#TDF2015: yesterday's GC truce to end on Plâteau de Beille

Little change to GC: only Nibali slipping from 10th to 11th

Rafa Majka, the Polish climber and last year's winner of The Mountains' Jersey, won yesterday's stage over the Col d'Aspin and the Tourmalet with a long solo ride. This win takes his stage wins to three – the same number as the UK's greatest climber Robert Millar and may be the start of a campaign to take the Polka Dot Jersey again. 

Apart from the breakway and a number of abandons including Rui Costa, this mounatinous stage was fairly uneventful as far as overall standings are concerned. Vincenzo Nibali ordered his team to ride hard on the middle section of the climb up the Tourmalet but placed no attack himself and was again dropped on the final climb of the day losing another 50 seconds on Froome. Perhaps the only consolation for Nibali was that Jakob Fuglsand, who was reported to be Astana's new team leader to replace Nibali, lost even more time and is now 7.47 behind Chris Froome and in 11th place. 

In the intermediate sprint Peter Sagan regained the Green Jersey and now leads André Griepel by 7 points. 

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Stage 12: Lammezan to Plateau de Beille 195 kms

Today's last brutal stage in the Pyrénées could well see a change to the General Classification. It ends with the HC climb to Plâteau de Beille. The intermediate sprint comes at only 20 kilometres. Will this be a chance for André Griepel to grab back some points from Peter Sagan. 

This stage is a chance for Nairo Quintana, Tejay Van Garderen, Alberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde to put pressure on Sky and Chris Froome and take some time back. 

It is going to be very hot today – 34-38˚C making the stage even more difficult.  

Lisbon: Tram 28 great attraction for tourists but pickpockets too!

 The famous Tram 28

 Happy visitors enjoying the sights 

Riding Tram 28, that runs through the centre of the city, is one of the musts for visitors to Lisbon. It's a great tourist attraction. Unfortunately it is also a great attraction for pickpockets, especially as the trams can get very crowded.

In just a few minutes a great holiday can turn into a nightmare with money, credit cards and passport and ID cards etc. all gone – stolen skilled, sleight at hand pickpockets. 

As Andre Ribeirinho says: 'What is ridiculous is that they mostly operate on those tram lines. Like it's their territory. So obvious I'm surprised they are not caught more often.'

Are the police and the tram company doing enough to catch these groups of pickpockets? Having tourists robbed harms the reputation of Lisbon, which is otherwise such a great city.  

Do be on your guard when on Tram 28. The new tram 15 is also notorious. 

#TDF2015: Chris Froome dominates his rivals

 Top 21 finshers on Stage 10 – from Froome to Nibali – 4.25 down.

Overall after Stage 10: comfort zone Froome for the moment

With his attack 6.3 kilometres from the finish, Chris Froome crushed his remaining rivals on the first mountain stage of this year's Tour. As suspected the climb to La Pierre-Saint-Martin found out a huge number of the riders who had difficulty adjusting from riding on the relative flat for nine days to riding up a steep climb. 

After Moviestar team failed to break Chris Froome and Sky on the lower slopes, Sky – Geraint Thomas, Richie Porte and Chris Froome – took over forcing the pace, which dropped all of their opponents apart from Nairo Quintana. When Froome attacked Quintana had no response and finished 1.04 down overtaken close to the line by Richie Porte. 

Froome's other leading rivals lost even more time –  Alejandro Valverde (2.01), Tejay Van Garderen (2.30), Alberto Contador (2.51), Bauke Mollema (4.09) and Vincenzo Nibali, who was dropped early on, came in 4.25 down. 

As well as Sky's Richie Porte (59") and Geraint Thomas (2.01), there were good rides from Robert Gesink (1.33) Adam Yates (2.04), Pierre Rolland (2.04), Tony Gallopin (2.22) and Warren Barguil (3.19) despite a nasty crash earlier on in the stage. It was another horrible day for Thibaut Pinot, who was dropped very early and came in 10.03 down. It was wasn't a lot better for another young French hope – Romain Bardet who lost 8.50. 

All of Froome's leading rivals appeared to have heavy legs – even the normally impressive Quintana lacked zip.

Although the Tour is far from over Chris Froome has a very comfortable lead. He has 2.52 on Van Garderen (2nd), Quintana (3.09 – 3rd), Valverde (4.01 - 4th), Contador (4.01 - 6th) and Vincenzo Nibali (6.57 – 10th). Chris' fellow Sky rider Geraint Thomas is 5th at 4.03 down.  

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Stage 11: Pau to Cauterets: 188 kms

 

 

If yesterday's stage was tough today's is even tougher with six categorised climbs including the Col d'Aspin (1st) and the Tourmalet (HC). Will Froome again take time on his rivals or can they surprise him and Sky – perhaps with an attack on the long descent from the Tourmalet ? Will Sky allow a breakway to make it all the way? Will Nibali lose yet more time?

The intermediate sprint is at 56.5 kms so all the sprinters should still be in and they may try to prevent a breakaway succeeding before this sprint. In yesterday's sprint André Griepel took back the Green Jersey from Peter Sagan.