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The annual "Lunge is late" edition, think it's Parkrun on Sunday.
As Inrng.com have it
The final stage of the race that’s first victory parade, then the most glamourous criterium in the world.
What's the stage going to be?
The Route: a start in Rambouillet and the Chevreuse valley, probably on some of the roads that will be used for the 2024 Paris Olympics and then into Paris via a couple of tourist novelties as they cross the Pont Neuf and pass through the courtyard of the Louvre with its glass pyramid. Then nine laps of the Champs Elysées circuit.
Who's in the mix?
The Contenders: it’s not an easy pick, for the last three years the Paris stage has gone to a sprinter who hadn’t won a stage see Greipel in 2016, Groenewegen in 2017 and Alexander Kristoff last year. Still it’s hard to see anyone getting the better of Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal), Dylan Groenewegen (Jumbo-Visma) and Elia Viviani (Deceuninck-Quickstep) with Ewan proving to be the obvious pick today and Viviani the least reassuring given he was in the breakaway yesterday and has been on team duties while his rivals have been trying to save energy here and there.
and as ever, yesterday
Personally, I'm going to Ewan to edge it from Groenewegen
A big THANK YOU to Lunge for doing this every day!!!!
I’m not that late! And the stage starts late today as well.
Junior parkrun is my excuse today...and a Spoons breakfast afterward.
Easy day today followed by the world championships of sprinting, which Groenewegen will win.
Groenewegen is my choice too..
Although, since Alla missed out on the yellow jumper I reckon Viviani will be all out today.
Anyone seen TrekSega in this tour? I spotted Porte once, but that was he went backwards a week ago. So my outside bet is Stuyven... yeah him. Mr Anonymity all cloak and invisibility spray...
Late start late finish suits me, I’ve got family to catch up with and if I time it right I can saunter off and watch le Fin.
Are we having a catch up/ review thread tomorrow lunge? Be good to hear everyone’s impressions of this latest incarnation... the Good, the Bad and the down right Ugly.
🥳👍
Elia Viviani ftw 🙂
“Are we having a catch up/ review thread tomorrow” good idea I’ll bring biscuits.
Had to catch the last couple of stages and today’s on catchup.
Going riding instead. 👍
Are we having a catch up/ review thread tomorrow
That was the plan, I’ll do it when it get to work around 8am tomorrow.
Whoopppp!
I have a lot to say (as you'd expect) 🤡
Firstly, big up and thanks to @lunge for your as ever brilliant and informative daily summaries, not forgetting @klunk and @nbt for stepping in as required. Much appreciated and has been my quick reference TdF go-to again 😁
Secondly, my top tip for today, bearing in mind I tipped Bernal to win overall sometime back in June in CFH’s TdF spoilers thread, which goes to show that I’m the man in form 🤔 and therefore I suggest that today’s winner will be Ewan, just ahead of Viviani.
thanks to all who have kept this going for 21 stages.
My tip for the day is that Allaphillipe to get in a break with a couple of French riders. All the other French riders to block the road to prevent a chase. Enough time is then gained by the glorious goateed(s) Frenchman that he wins the tour by one second.
you see if I'm right.
Thank you Lunge.
Come on Caleb Ewan.
I'll add my thanks to Lunge as well, daily stage updates are just fantastic. Good effort.
Lunge, your efforts are always appreciated. I've just sat down after a day in the garage, ready to watch the race from the start, skipping the boring bits and adverts, only to find that after the cock-up of yesterday's changed timings, the series record link has not worked. Thank goodness I didn;t wait till later...
Yes, I also think a wrap-up / vuelta preview thread tomorrow would be a good ides
Here’s hoping Sagan has enjoyed the lack of expected climbing.
Add world championships to the wrap up.
Ewan then. A great G acting as the perfect domestique for Bernal.
Is it my imagination or are the crowds tiny (presumably deliberately)?
Well, for once i called it perfectly, but **** me how fast did Caleb Ewan come through at the end there? That was awesome
Lovely gracious speech from Bernal.
Such a Gent.
Paris looked awesome tonight.
🌞🤗☀️🤞
Is there a stat for the rider who has been in the most yellow jersey winning teams?
but **** me how fast did Caleb Ewan come through at the end there? That was awesome
There's a Cavendish tweet from yesterday that points out that the part of the road used by Ewan is rougher and a tad treacherous just to emphasise the greatness of the finish.
Ewan did say in his post race interview that he'd not had chance to look at the finish, but other riders had warned him not to use the right hand side - then he found himself going down it and realised why...
The route in through the grounds of The Louvre was spectacular. I did note that they carefully controlled the angles of the aerial photos so as not to show the ruins of Notre Dame.
The evening sunlight down the Champs Elysees was stunning.
why did Groenewegen stop pedalling and not lunge for the line? could he not see past Bonifazio / Richeze? bet he's gutted.