“À la Bastille!”
One more time, then… with continued apologies to Pierre Ranger… [It’s a tradition, we know… – Ed] Indeed! And with Alaphilippe in yellow again! Play La Marseillaise! Pete Baker
Tour de France
Tour de France 2013: Le roi est mort!
After finishing second to Bradley Wiggins last year, when some speculated he could have challenged for the victory, Kenyan-born Chris Froome is set to become the second British rider in successive years to win the Tour de France when the peloton crosses the line on a floodlit twilit Avenue des Champs-Élysée later this evening. It’s the 100th edition of Le Tour, which began in 1903. Even if convention didn’t dictate the final stage to be a procession for the maillot jaune, Froome holds a virtually unassailable …
Giro d’Italia 2014 announcement expected tomorrow
It looks increasingly likely that confirmation of the rumoured plans to start the 2014 Giro d’Italia in Belfast, before heading to Dublin, will be made tomorrow. As Cycling Weekly reports The Giro d’Italia organiser RCS Sport has a lot on its plate this week, announcing the 2014 start from Belfast tomorrow and dealing with 19 WorldTour teams. The organiser sent an invitation on Friday for the “Official presentation of a new collaboration between RCS Sport and the Island of Ireland.” The presentation will …
Belfast start for 2014 Giro d’Italia? – “Discussions are ongoing”
It could be some time before we get an answer to that question – official confirmation that cycling’s 2013 Giro would start in Naples only came in June last year. But there’s been a flurry of activity following a L’Equipe report last night that sources were confirming that Belfast would host the start of the 2014 Giro d’Italia. As the Guardian reported There are strong indications that in 2014 the United Kingdom will host the Giro d’Italia as well as the Tour de France, which …
Tour de France 2012: Allez, allez!
Barring outrageous fortune, Bradley Wiggins will become the first ever British winner of the Tour de France this afternoon. It’s been a dominant performance by Wiggins and Team Sky, emphasised by his stamping his authority on this year’s race with a second stage win in yesterday’s 53.5km individual time trial. That result, 1 minute 16 seconds ahead of his second-placed team-mate, the Kenyan-born British rider, Chris Froome, silenced the critics who had speculated that Froome, who will finish second overall, was the stronger …
Tour de France 2011: Crikey Cadel!
If the story of the first half of this year’s Tour de France was that French television car, the story of the second half has been one of daring, courage, and strength. In the process the maillot jaune has passed between three riders on three consecutive days, finally settling on the shoulders of Cadel Evans ahead of today’s final stage – leaving him in position to become the first Australian to win the race. It all kicked off on the second day in the Alps …
2011 Tour de France: Stage 9 Carnage
If the “defining moment” last year was a breach of Tour etiquette in the mountains, the first week of this year’s Tour de France has been notable for the number of bone-crushing crashes and big name retirements. Most of the crashes, but not all, have been caused by road conditions and/or rider error. It’s a rest day today, after 9 testing stages, and the cyclist welcoming that respite the most has to be Dutchman Johnny Hoogerland. In yesterday’s stage he was part …
2010 Tour de France’s defining moment
Obviously different people have different ideas about what a “decent spectator sport looks like…” But if, like me, you’ve been following this year’s Tour de France you’ll no doubt agree with Steve Wilson’s praise for ITV4’s excellent coverage. It’s been eventful too, and not just for being seven-times Tour winner Lance Armstrong’s final hurrah. From the prologue in Rotterdam across the cobblestones of Belgium and northern France, and over the punishing peaks of the Pyrénées this year’s course has seen plenty of action. If all goes to …