Live Comments
16:25 -
Top five: 1. Wiggins, 2. Froome +2:05, 3. Nibali +2:41, 4. van den Broeck +5:53, 5. van Garderen +8:30.16:20 - Result: 1. Valverde, 2. Froome +10, 3. Wiggins +19, 4. Pinot +22, 5. Rolland +26, 6. van den Broeck +26, 7. Nibali +37, 8. Van Garderen, 9. Horner, 10. Martin, 11. Kloden, 12. Roche.
0km - Van Garderen and Rolland will rise in the GC today after both Zubeldia and Brajkovic lost time today.
0km - Van den Broeck, van Garderen and Nibali all arrive one by one without losing too much time. There will be no changes in the top four - but Zubeldia may drop out of fifth.
0km - Froome leads Wiggins over the line 19 seconds down with Wiggins on his wheel and Pinot two seconds further back.
0km -
Alejandro Valverde holds on to take a win for Movistar!0.5km - Valverde is on the flat section before the finish - surely the win is his.
1km - Valverde has one more kilometre to go. Meanwhile, Pinot has closed the gap on Wiggisn and Froome. the gap is 25 seconds.
1.5km - Nibali has completely cracked. Froome still pulls Wiggins along. Valverde has 35 seconds.
2km - Valverde goes under the 2km-to-go banner. And Froome is dropping Wiggins... so he slows. Putting duty before glory.
2km - Froome looks very strong and is constantly looking and egging on Wiggins. He wants the win but is tied from his duty of helping the yellow jersey. The hap is 45 seconds now.
2.5km -
Froome is driving the pace now - he knows Nibali has been dropped so he's laying down the hammer, but constantly looking back to check where Wiggins is. In fact, Wiggins and Froome ride away from the others.2.8km - Chris Horner has been dropped, and both Van Garderen and Nibali are being distanced too.
3km - The yellow jersey bares his teeth but it's van den Broeck who now edges clear on the front of the chasing group, before being checked by Froome. Valverde is appraoching the 3km-to-go banner.
3.5km - The local Spanish fans would have prefered a Basque winner today, but Valverde will do. The crowds are pretty huge now. The gap is still 1:23 as Wiggins now sets the pace.
4km - Valverde is now on the final climb to the finish. He has 1:20 - it should just be enough.
5km - Pinot now has Wiggins and Froome in his wheel. The Team Sky pair are talking as if they're deciding who will go for the win today...
6km - Valverde is on a little downhill drag before the final rise to the summit. He has 1:17 on the chasing group.
6.5km -
ATTACK: Pinot jumps clear for FDJ. Each time an attack comes in, more riders are dropped from this yellow jersey group. Nibali is beginning to feel the pain...7km - Menchov, Roche and Martin are struggling to fight back onto the yellow jersey group.
7km - Van den Broeck catches team-mate Vanendert - but it all comes back together. Basso has blown and Menchov too. Evans is way off the pace now.
7.5km -
ATTACK: Van den Broeck jumps clear and takes Rolland and Pinot with him.8km -
Valverde is beginning to grimace. The Spaniard has 1:30 on Vanendert and 1:45 on the main group.8km - Evans is being dropped by the main group...
8.5km - Van Garderen, Horner, Martin, Roche, Menchov, Pinot, Montfort and Kern are also in this group.
8.5km - Valverde's lead is down to 1:50. Vanendert has about 10 seconds on the main group.
9km - Rolland and Evans are in this main group, but Rogers has just been tailed off. Basso leads Nibali, with van den Broeck in third ahead of Wiggins adn Froome. Brajkovic is being distanced for Astana.
9km - Vanendert looked to be dropped on the Port de Bales, but he's clearly feeling better. The Belgian is 28th in the GC and so sparks no reply from the GC men.
10km -
Valverde under the 10-to-go banner as he takes another bidon of water. His lead is 2:18 now, so it's still pretty constant. Basso continues the pace setting ad Jelle Vanendert goes on the attack.10km - That was interesting to see Kloden not bothering to help out his fifth-placed team-mate. The German is 12th himself so perhaps he wants to rise into the top ten. Or perhaps he just doesn't like Zubeldia.
11km - Andreas Kloden needs a wheel change and when he rejoins the road he's level with team-mate Zubeldia, but he doesn't even consider staying with the Spaniard. He rides off and passes Eddie Boasson Hagen, who has dropped off the back after a job well done.
12km - Valverde continues on his way. The lead is 2:26 and he's looking good for the win - but that could change if/when someone attacks from the main group.
12km - Haimar Zubeldia is being distanced by the pack. The RadioShack rider has struggled today and may lose his fifth place tonight.
13km - Richie Porte is with the main group - the Tasmanian crashed before the Porte de Bales but fought back with gusto. Froome is in the wheel of Nibali, protecting his second place in the GC.
13km - Poor Chris Anker Sorensen, bettling away on his own after that crash. He's a bit off the back and passes Voeckler. His handlebars are covered in blood - he cut his little finger badly in that crash apparently.
13km - Voeckler is hanging in on the back of the yellow jersey group after his stirling work earlier to secure the polka dots all the way to Paris.
14km - Costa has actually yet to be caught - but he will be soon. The pack is closing in.
15km - Nerz has popped and so Nibali just has Basso with him now. For Sky, both Rogers and Boasson Hagen are still there for Wiggins and Froome.
15km - Nerz and Basso set the pace for Nibali. Valvarde is still 2:30 out ahead. Martinez is the only rider in pursuit as Leipheimer and Costa are reeled in.
15km - The yellow jersey group are now on the final climb too. Liquigas are still on the front as they draw level with the Voeckler group and reel them in.
16km -
Costa overcooks a bend and has to run off and make a loop before returning onto the road. That was right at the start of the climb, so he'll start at a disadvantage. Congratulations for avoiding the crash, mind.16km -
The lone leader is onto the Cat.1 climb to Peyragudes - 15.4km at 5.1%.17km - Valverde has completed the descent and will soon start the final climb to the finish.
20km -
Voeckler has joined Kadri and Leipheimer on the descent. They are 2:05 down on Valverde, who has Martinez and Costa riding at 50 seconds. The peloton is still 2:28 back.22km -
CORRECTION: Voeckler actually took sixth place over the last summit, not fourth. Both Kadri and Leipheimer crossed ahead in the chasing group. Either way, the Frenchman is 11 points clear of Kessiakoff in the KOM standings.23km - Nothing at all happening on the descent for the main GC riders, with Liquigas riding on the front and both Wiggins and Froome comfortably following.
25km - Voeckler is closing the gap on Martinez and Costa on this descent. What a fighter.
27km - Valverde continues his descent - he has 2:20 on the peloton, but it will be hard on the final attack where surely there will be some attacks from riders in the top ten.
29km - Remember the chain incident that involved Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador a few years back? Well, it happened on the Port de Bales - and this is the same descent that saw Schleck in yellow try - in vain - to chase down his Spanish rival.
30km - Back with the main group, Jurgen van den Broeck puts in a token dig towards the summit to cross over a few bike lengths ahead.
31km -
Kessiakoff leads the chasing trio ahead of Voeckler and Izagirre as they approach the summit. Martinez and Costa have already crossed the summit to take second and third, so they're riding for fourth place... which Voeckler takes - that should secure the polka dot jersey.32km - Valverde crosses the summit after picking up a water bottle. He has 2:20 on the peloton and now must descend back into the clouds...
32km - Valverde is out of the saddle as he rides through a sea of spectators - and many Spanish flags - towards the summit.
33km - Voeckler and Kessiakoff are with Izagirre now, but they're 1:47 down on the lone leader, with the peloton closing in.
33km - Valverde passes the 1km-to-go banner. He'll be on the edge now - but he's extended the lead to 2:20.
34km - As the leaders approach the summit, the sun is coming out as the mountain breaks through the clouds. We can even see a bit of blue sky. The likes of Weening, Stortoni, Peraud and Casar are being caught by the peloton now.
34km - Vino has been caught by the Liquigas train. Big effort again today from the Kazakh, who looks like he'll retire from racing without that final Tour win - unless he can spring a surprise on the Champs Elysees like he did back in 2005...
35km - Still no attacks from the peloton, with Liquigas setting a brisk tempo through youngster Dominik Nerz.
35km - In the battle for polka dots, Kessiakoff ups the pace and Voeckler matches. The duo ride off in pursuit of the likes of Martinez, Leipheimer and Izagirre.
35km - Valverde has now dropped his team-mate Costa and rides solo towards the summit. The peloton is just two minutes back and so it's touch and go.
36km - Jelle Vanendert has been dropped by the yellow jersey group - not having a great Tour is the Belgian from Lotto.
36km -
Now Valverde attacks! Martinez ups his tempo, but he can't follow his fellow Spaniard, nor can Leipheimer. Valverde joins Costa to form a Movistar alliance on the front of the race.36km - Not that many fans out on the Port de Bales today - perhaps they have all gathered nearer the summit? Costa is still ahead - he has about 20 seconds on a trio in pursuit: Martinez, Valverde and Leipheimer.
37km -
Rui Costa is 5km from the summit now. The winner of the Tour de Suisse is two minutes ahead of the yellow jersey group, which is being led by the Liquigas team of Vincenzo Nibali. There are two chasing groups riding in between.38km - Weening and Vino are back with Stortoni, Voeckler and Kessiakoff in the second chasing group. Casar and Peraud are there too.
38km - The chasing group is: Martinez, Valverde, Leipheimer, Izagirre and Kadri. They are 10 seconds down on Costa.
39km - Weening and Vinokourov have moved clear of the second Voeckler chasing group, which is 55 seconds down on the lone leader Costa and the first Valverde chasing group.
39km - Team Sky's Christian Knees has been dropped by the main pack. Chris Anker Sorensen, bloodied after that crash, is trying to hold on.
39km - The yellow jersey group, led by Liquigas, are closing in on Hoogerland and Azanza.
40km - Costa is now leading the race after catching and passing Izagirre and Kadri, who have been joined by a few other riders. It's very misty towards the top of the climb so there could well be fireworks, so to speak.
40km - Voeckler and Kessiakoff are amongst those who have been dropped by the chasing group. That will suit yesterday's stage winner and the polka dot jersey Voeckler just fine.
41km - Costa sets the pace from the chasing group, with Kessiakoff and Voeckler in his wheel. Costa has in fact ridden off the front in pursuit of the two leaders. Liquigas have four on the front of the peloton, with Sky right behind with four: Wiggins, Froome, Rogers and Boasson Hagen.
42km - Liquigas are still setting the tempo, but they have lost Sylvester Szmyd, who has been off form in this year's race. From the leading group, Plaza is dropped.
42km - Azanza has been dropped by Izagirre and Kadri.
42km - Liquigas front the peloton as they start the climb, with Europcar there too. Sky are nowhere to be seen - is this a tactic, or are the GC leaders having an off day?
43km - Already Johnny Hoogerland is in trouble. Laurens ten Dam too. Both Dutchmen are dropped as Movistar continue the chase. The Spanish team want a win - but so to Euskaltel, who have two riders up ahead.
44km -
The leaders are now on to the HC Port de Bales climb - 11.7km at 7.7%. This is the final HC climb of the Tour - and there's so much to play for.45km - Movistar lead the chase from the escapees with their three men trying to reel in the three leaders - Izagirre, Kadri and Azanza. Liquigas lead the peloton, with all their riders on the front after that wobble by Sky.
46km - The Basque-flavoured leading trio has 38 seconds over the other escapees. The peloton is still three minutes back. The road is uphill, but this is not yet the Port de Bales proper.
47km -
Plaza was withe three leaders but he's now been caught by the other escapees as they try to chase down the trio. Eurosport commentator David Harmon thinks that Brad Wiggins is not looking in top condition today, but his co-commentator Sean Kelly thinks the yellow jersey is bluffing and has tipped him for a possible stage win today.48km - Richie Porte has almost reached the peloton and he's receiving treatment from the medical car after that crash.
49km - Azanza and Izaguirre are joined by Kadri in the lead. The other escapees are 20-odd seconds back.
51km -
Azanza and Izagirre are joined by another Spaniard - Ruben Plaza of Movistar. Valverde is trying to come across too, which would mean four Spaniards leading the break. The gap back to the yellow jersey group is 2:50.52km - From the leading group, two Euskaltel riders up the tempo and pull ahead.
53km - World champion Cavendish got on his way quickly, but Porte is taking much longer. He needs a new bike and he will surely not be able to get back with Wiggins et al before the big Port de Bales climb.
54km -
CRASH: Team Sky pair Richie Porte and Mark Cavendish go down in the feeding zone. That's a setback for Froome and Wiggins - they'll be down one man on the Port de Bales.56km -
The peloton go through the feeding zone - some much-needed sustinence before the big climbs.58km -
Out of the last 5 mountain stages in the Tour, 4 were won by Team Europcar. Thomas Voeckler won stages 10 and 16, Pierre Rolland won stage 19 last year and stage 12 this year. The only mountain stage that wasn't won by the French formation was on 15 July, when Rabobank's Luis León Sánchez was the victor - on a day Voeckler finished third and took the yellow jersey.59km - It's still Liquigas on the front driving the pace. They have every member of their team pulling along the peloton. There's a gradual uphill for the next 10km to the foot of the Port de Bales climb - they want to put Sky under pressure going into the climb, and who knows, if Nibali can attack on the HC climb, he could then pull clear on the descent and put Froome's second-place under the spotlight.
60km -
We spoke to Liquigas rider Ivan Basso this morning: "It's not been a great Tour for me because I didn't have the physical condition after the Giro. We have worked hard for Vincenzo and everything is still possible, especially on the Port de Bales. I think that yesterday Wiggins and Froome showed that they could defend the leadership and so it's in their hands. But we'll see."63km -
Money in the coffers for Ag2R as Kadri takes the intermediate sprint ahead of Casar. Strangely enough, they competed for that one. Plaza takes third place for Movistar. No change at all in the green jersey standings.64km - Gorka Izagirre of Euskaltel opened up a small gap over the other leaders on the descent, but it's coning back together. The break has 2:30 on the peloton. We're about to come to the intermediate sprint.
66km -
Voeckler now has a nine-point lead over Kessiakoff in the KOM standings - but there are 25 points available on the next climb, so it could all mean nothing should the Frenchman crack and the Swede stay with the leaders.68km -
One of the Euskaltel riders, Azanza, is off the front on the climb - until Kessiakoff puts in a dig. Voeckler replies and the Frenchman crosses the summit ahead of the Swede to take 2pts to Kessiakoff's one point.68km -
The leaders: Alejandro Valverde, Ruben Plaza and Rui Costa (Movistar), Egoi Martinez, Gorka Izagirre and Jorge Azanza (Euskaltel), Sandy Casar (FDJ), Thomas Voeckler (Europcar), Jean-Christophe Peraud and Biel Kadri (Ag2R), Frederik Kessiakoff and Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana), Laurens ten Dam (Rabobank), Levi Leipheimer (OMQS), Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil), Simone Stortoni (Lampre), Peter Weening (GreenEdge). We’re down to 17 riders because of the crash to Sorensen on the descent.69km -
The road is rolling now as we start the Cat.3 Côte de Burs - 1.2km at 7.6%.71km - Liquigas still dictate the pace on the front of the peloton, which makes a nice change. The leaders have 3:10 on the pack now so it looks like this 18-man group will stick.
73km -
CRASH: Chris Anker Sorensen has taken a tumble. The Saxo Banker has hurt his hand and is seeing the medical car. He was with the chasing group but pushed it too much on the descent.75km -
The chasing group have now made contact with the initial leading group so we have 18 riders out in front, with Movistar and Euskatel with three apiece. Two from Astana, will make it hard for Voeckler. The gap is 2:35 back to the peloton.80km -
We spoke to Egoi Martinez this morning. The Euskaltel rider is in the break. "It's the last day of the mountains and we're close to home. I've tried a few times to win a stage and this will be the last chance so I'll give it a go," he said.82km - Sky are taking a team break / call of nature and are off the back of the peloton. In their absence, Liquigas have four men in the lead, including the green jersey Sagan. The break has 1:48 still. Peter Weening of GreenEdge has managed to bridge the gap from the chasing group, so we have eight leaders out ahead.
85km - His job done, Voeckler slips to the back of the leading group on the descent. Back with the peloton, it's Nibali's Liquigas team on the front for the downhill. Nibali’s nickname is “the Shark of the Strait” because he was born near the Strait of Messina in Sicily. He's won the Vuelta, finished second in the Giro, and is now third in the Tour.
88km -
Now Voeckler goes on the attack! The Frenchman took Kessiakoff by surprise and Voeckler times that to perfection - taking the 5 points over the Col d'Ares ahead of the Swede, who has to settle for 3pts. So, now he has an eight-point gap.89km - Kessiakoff and Voeckler are following each other - now on the front, now on the back. Tied at the hip. Polka dot poker.
90km - Casar and Valverde are setting the pace on the front of the leading group. Costa is right on the back. The winner of the Tour de Suisse has had a quiet Tour. The chasing group is led by three Dutchmen: Hoogerland, Weening and ten Dam. They are 55 seconds down on the leaders. The peloton is 1:40 back.
91km -
The 11-man chasing group: CA Sorensen (Saxo), ten Dam (Rabobank), Leipheimer (OMQS), Vinokourov (Astana), Izagirre (Euskaltel), Hoogerland (Vacansoleil), Stortoni (Lampre), Azanza (Euskaltel), Weening (GreenEdge), Kadri (Ag2R), Plaza (Movistar).92km -
We're onto the second climb of the day, the Cat.2 Col des Ares - 6km at 5.3%. The break have 1:42 on the yellow jersey pack. Egoi Martinez is the best-placed rider in this group - but the Spaniard is 21:41 down on Wiggins in the GC.94km -
We spoke to BMC manager John Lelangue about Cadel Evans's slump yesterday: "I hope he can recover. It's hard to know but he had a regular night so we'll see what happens. It's always a disappointment but we can take satisfaction from the fact that we have a good team, a full team, and we have ridden this race well - plus have Tejay in white."95km -
The seven leaders have one minute on the chasing group, with the peloton riding another 30 seconds back. Those riders who were dropped on the first climb - such as Zubeldia - are back with the pack.97km - Vinokourov is in this large chasing group too. It will be hard work for them to join the leaders - although there's a bit of hesitation with the leaders, who appear to have split in two small groups momentarily. Full names coming up.
99km -
Three riders attack from the peloton: Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil), Laurens ten Dam (rabobank) and Biel Kadri (Ag2r). Two more Euskaltel riders too - they have a man in the break but would love a win in the Pyrenees. Leipheimer, Weening and CA Sorensen are also having a pop. Meanwhile, Brad Wiggins is off the back picking up a yellow gilet.100km -
So, we now have a seven-man group about 55 seconds ahead of the peloton: Alejandro Valverde and Rui Costa (Movistar), Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel), Sandy Casar (FDJ), Thomas Voeckler (Europcar), Jean-Christophe Peraud (Ag2R) and Frederik Kessiakoff (Astana).103km - The Sky machine sweep up Nibali after his audacious effort. Shame he was made an outcast from that leading group - could have made things more exciting.
104km -
Nibali and Valverde chat, then shake hands - and the Italian drops back. They clearly decided that Nibali's presence in the group would doom it to failure.105km -
The gap is 22 seconds for the small leading group. Valverde isn't best pleased about Nibali's presence because, of course, it means this break has less chance of staying out.107km -
We spoke to Vincenzo Nibali this morning: "Since the beginning of the Tour I have had a lot of support and I can't thank the fans enough. I attacked three times yesterday but only really took time off Cadel. We'll see what happens today, if there's any chance I'll go for it. The Port des Bales is a hard climb and it can change things. It will be difficult, but I'm going to try and go for it."109km -
Vincenzo Nibali has attacked on the downhill and has caught Voeckler and Jean-Christophe Peraud. That's dangerous for Sky - but perhaps it would have been more dangerous for them to follow Nibali on such a dicey downhill.110km - Sandy Casar and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) are on the front of the race. They have come through the mist and so it's a bit more straight-forward now. Voeckler is taking it very easy and has let Kessiakoff pull out in front. Rolland and three others are in pursuit of the two leaders.
114km -
Voeckler is now on 117 points in the KOM competition with Kessiakoff on 111. That's two more than this morning, so Tommy V will be pleased.115km -
They are going to have to take this descent very carefully: the roads are wet and it's very misty indeed.116km -
Rolland had a gap but then Kessiakoff launched a counter-attack. Voeckler was slow to reply, but did so - and with panache. The Frenchman takes the points over the top of the Col de Mente ahead of Kessiakoff in second, with Rolland third. So far, so good for Europcar. Blazin' Saddles blog: Tommy hill figure117km -
Now Alejandro Valverde edges clear - provoking an attack by Pierre Rolland. That has mixed things up. Remember, Europcar need to mop up more points in the KOM standings that Astana's Kessiakoff - whether than means through Rolland or Voeckler, it doesn't really matter.117km - Haimar Zubeldia is struggling to maintain the pace - the Spaniard has been dropped. He started fifth in the GC today, so this doesn't bode well for RadioShack. What's more, he has no team-mates in support.
118km - Trofimov continues to thrash out a hefty pace with Menchov in his wheel. Back with the bunch, it's still EBH, Rogers, Porte, Wiggins and Froome on the front, with Basso and Nibali right behind. A familier sight if ever there was one.
119km - The lead of the Menchov-Rolland-Voeckler group is only 15 seconds - but off the back of the two main groups riders are falling like flies. Sagan has popped, which is a surprise - he can normally hold his own on climbs like this.
120km - Some of the initial break are being caught by the yellow jersey peloton: Biel Kadri of Ag2R is the latest. In fact, Vorganov is now off the back of the peloton, so he must have cracked earlier.
120km - Katusha pair Trofimov and Menchov set the tempo in the leading group. The also have Vorganov in the group so the Russians are well represented. It's began to drizzle a little.
121km -
Cobo, Rolland, Menchov, Voeckler, Feillu, Vorganov, Plaza, Kessiakoff, Leipheimer, Taaramae, Monfort, Martin, Sorensen, Minard, Casar and Vanendert are all in this leading group. No reaction from Team Sky, who pedal away with Edvald Boasson Hagen on the front. A familiar sight.122km - Already all the sprinters are being shed off the back - Cavendish, Farrar, Greipel... Team Sky are controlling the pack. Chris Anker Sorensen, Jelle Vanendert and Denis Menchov appear to be in the leading group too. It's rather misty though, so hard to tell. Full breakdown coming up as soon as it's confirmed.
122km - Juan Jose Cobo of Movistar has opened up a small gap off the front of the leading group, which in turn has been whittled down to about 20 riders. The Spaniard has Pierre Rolland of Europcar in his wheel.
123km - There's a 25-man break being led by Katusha's Eduard Vorganov just ahead of Feillu and then the polka dot fighters Voeckler and Kessiakoff. What a spectacle from early on. Forget the yellow jersey - that war is won - this is where the battle's at today.
124km -
Talking of Voeckler, he is one of the riders in a group ahead of the yellow jersey peloton. As expected he's riding in the wheel of polka dot jersey rival Frederik Kessiakoff. This is where the real battle will be today.124km - Grivko has been reeled in as numerous riders try and ride off the front at the start of this stage. Brice Feillu of Saur-Sojasun is leading the way. He was fifth yesterday after riding for so long up ahead with Voeckler.
125km -
We're onto the first climb of the day - the Cat.1 Col de Menté (1,349m): 9.3km at 9.1%.126km -
Andriy Grivko, the Ukraine national champion, pulls off the front. Astana are still looking for their first win in this Tour.130km - Albasini has a small lead but a 12-man group forms in pursuit and it all comes back together. Fascinating stuff.
134km -
Now it's Michael Albasini of Orica-GreenEdge who has a pop off the front of the peloton. The Austrailan team are still searching for a win in their debut Tour.135km -
Cadel Evans may have lost his chance of a podium finish yesterday but his team-mate Tejay van Garderen looks a safe bet for the white jersey. The American now leads Thibaut Pinot, his only real rival in the youth standings, by 3:48 in the battle for white after the Frenchman lost a bit of time yesterday. White jersey standings136km - Timmer is back with the peloton after his move came to nothing. A small chasing group did form, but ultimately, the gap was just too small.
140km -
Dutchman Albert Timmer of Argos-Shimano is out ahead. He has 15 seconds on the peloton, with two riders in pursuit - from FDJ and Euskaltel.142km -
The intermediate sprint today comes after the third of five climbs - not that it matters. Peter Sagan has a huge 102-point lead over Andre Greipel in the points competition and looks set to ride into Paris in the green jersey after a splendid debut Tour. Green jersey standings143km -
As is his custom, Germany's Marcus Burghardt (BMC) attacked from the outset - he did that in every Alpine stage. He sparked a bit of a fizz in the peloton, but nothing's sticking as yet.144km -
They're off! 153 riders took to the start today after no overnight withdraws. Jan Ghyselinck of Cofidis was allowed to continue the race despite finishing a few seconds outside the cut-off yesterday.11:55 - The riders are now in the neutral zone ahead of today's stage. The weather is much cooler in Bagneres-de-Luchon than it was yesterday. There's no rain, but a lot of cloud cover and the temperature is 20 degrees celsius - which is ten degrees less than yesterday.
11:50 -
If the battle for yellow is dulled by another Team Sky display of brute force, then we'll certainly get a sideshow from the polka dot jersey war. Thomas Voeckler now leads Frederik Kessiakoff by just four points - and you can expect Europcar and Astana to go all in for the remaining points up for grabs today. King of the mountains standings11:45 -
Defending champion Cadel Evans (BMC) was dropped on both the Col d’Aspin and the Col du Peyresourde and finished more than four minutes down on his GC rivals yesterday. Australia’s Evans dropped to seventh on the GC, one place behind his BMC team-mate Tejay van Garderen, the white jersey, and a huge 8:06 down on race leader Wiggins. Wiggins maintains his 2:05 lead over compatriot Froome, with Nibali comfortably in third, at 2:23. Yellow jersey standings11:40 -
Yesterday, Thomas Voeckler took a superb second stage in the Tour de France in Bagneres-de-Luchon as Bradley Wiggins consolidated his overall lead. France’s Voeckler (Europcar) crossed all four gruelling Pyrenean climbs in the 197km stage from Pau to take a magnificent solo win and move back into the polka dot jersey. Report: Voeckler solos to superb stage 16 win11:35 -
Welcome to live coverage of stage 17 of the Tour de France - a 143.5km trek through the Pyrenees from Bagneres-de-Luchon to Peyragudes. This third and final summit finish of the Tour will be the last chance for Team Sky's GC rivals to shake things up at the top.
Comment 33 - 53 of 53
Aside from be Portuguese, how is possible Rui Costa be so badly treated by Movistar ... Because of Alejandro? He goes behind him and out of the top ten!?
I think there's a good chance froome lead the decision to stick to wiggins, and i think he is showing his ambition by doing this. What is a stage win now when your ultimate ambition is to be a tour winner? By putting in total subservience now he is ensuring that when the time comes he will be given the chance to go for it himself fully and no-one will be able to question that he hasn't earned it.
Sky was stupid for not letting Froome leave Wiggins for the stage. Even if Wiggins had lost time, who was going to beat him in the time trial tomorrow by that much? Horner? Are you #$%$ kidding me? This was clearly a case of stay with Brad, because we don't want you closse enough to Brad to win with a monster time trial tomorrow. Ratings would have been through the roof if Wiggins and Froome were closer together in time. Now, nobody is going to watch because every place is set with the exception being can Van Garderen take 3 minutes out of Van de Broeck and move to 4th.
Congratulations to Wiggins and Sky. They are the ONLY team that showed up this year ready to race. Everyone else should be truly embarassed at their lack of competitiveness. Contador might have made a difference. But the race organizations desire to increase revenue, means they take the bigger bids from the towns at the bottom of the climbs, so that there are minimal mountaintop finishes. Add the volume of flat ITT's and you have a 3 week celebration for Great Britain (All the Britsh who have a problem with this, please let me know- i don't really expect any replies to that...... :0) ..... ) Radio Shack has been a disaster. Leipheimer was too old to compete. Without Contador, Saxo had nothing. Rabobank has nobody. The French have nobody, and NIbali has never been and never will be a Tour contendor. For anyone that isn't British or a Sky fan, this has been an awful, awful Tour. Sky hands down the best team in the world right now. Hats off to creating a world class organization that has dominated this race. And I am assuming CLEANLY.
Another successful day of doping for Wiggins and Sky today...let's see what tonight's drug tests show...
Can someone explain to me why Froome didn't leave Wiggins behind? He isn't going to catch him in the GC so why not try and get a stage win. Obviously Froome was in way better form.
Froome is pathetic. Go for the win if you can, especially if it isn´t going to affect the GC... Pathetic.
Dear Gary s you cycling? Because if you do, and ride all days, ......you MUST know that up in the front is where the doping is! And the performances that we have the pleasure to see, it must be something. And the last decade was really an example of it, and the tests, i don't know, but the MUST have mora accuracy. ....maybe a few riders pass it....
You can't complain about Wiggins and Sky they are leading it is up to the others to try and beat them! And can we stop speaking for the anti-doping testers, if they find someone doping they will say so and not simply assume anyone near the front MUST be doping!
Evans - a flash in the pan? I posted last year that he only won because of the misfortunes of his rivals and that he would not win this year.
The last news is old news, about drugs and doping! I love cycling, i still have a felling for it, but i badly see it, because of that... You'll never know if the man you're supporting is dopped or not! I still have a special kare for Lance, but for real, i'll never know if he take drugs to win. And the medicine are a step ahead for the doping than for the UCI tests.
I'm guessing Voekler deliberately put himself out of GC contention early in the tour to give himself the maximum chance of winning the KOM competition. Dogging it in those first few days meant the big boys would not need to chase him down like last year. Lousy atctics. As for talk of Wiggins cheating, I hope he isn't but we are back to the bad old days again of not being sure thanks to Schleks positive test. Illness early in the season has come back to bite Cadell, A disappointing result for Aussie fans. Here's hoping Matt Goss can give the Manx missile a run for his money in Paris.
The next rider to be caught doping will be Voeckler. It's no wonder there were doping rumours around the team prior to the Tour and one of them got caught already. Contador, who is an incredibly gifted climber (probably doped up until last year when controls got better- LIKE everyone else), couldn't make this many attacks in the mountains in last year's clean tour. Clearly someone has the recipe for getting past the controls again and this is the result. Tommy Turbo winning two stages, finishing 3rd in another, all in long breakaways where the riders had to do huge amounts of work to stay away. Now he is sprinting at the top of every mountain in his 3rd breakaway in 4 days. If it seems unreal, it usually is.
And I do with my British friends congratulations in advance for their domination of the tour. Hopefully these guys are clean. I think with the added scrutiny, they probably are clean. Even though Lance was obviously dirty, it was fun when he was dominating the tour. However, nothing can compare to the LeMond years. Now there was a man with panache!
Seven consecutive summits for Voeckler!!! What a man!!!
Perl...I agree with you regarding the badly designed course this year and even that it is somewhat boring as a spectacle due to Sky's stranglehold on the race, but you can't blame the riders - it's the organisers that need to change things to make it more interesting. Anyhow, I'm not complaining this year as I'm British and this has been a great Tour already in that respect, and will hopefully result in a first British win.
" I can't wait for all of you Wiggins/Sky lovers to eat crow when he's caught doping...I wish I could see the look on all of your sad faces so I could tell you "I told you so!". " I said that about Contador, and got down voted more than you. :D And now you are saying something about British riders on their site, you are a brave man sir. Good thing we didn't say this in London, we would probably get turned into Omlette au Fro(o)mage.
Next big tour in la Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain) Mark starting on August 18th. Contador's back so naturally very interesting to see how he does as will be Andy Schleck which will be interesting too following a pretty poor year with Radioshack (lots of discontent within the team it seems).
Atleast it looks like Liquigas are willing to push the pace today. Lets face it, up until now only Sky have showed any intent during the tour so hopefully some of the other teams will try something today as opposed to hanging on to Wiggins wheel. Strangely enough this tour was supposed to be a battle of styles with the pure climbers taking it to Wiggins in the mountains with him holding on for dear life not the other way around. Really hope Wiggins wins but it would be nice to see a bit of a battle today.
Whats the next big Tour coming up? Are there changes this year with the olympics on?
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