. Does it? I think it probalby does, but we can only hope it's exciting finding out.
The Race will roll out at 3.40pm UK time, and the finish is forecast for 6.30pm, but those with sense will aim to be in front of the TV from about 5.30 when it starts to get exciting - or maybe will be in front of the TV already having watched Stage 1 of the Tour de France Femmes which starts at 11.15, finishing with a likely sprint finish in Clermont Ferrand around 2.30pm
Finally, a few photos from yesterday:
We've got our spot on the barriers just past the finish line. It's a bit breezy, fairly cool but the atmosphere is building up. There's a big screen nearby and various collections of flags being deployed.
Only about 6hrs to wait! 😂
6hrs of shit Eurotrash to listen to...
The much loved Tibot Pinaut won yesterday's combativite award, deservedly so.
@crazy_legs - sounds exciting (not the Eurotrash bit though). Enjoy.
Edit: Come on Biniam Girmay, you can do this (even without your usual lead out man).
The Champs Elysees cafes are running a special Tour de France offer where coffee costs 3x its normal (already extortionate) price!
😳
I hate to say it, but after the last 3 weeks and the absence of cav, i just can't get interested in today.
The Danes have invaded.
Danish flags outnumbering all others along the Champs Elysees.
Pinot promised so much and looked very good for his entire career.
Exciting rider who I have always enjoyed watching. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thibaut_Pinot#Major_results
Yesterday Pedersen worked hard to secure the polka dot jersey for his teammate, but I can't see past Philipsen today in a procession without the strongest contenders.
I can’t see past Philipsen today in a procession without the strongest contenders.
It's really rather windy here. Awkward crosswinds swirling around, it's actually perfect for the race to be shredded in the winds, small gaps to become big ones quite quickly. Hoping for a breakaway!
Forecast to be showery as well although it's dry at the moment.
Got the Tour Féminin stage 1 on live as well. Managing the overlap is going to be a bit challenging.
Yep, big screen here is showing it too. Got a good audience.
I hate to say it, but after the last 3 weeks and the absence of cav, i just can’t get interested in today
Yeah, I'm a bit the same. Might be going to see the Barbie movie this aft. If not I'm hoping for some play in the cricket, might even watch the F1 if it's rain off completely....
Got the Tour Féminin stage 1 on live as well. Managing the overlap is going to be a bit challenging.
There shouldn't be an overlap. TdF Femme finishes around 15:30 local time, men's race starts at 16:30 local.
Yeah. Just worked that out by trying to find the men’s race… duh
Campanaerts (or indeed every year) should have a special jersey for the last day, with a massive red hammer on it to celebrate his combativity and putting the hammer down whenever he felt like it.
Pissed it down for a while but now clearing up. How is the crowd @caezy_legs? I’m wondering when to leave the house 🙂
How is the crowd
Building nicely!
Getting steadily busier but not yet 5 deep at the barriers!
Campanaerts (or indeed every year) should have a special jersey for the last day, with a massive red hammer on it to celebrate his combativity and putting the hammer down whenever he felt like it.
UCI rules innit, only 4 special jerseys allowed in a race
Campenaerts feels like the natural successor to The Breakaway King that is Thomas de Gendt, but this is only his second Tour de France, and he didn't even finish his first one in 2021...
Race caravan coming through now.
Sudden chaos at the barriers! 😂
Cheers to crazy legs and everyone else who put these posts together!
Yup, totally agree... thanks!
Cricket rained off so watching TDF anyway.
Ooh, just got exciting with Pog off the front. He could t could he??....
Crazy-legs got any data left for latest news and pics from the front line;)
Who's it going to be sprinting at the end...
There's bugger all reception here! A million people smashing the wifi and 4G!
What a photo finish. Thanks for all the daily updates.
That was a cracking sprint finish, the excited French commentary added a lot to it!
The riders rolled to a stop more or less in front of where we were standing.
What an exciting finish! Loved it when Pogacar kept attacking, really livened things up. Amazing!
I absolutely LOVED that finish, would have been great to see Biniam or Fred win but I'll take Jordi Meeus beating Philipsen, it's nice to see the odds overturned
Great entertaining tour, thanks to the daily post visual effect team, really appreciated:)
Roll on summer of cycling.
Another thanks to the threadsters for keeping it going.
Absolutely cracking Tour - even when the GC was sewn up we had loads of racing. Good ol' Pog giving it a go again today. Fully answering the question of 'what if Peter Sagan was a GC guy?'
A big thanks for all the posts - it's been my go to read for the tour news again this year!
What a totally exciting finish. No disappointment, no boredom, just great entertaining riding from a clearly knackered group of athletes.
I too would like to thank; Crazy_legs, Klunk and nbt for updates, photos, insight and information.
Not too long now before the last Grand Tour of the year - La Vuelta Espana.
But first we have the World Championships in Glasgow (go Pidders).
Write up of today's stage.
Just another thanks to the all the TDF thread contributors!
The nature of Vingegaards victory was a bit deflating for the GC but there was definitely enough action to make this an entertaining race all the way to the end
Got a not-too-bad spot an hour before the riders came past, opposite from Norwegian corner so saw the riders come round the bend. Thanks for the advice. Difficult to follow the racing but well worth it for the atmosphere.
What happened to the convention of not attacking the yellow jersey on the final stage? Or have we now forgotten that since the fickle press turned on Vingegaard for the crime of being a quiet modest family man?
What happened to the convention of not attacking the yellow jersey on the final stage?
I think that would only apply if it was an obviously legitimate attempt on GC? Did anyone think Pogacar was going to take 8 minutes on the Champs Elysee?
Did anyone think Pogacar was going to take 8 minutes on the Champs Elysee?
Only if the rest were stuck in traffic :-). But just as people dislike Jonas for being “cold “ etc, I dislike Pog for being an attention-seeking child. And none of us know what we are talking about 😂
And none of us know what we are talking about
😂
I think this applies more to this Tour than any other!
Oh well, that’s it for another year. Feel at a bit of a loose end this morning 🙁
Have to say, with some of the dodgy riding i was most happy to see Jasper not win it 🙂
Epic battle for the line too 😀
Oh well, that’s it for another year. Feel at a bit of a loose end this morning
TdF Femmes GCN 14:00. Finish of stage 1 yesterday was excellent.