2016 Tour de France – classy Tom Dumoulin – Froome consolidates

Yesterday saw an emphatic TT win by Tom Dumoulin, while Chris Froome consolidated his position as leader, who is now nearly two minutes ahead of his nearest rival. Nairo Quintana has slipped to fourth 2'59 behind.

 

Stage 14: Montélimar to Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux 208.5 kms

The riders face a tiring ride up the Rhône Valley into a headwind today with a bunch sprint likely.

2016 Tour de France: Fine win by Tom Dumoulin lights up dull Queen's stage

 

What was billed as the Queen Stage of the Tour turned out to be a stately procession through majestic scenery. Apart from the last few kilometres of the Arcalis climb when the GC contenders started to attack and the initial climb of the day, no-one was prepared to attack Sky and Chris Froome so they naturally rode tempo for much of the day allowing the break to build up a huge gap. 

The stage began climbing from the very start up to the Port de la Bonaigua. There were attacks all the way up including Peter Sagan going for a long foray to pick up intermediate sprint points along with Alberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde racing clear of the peloton. For a moment the stage looked to be about to live up to its billing. 

Contador soon faded and later retired from the race suffering both from his crash wounds and a fever. Valverde carried on caught the breakaway. They crested the Bonaigua and hurtled down the descent. On the flat, however, the Sky train started to catch up rapidly. Not long after Valverde eased up and waited for the peloton, who then let the large break of 20 riders or so disappear into the distance. Did Peter Sagan persuade Valverde to leave the break, so he could pick up sprint points? If Valverde had stayed in the break would certainly have been caught.

Both Thibaut Pinot and Rafa Majka were in the break. This time Pinot was the stronger and picked up enough points to take the climber's jersey off Majka's shoulders. Then just before the start of the final climb up to Arcalis Tom Dumoulin took off and remained in front to take his first Tour de France stage win. The excellent Dumoulin is the first new rider to be added to the list of stage winners this year.     

 

Overall there were a few changes but nothing like what one might have expected. Now there are only eight riders within a minute of Chris Froome. Tejay Van Garderen, Fabio Aru and Warren Bargueil lost a little time along with Pierre Rolland, who is now four minutes behind Froome.

White Jersey holder, Adam Yates, has extended his lead over Louis Meintjes a little. Mark Cavendish holds onto the Green Jersey but Sagan is only seven points behind now. Unfortunately Mark lost his lead out man – Mark Renshaw, who fell ill overnight and had to abandon.

Today is a rest day. Hopefully in the second week GC contenders will show more ambition and attack Chris Froome and Sky.  

2015 Tour de France: opening time trial + Vinokourov's cynical flip flops!

 Tour de France in Pauillac July 2010

Cycling's greatest sporting event – Le Tour de France – starts today in Utrecht, Holland. It is certainly the most famous of the three Grand Tours – Italy and Spain being the others. It isn't, however, necessarily the toughest in terms of the terrain although the pressure especially in the first week must be enormous. 

This year's edition starts with a short time trial of 13.8 kms a largely out and back course through Utrecht and virtually dead flat. Most of the course is at three metres above sea level. Unusually this will be the only individual time trial of this year's edition. 

Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN-Qhubeka) will be the first rider off at 14.00 CET. Teklehaimanot is an exciting African rider, who won the King of the Mountains jersey in this year's Dauphiné. As last year's winner Vincenzo Nibali sets off last at 17.17. A one minute interval separates the riders.

I think I'll play safe with my picks to win today: either Tom Dumoulin or Tony Martin. Picking between the two I'll opt for Tony Martin. Although Fabian Cancellara has had huge success in opening Tour de France prologues and time trials I'm putting Martin and Dumoulin ahead of him this time due to age and long layoff from racing following his injury in the E3 Harelbeke in late March.

UK's Alex Dowsett, who recently held the hour record until Bradley Wiggins beat his distance, will be looking to do a good ride today. 

Nairo Quintana, the first of the four overall 2015 favourites (Vincenzo Nibali, Alberto Contador and Chris Froome are the other three), sets off at 15.00. He is followed by Tom Dumoulin (16.25), Alex Dowsett (16.28), Tony Martin (16.44), Fabian Cancellara (17.03), Tejay van Garderen (17.11), Alberto Contador (17.13), Chris Froome (17.14) and Vincenzo Nibali (17.17). 

 

•••

Alexander Vinokourov and Astana's cynicism 

Sadly even before this Tour de France drug taking has again hit the headlines and again featuring the Astana Team. Yesterday it was reported that a pre-Tour drug test on Lars Boom found low levels of cortisol, which can indicate abuse of cortisone. 

UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) rules allow riders to continue with these low levels. However Astana signed up to the MPCC (Movement pour un Cyclisme Crébile) which has stricter rules and requires riders with low levels of Cortisol to stop competing for for at least eight days, and until their Cortisol levels have returned to normal so Boom under MPCC rules should not start the Tour.
 
MPCC's press release on Lars Boom yesterday.

Statement here by MPCC on Lotto leaving MPCC earlier this year and reiterating that their rules on low levels of Cortisol stand.          

Doubtless it suited Astana managed by Alexander Vinokourov, who was banned for doping on the Tour de France during his racing career, to add some credibility to their bedraggled reputation, especially when their racing licence was under question due a number of their riders failing dope tests. 

For the good of the sport's reputation and that of Astana, the MPCC's rules should have been accepted with Boom not starting. Instead what do Astana and Vinokourov do? They walk out of the MPCC, admittedly a voluntary body, so Boom can start.

Sadly Vincenzo Nibali, last year's Tour winner, is a member of the Astana team. Although he is a great and exciting rider, being a part of the Astana team inevitably casts a shadow over his achievements.