2016 Tour de France: Pantano wins while Froome remains in control

Apart from the large breakaway and Jarlinson Pantano's fine first TDF stage win,  there was little excitement in the GC group yesterday. Sky exerted control and either Chris Froome's opponents don't have the legs or have a paucity of ambition this was another potentially critical stage that turned out to be a damp squib. With this edition of the Tour entering its final week the number of opportunities to put Froome under pressure and for someone else to win the Tour are fast running out. Rafal Majka is now in the Polka Dot Jersey after harvesting a good number of points yesterday.

Stage 16: Moirans-en-Montage to Berne 2009km

A couple of sharp climbs in the final kilometres may well make this not a bunch sprint stage. Instead may suit punchers like Peter Sagan or perhaps Fabian Cancellara in his last Tour de France. For the GC contenders this may be another quiet stage. However, sometimes these apparently innocuous stages can surprise......

2014 Tour de France: Tough mountain stage – big battle for podium

As expected today's stage produced another exciting race with Rafal Majka taking his second stage win this Tour and consolidating his hold on the Climbers Jersey. He now has 149 points to Vinzenzo Nibali's 118. Its a healthy but not invincible lead. There was a further shake up of the Overall Classification with AG2R coming off best in the Podium Stakes, while Vincenzo Nibali further tightened his hold on the Yellow Jersey. He is now 5:26 ahead of Alejandro Valverde and is clearly a level above everyone else in the race.   

 

Romain Bardet's successful attack on the last descent forced Thibaut Pinot to chase on the ascent of Pla d'Adet, which then allowed Jean-Christophe Peraud to follow Nibali's attack and Pinot lost some ground with Peraud only 8 seconds behind him. Valverde looked to be in trouble but recovered, caught and overtook Pinot and gained 5 seconds. Because of his time trialling ability Peraud is looking good for a podium place but there is still, of course, the last mountain stage to come tomorrow. Expect further changes!  

2014 Tour de France: Polish rider Rafal Majka wins Alpine stage

Young Polish rider, Rafal Majka, won the very tough Alpine stage to Risoul. He managed to hold off another late charge from Vincenzo Nibali, who again took more time out of his rivals. This is Majka's first Tour de France stage win. See updated list of Tour de France stage winners from 1903 - 2014.  
  

Nibali now has a 4:37 advantage over Alejandro Valverde, who lost time on Nibali as well as Romain Bardet, Thibault Pinot and Tejay Van Garderen. Now only two riders are within five minutes of Nibali, who will surely win, barring a very bad day on the Pyrénees or an accident.