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.

 

2017 Tour de France: Roglič overcomes the Galibier, Stage 18 – showdown on the Izoard?

 Primoz Roglič wins in Serre Chevalier

 Overall Chris Froome still in Yellow, Fabio Aru loses time 

 Green: Michael Matthews leads 

following Marcel Kittel's retirement

Climber: Warren Barguil still leads 

but advantage has been trimmed a little 

Young rider: Simon Yates still leads  
but Louis Meintjes is now closer at 2.28'

Primoz Roglič soloed to a very fine first Tour de France stage victory – first over the Galibier and the long 28 kilometre descent into Serre Chevalier. This first Alpine stage revised the Overall Standings slightly with Fabio Aru losing time at the top of the Galibier and then more on the descent. Aru was at 18 seconds to Chris Froome but now is down to 4th place at 53 seconds. Rigoberto Uran and Romain Bardet are now Froome's closest challengers tied on 27 seconds.

Only Dan Martin and Bardet attacked Froome on the Galibier but each time these attacks were easily neutralised. At the very top of the Galibier Martin was also dropped and is now at 2.37, while Simon Yates also lost time down to 4.07. He still leads the Young Rider Competition but his advantage to Louis Meintjes has now been reduced. Despite crashing Warren Barguil rode another fine race and still has a comfortable lead in the Climbers' competition. 

Alberto Contador tried one of his typical daring long range attacks that nearly came off – it certainly enlivened the race. Initially he had Nairo Quintana for company but to Contador's surprise Quintana couldn't sustain the effort. Quintana is now at 12th place 12.54 down, which is easily his worst Tour de France result.    

Unfortunately Marcel Kittel was involved in a crash early on in the stage and, although he rode on, had to abandon the race soon after. This is a great shame for Kittel but also deprives us of an exciting finale to the Green Jersey competition. Providing Michael Matthews reaches Paris he will surely now win the Jersey. Before Kittel abandoned Matthews had already closed the gap to just nine points. Matthews now leads André Griepel by 160 points. 

Stage 18: Briançon to Izoard 179.5 kms

Today is the last chance for the overall contenders to challenge Chris Froome in the mountains. Froome is expected to perform better in Saturday's time trial in Marseille than Bardet and Aru. The uphill finish, only the third in this Tour, gives someone the chance to grab the Yellow Jersey. Realistically, unless Froome blows up, only Uran and Bardet are likely to be able to do this. However, Sky remain the dominant team, especially with Mikel Landa climbing so well and Froome didn't show weakness yesterday. Should be a gripping climb up the mighty Izoard! 

2017 Tour de France: Bauke Mollema's solo win + Froome's scare

Bauke Mollema's brave and deserved stage win at Le Puy

Chris Froome still in Yellow despite scare

 Mountain jersey: Warren Barguil 

leads by a comfortable 78 points

Green: Michael Matthews has closed 

the gap on Marcel Kittel to 79 points

The difficult Stage 15 to Le Puy was won by Bauke Mollema, who bravely soloed away from his breakaway companions with 29 kilometres to go. He managed to win with a gap of 19 seconds to chalk up his first Tour de France stage win. 

Apart from Nairo Quintana blowing up on the second 1st Category Col de Peyra Taillade and losing some four minutes and dropping out of the Top 10 overall, there were no significant changes to the overall classification. However, there might well have been as Chris Froome had a mechanical problem just at the start of the Col de Peyra and had to make up 50 seconds to get back onto the peloton of flying leaders. Fortunately he had enough team mates around to make this possible. 

Dan Martin gained 14 seconds by riding away in the last few kilometres – he now sits 1.12 back from Froome. Fabio Aru at 18", Romain Bardet at 23" and Rigoberto Uran at 29". 

Warren Barguil has a very firm grasp of the Climbers' Jersey, while Marcel Kittel should hold onto Green as there are still some sprinters' stages left, although Michael Matthews has reduced the deficit considerably since Pau.

Today is the second and last rest day. Wednesday and Thursday in the Alps will be the crucial stages along with Saturday's Time Trial in Marseille. At this stage this is the closest Tour de France ever. Promises to be a gripping finale!      

 

2017 Tour de France: Warren Barguil wins on Bastille Day. Stage 14 preview

French ecstasy as Warren Barguil wins in Foix  

Fabio Aru still in Yellow but changes in Top 10

with Landa, Quintana and Contador all moving up

Mountains classification: Warren Barguil 
leads with 61 point advantage

As predicted yesterday's short mountain stage (101 kms) gave us very exciting racing. Warren Barguil made the French very happy with his stage win in Foix on Bstille Day, the French national holiday that celebrates the start of the French Revolution. This is the first time in 12 years that there has been a French winner. David Moncoutié was the last Frenchman to win on Bastille Day back in 2005.  
 

The day was notable for the return to form for both Alberto Contador and Nairo Quintana. The stage's excitement was generated by an early attack by Alberto Contador, who was swiftly followed by Sky's Mikel Landa. They were eventually joined by Quintana and Warren Barguil. At the end Barguil won the sprint for the line. 

Although there were some attacks Fabio Aru kept the Yellow Jersey despite having to ride without support from his depleted team – down to seven riders. Although isolated the other teams have get to put Aru under serious pressure. Sky will need to do this during the remaining stages.

Astana were further weakened by Jakob Fulsang having to retire because of small fractures in his hand and elbow making it painful to ride and difficult to control his bike. It was, however, a very brave effort by Fulsang, winner of the Dauphiné to attempt to ride on. 

Stage 14 Preview: Blagnac to Rodez 181.5 kms

This is the first of two stages featuring the Massif Central, which ought to provide some interesting racing and perhaps some changes to the overall classification. The first 80 kilometres are fairly flat, while the last 100 are quite lumpy, mainly uphill with a couple of Cat 3 climbs. The finish in Rodez is a 570 metre uphill with a average of 9.6%. A chance for an overall contender to gain a few seconds in the sprint for the line. I think Sky ought to be trying to put pressure on Aru over the next two days. Tomorrow's stage to Le Puy is the more challenging. 

The Intermediate Sprint is at 55 kms, so expect Marcel Kittel to shadow Michael Matthews, who may also feature in the steep finish, which is likely to be too much for Kittel.  

The forecast is dry and comfortably warm but the wind is quite strong for part of the middle section of the stage, so splits in the peloton could happen.       

#TDF2015: Sky smother attacks on Plâteau de Beille + lumpy finish in Rodez

 Top 21 from yesterday's stage won in fine style by Joachim Rodriguez

Overall after Stage 12 

Mirroring the weather yesterday's stage turned out to be a damp squib failing to live up to expectations as far as the anticipated shake up of the GC contenders was concerned.  

Joachim 'Purito' Rodriguez produced a fine ride to win the stage from Jakob Fuglsang and Romain Bardet. In the Yellow Jersey peloton there were attacks on the final climb from Valverde, Quintana, Contador and Contador. All appeared to be half-hearted. None of these riders appeared to have an real zip in their legs. Down to the conditions – very hot initially and the cooler later in the rain – or are they just disheartened by the dominance of Sky? The effectiveness of Sky was highlighted by the presence of Richie Porte, almost all the way up the climb, and Geraint Thomas right to the finish protecting Chris Froome. All are now hoping that Froome asa bad time in the Alps.

Several riders, however, will have taken some encouragement from their performance yesterday. For once Nibali wasn't dropped and neither was Thibault Pinot. Romain Bardet had a good day coming in third. Others went backwards – Bauke Mollema, Tony Gallopin and Warren Barguil. Nibali's preformance has moved him up to 9th overtaking Bauke Mollema and Warren Barguil.

In the very early intermediate sprint André Griepel took the maximum points and closed to with two on current leader Peter Sagan. 

Chris Froome's electrifying performance on Stage 10 continues to attract controversy. Some of the French press and people on social media appear to have forgotten how dominant some the performances of France's last Tour winner – Bernard Hinault – were. I well remember being on the Alpe d'Huez in 1986 when Hinault and Greg Lemond came up together well ahead of the rest of the field. Equally consider Eddy Merckx's career.

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Stage 13: Muret to Rodez 198.5 kms 

  

This stage takes the Tour into the southern part of France's Massif Central. The first part of the stage is relatively flat, particularly after three days in the Pyrénées. The Intermediate Sprint comes at 92.5 kms by which time a break will surely have gone, so there may be limited points available for the leading Green Jersey contenders unless someone like Sagan manages to get into the break.

There are three categorised climbs in the second part of the stage and for the finish there is a sharp 570 metre long climb at 9.6%, so surely not a day for the sprinters. Will it be one for John Degenkolb or Peter Sagan? I suspect it will be difficult for Sagan as he is unlikely to get much team support. The victory may again go to someone in the breakaway. 

Sometimes these transitional stages that are supposed to be relatively easy for the GC contenders can be deceptive. Sky will need to be attentive. Also some GC riders could lose a little time on the final climb.