2017 Tour de France: Barguil wins again, Froome's slender lead, Stage 19 preview

 Another fine stage win by Warren Barguil 

clinching Polka Dot Climbers Jersey

 Chris Froome leads Romain Bardet by 

23 seconds and Rigoberto Uran by 29

 Warren Barguil comfortable winner of Climbers' Jersey

Young Rider: Simon Yates lost a little 

more time by has 2.06 advantage over Louis Meintjes

The climb to the finish at the top of the Izoard was predictably tough but produced few changes overall. However, it did highlight once again the talent of Warren Barguil, who broke away from the GC contenders close to the top of the climb, passing everyone ahead and winning the stage. He also clinched the Climbers' Jersey with a lead of 89 points. 

Despite a group of more than 50 riders getting away Sky controlled the race for most of the day except when AG2R La Mondiale took control at the top of the Col de Vars continuing on the descent to the Izoard and the early part of the climb until they burnt out all their riders leaving Romain Bardet alone. Dan Martin, Romain Bardet and Chris Froome, himself, tried attacking but none was successful in shaking off their closest rivals. Bardet gained a four second time bonus on the line moving him to 23 seconds behind Froome, who gained two seconds on Rigoberto Uran.

It should now be down to Saturday's Time Trial in Marseille to decide the overall outcome. All the other Jerseys look decided provided their holders reach paris safely.

2017 La Course: Col de izoard
The women raced up the Col before the men in the 1st Stage of La Course. Highlights here. Annemiek van Vleuten won with Lizzie Deignan second. They ride a pursuit stage on Saturday over the men's TT course.   

Stage 19: Embrun to Salon-de-Provence 222.5 kms

 Lumpy profile and forecast – storms in 

part of second half, wind at the end 

  

Finish: slightly downhill with flat 

but technical run in

This is the longest stage in the 2017 Tour. It is quite lumpy as it gradually makes its way down from the Alps to Provence. Will the diminished number of sprinters want to control the race or will they let a break stay away? Will a GC contender look to put Sky under pressure or will they conserve their energy for tomorrow's time trial? The last forty kilometres could well be quite windy, which could split the race with the possibility of some GC contenders losing time.

 

2014 Tour de France: Kittel wins Parisian King Sprint – Nibali crowned

Marcel Kittel won his second successive stage on the Champs Elysée having won last year. This time he beat Alexander Kristoff into second place. Kristoff was in the lead as the line approached by Kittel had his characteristic strength to put in a last spurt in the fianl 50 metres or so that moved him clear and won the stage. This takes Marcel Kittel's overall stage total to 8 – 4 wins in 2013 and 4 this year, so he is beginning to move into exalted company!

 

Vincenzo Nibali was duly crowned as the 2014 Tour de France winner. There was no change overall, although the time gaps have changed as little as Nibali made sure he rode over the finishing line with his team, so Jean-Christophe Peraud, for instance, gained a few seconds. When you are leading by well over seven minutes a few seconds lost on the final stage changes nothing.

Nibali has now won all three Grand Tours – France, Italy and Spain. He joins only five other riders who have managed this feat: Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Felice Gimondi, Bernard Hinault and Alberto Contador.  

Nibali is a very worthy winner – he has clearly been the best rider in this year's Tour. You can speculate what would have happened if Chris Froome and Alberto Contador hadn't crashed out of this year's Tour but what is important is that Nibali finished and they didn't. I fancy that if Froome hadn't crashed and injured himself on Stage 4 from Le Touquet to Lille, it is very likely that he would have lost considerable time to Nibali on the cobbles the next day.

Le Tour 2014 has been great for France with two French riders on the podium – Jean-Christophe Peraud and Thibaut Pinot along with Romain Bardet in sixth. Of course, Pinot also has the White Jersey as the best young rider. 

The Tour de France continues to become increasingly global with Ramunas Navardauskas as the first Lithuanian stage winner and Rafa Majka as Poland's first winner of the Climbers' Jersey. Ji Cheng, clear winner of La Lanterne Rouge at 6.02:24 down on Nibali, is the first Chinese rider to compete in the Tour and the first to finish. 

•••

Earlier in the day Marianne Vos deservedly won the first La Course - the race on the Champs Elysée for women. See details here. Unfortunately, Lizzie Armistead crashed out.

2014 Tour de France: the finale + La Course

 Stage 21: Evry to Paris Champs Elysées 137.5 kms

Today the riders cover the last 137.5 kilometres of the 3653 km total of the 2014 Tour de France. It will be a procession and celebration until the peloton reaches the Champs Elysées, where the racing will begin. The stage tends to finish in a bunch sprint. Marcel Kittel won last year beating André Griepel and Mark Cavendish. Will Kittel win again this year. Quite probably but it depends on how tired he is after the mountains. If it isn't Marcel then I'll go for either Griepel or Alexander Kristoff, who has already won two stages. 

Barring accidents the Jerseys and the podium places have been decided with Vincenzo Nibali, the overall winner of the 2014 Tour and Jean-Christophe Peraud second and Thibaut Pinot third wearing the White Jersey as Best Young Rider. Peter Sagan is the easy winner of the Green Points Jersey, while Rafa Majka has the Climbers' Jersey. 

La Course

This is a race for women and will be held on the Champs Elysées over 90 kilometres. It will precede the men's stage and the is result of a successful campaign to reintroduce a women's race at the same time as the Tour as used to be the case in the past. It is hoped that the La Course 2014 will be start of a  annual women's French stage race. 

World Champion Marianne Vos is the favourite.

More details and preview here.