Britannia Rule the Champs Élysées Tour de France 2012

Your 2012 Champion

Well the script for this tour didn't have any twists in the tail. With a little over 10km to go there was a group of three with a 20 seconds lead over the peleton, but slowly but surely they got pulled back. At times Chris Froome the man who is second in the GC was leading the peleton to pull it back. As we crossed by the finish line on the other side of the Champs Élysées they were captured and Team Sky were riding back at the front of this Tour.

Under the tunnel it was Saxo-Bank who lead for the last time but just behind them was the Maillot Jaune, followed by the Norwegian Champion and World Champion. Out of the tunnel and take Norway Corner into Rue de Rivoli then something unusual if not unique happened the Maillot Jaune hit the front with a km to go. He led all the way into the Place de la Concorde until the left hand bend. With a flick of his elbow it was over to Edvald Boasson Hagen who powered on to the right hander entering the Champs Elysées. No sooner were they on it today that there was a missile launch.

The Manx Missile zoomed off down the cobbles almost before anyone else had taken the corner. The rest of the world top sprinters tried to catch up but for the fourth year in a row once the Missile was launched there was no abort and no mistake and nobody even got within a bike length. He crossed the line in the Rainbow Jersey ahead of the Green Jersey in second and Matt Goss with yet another top three finish but without a win.

So we have a British winner of the stage lead out by the British winner of the Tour. Britain won one in three of the stages in this year's Tour taking another record, beating the 6 of 2009. Athough unlike then when they were all won by one man, Cavendish, this time Cav took 3, Wiggins both Time Trials, Froome one mountain stage and David Millar in one break away.

Lesley Garrett sang the national anthem in what looked like one of her last night of the Proms dresses. Then all that was left was for Bradley to draw the raffle numbers from the winners podium and wish all the fans a safe journey home and not to get too drunk. Yeah it was a winners acceptance speech that only a Brit and probably only Brad could make. But as he said some dreams do come true and now his old mum's son has won the Tour de France.

What a Tour! What a result for Britain!

We now have a short intermission before many of these guys leave from The Mall to head over Box Hill again and again before returning to The Mall for the first Gold Medal of London 2012.

Will the man who won this Sunday be doing the same off the Victoria Monument next Saturday?

Stay tuned.

Just for the record



General Classification

1 Bradley Wiggins Sky ProCycling 87 hr 34' 47"
2 Chris Froome Sky ProCycling +3'21"
3 Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas-Cannondale +6'19"

Best Young Rider

1. Tejay van Garderen BMC Racing Team 87hr 45' 51" (5th overall)
2. Thibaut Pinot FDJ-BigMat +6'13" (10th Overall)

Points Classification

1. Peter Sagan Liquigas-Cannondale 421pts
2. André Greipel Lotto-Belisol 280
3. Matthew Goss Orica-GreenEDGE 268
4. Mark Cavendish Sky ProCycling 220


King of the Mountains

1. Thomas Voeckler Team Europcar 135pts
2. Fredrik Kessiakoff Astana Pro Team 123

Best Team

1. Radioshack-Nissan 263hr 12' 01"
2. Sky ProCycling +5'54"
3. BMC Racing Team +36'36"

Super Combative Rider



Chris Anke Sorensen Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank

Tour de France 2012: Stage 20 Rambouillet to Champs Élysées, Paris

Is it really that time of year again that me and Nick Barlow (amongst others) give you our last look at what lies in the day ahead on the road of France (an any other country) as part of the Tour de France.

First up let's short out what happened yesterday.

The man the Dutch call the "Banana with sideburns" showed why he is the man who have spent 7 days in yellow in Paris-Nice, five in the Tour of Romandie, seven in the Critérium du Dauphiné and now 13 days in Le Tour. Let us not forget he was a rather unripe banana on the second day of this year's tour. He opened more time on everyone, even his own team mate who once again in the Time Trials came second. I suspect that these two now will go into the Olympics and after helping try and secure Mark Cavendish his gold will be going head to head with Fabian Cancellera and Tony Martin amongst others to try and lift the other men's road cycling gold on the course over many roads I have ridden a bike on around Hampton Court.

In the end Vincenzo Nibali lost more time to end up 6'19" behind Wiggo overall. Froome ended up with a Dusty Bin time of 3'21" behind his team mate. With Richie Porte coming fifth  yesterday Sky managed to half the gap between themselves and Radioshack-Nissan in the team race. But it was because they were using all their men to keep the pace high until just Froome was left with Wiggins that they despite domination of the race failed to secure the team prize, which if the aggregate of each teams best 3 riders each day.

Today's final stage is usually only a ceremonial roll into Paris until the race hits the most famous Boulevard in road race cycling. The only things for certain are that the four wearers of the jerseys will be toasted with champagne. Laterne Rouge Saur- Sojasun rider Jimmy Engoulvent who is 3 hours 57 minutes slower than Wiggins will be given a red lamp to carry for the press and Wiggins with the World Champion, Nowegian Champion and other 5 remaining team mates will lead the race briefly at the start of the circuits of the Champs Élysées.

Even though the tour organisers decided to try and spice things up with two Category 4 climbs. Just in case that competition were tight heading towards Paris. As it isn't maybe the race will let Thomas Voeckler take both of those in the Polka Dot King of the Mountain Jersey, or maybe he will share the honours with Fredrik Kessiakoff with him he had a tough battle in the Pyrénées. So maybe expect the peleton to give them a point each. With not much contest, the other riding as the escort on the Côte de Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse and shortly afterward the Côte de Châteaufort.

As always on the last day the intermediate sprint will occur on the third crossing of the line of the Champs Élysées. Last year it was contested as Mark Cavendish's Green Jersey was still in play. This year the peleton may well have already let a few riders get a little up the road. So they will be working to stay away and there will probably be no sprint.


Tejay van Garderen is safe in the other Jersey for best Young Rider and I fully expect to see him as leader of the BMC team when the race starts next year, maybe with Cadel Evans helping him as a super domestique.


What everyone will want to know however is can Mark Cavendish do it again. Yesterday for Cav is all about being number 1, but not in stage winning, he finished the stage in 1 hr 11 mins 11 seconds. He wants to see just one number 1 next to his name today and that is a the front rather than afterwards. 

He has never lost on the last day of the Tour de France. He is already the only man to have won this famous stage three years in succession and the way he rode into Brive la Gaillarde on Friday it would be very rare to see anyone bet against him, especially as both the top two in the GC have already vowed to help lead him into prime position off the Place de la Concorde that last time into that straight that he owns. If he does it will be the seventh win by a Brit in this year's Tour from four different riders (or 1/3 of all the finishes) breaking the record of 2009 when all six were won by Cav.

Can André Greipel or Matt Goss spoil the party? Looking at the difference between the three of them on Friday and how Mark has won here in the past I'd say it looks unlikely, but you can never know.


Here is how he won in 2009, when a Brit for only the second time raced to 4th place, tomorrow that Brit should also be breaking records as he rides in for yellow.

In 2010 after Mark Renshow had been kicked off the Tour he did it himself. And rather like on Friday he left the rest of the sprinters for dead with an attack from a long way out.

Then last year when even despite having the luxury of two of his team in front of him off the last bend it has been the closest so far, because it was into a head wind.

Tour de France 2012: Stage 19 Bonneval to Chartres

For almost three weeks of this Tour, since stage there has been one man whose name has been on the tip of cycling fans lips just waiting to get out. A sprinter. A world champion. A phenomenal force in the Tour de France.

Here is a picture of him in action crossing the line well ahead of the rest of the field.

The man's name is André Darrigade and he is an 83 year old, French, former sprint cyclist. He was born in Narrosse which is 355km from the end of yesterday's 235km stage finish and was the sort of length that he was accustomed to riding in a day on the Tour de France.

The reason he was on the tips of everyone's tongue was because he held a certain record. The most stage wins by a sprinter in the Tour, set between 1953 and 1964. Yesterday after a 16 stage drought, which for him is a record itself, Mark Cavendish finally crossed the line in first again. There had been a break up the road that had finally been pulled back in the last km, but two of the counter attack Luis Leon Sanchez and Nicolas Roche had looked like they might just stay away. But the power and sheer speed of the Manx Missile destroyed everyone. Matt Goss did come in second but several bike lengths down just edging out Peter Sagan, Sanchez and Roche, the last two having free wheeled from when they fought the sprint had enveloped them. The fact was it was only one rider and if they had pedaled on they would have come second and third.

The last three in Cav's lead out today were Chris Froome, Bradley Wiggins and Edvald Boasson Hagen, who had been in the breakaway but stayed with it to take the Manxman to the 600-500m to go. The distance with which he beat his rival ranks up there with the 2009 finish on the Champs-Élysées when his own lead out man Mark Renshaw had coasted in for second. But the way with which he did it is certainly one of his best solo efforts from so far out. He seemed to catch the other sprinters with lead lined legs when he opened up the sprint first in pursuit of the front two, and then in pursuit of a little bit of history in equaling Darrigade's record for a sprinter.

There is also the small matter that his 22 stage wins now also equals Lance Armstrong. Cavendish will have to wait at least until nest year to equal the next most winning rider André Leducq who took 25 stages in a career that saw him winning the Tour in 1930 and 32.

Today's stage of 53.5km is a flat time trial stage, but a long time trial at the end of a Tour of such intensity may have untold effects on the legs of riders.

That being said the way Bradley Wiggins pulled in the final remnants of the day's breakaway yesterday would suggest that he still has the legs. He'll start the day as favourite to give Britain its sixth stage win of this Tour, putting us back ahead of the French. With Fabian Cancellera and Tony Martin both out of the Tour, the only person who may challenge him for the stage win would appear to be Chris Froome who came second in this year's other long time trial to Besançon. We shall know by the first time check at 14km if anyone else is anywhere close.

Today's stage as well as being on ITV4 where you would expect to see it is also simulcasting on ITV1, the same applies to tomorrow's finish in Paris.

Yesterday another jersey's final destination was finally put beyond doubt when Peter Sagan crossed the line in third place. His lead in the Green points leaders jersey is now unassailable so along with Thomas Voeckler as King of Mountains nothing can change there.

Tour de France 2012 Stage 7: Tomblaine to La Planche des Belles Filles

Carnage once again on the roads

So yesterday saw another flat stage and another that saw a crash that decimated the main field. Unlike the majority of them in recent days it did happen well outside the 3km point but close enough to the finish at about 25km that the peleton was in full pursuit of the breakaway that real time gaps opened out.

According to Tweets by Mark Cavendish bikes were flying around him during the crash. But probably because the support vehicles couldn't get around it a puncture just after it meant he had to cycle for 3km with a flat tyre, meaning that for a second time this week he was present for the sprint at the line. According to fellow Brit David Millar it is "the worse crash I've been involved in," leaving his Garmin-Sharp team leader the Giro d'Italia leader Ryder Hesjedal, who did manage to finish 13'24" down, so beaten up that he is a doubtful starter today. Also on that team Tom Danielson abandoned and Johann van Summeran couldn't hold on to the autobus and trailed in last in 16'12".

Other abandons on the road were Wouter Poels (VCD), who was a was he wasn't he on race radio, Davide Vigano (LAM) and Mikel Astarloza (EUS). Update it has been announced this morning that Hesjedal will not start. Also Robbie Hunter (Radioshack-Nissan), Hubert DuPong (AG2R-La Mondiale) and Maarten Wynants (Rabobank). Hunter had stress fractures to vertebrae and Wynants a punctured lung! Anthony Delaplace (Saur-Sojason) started today's stage but withdrew within the first 50km of today's racing.



At the line Peter Sagan did take the honours for the third time already this Tour, but André Greipel managed second after sufferering a dislocated shoulder in a crash earlier at 35km into the day, before crashing again at 50km. There was a time gap after the first 9 to the line which meant some of the GC contenders did lose 4 seconds on the day, but the gap for Cadel Evans (BMC), Bradley Wiggins (SKY), Denis Menchov (KAT) and Vincenzo Nibali (LIQ) was nothing compared to:

• Michele Scarponi (LAM) 2'09"
• Janez Brajkovic (AST) 2'09"
• Frank Schleck (RSN) 2'09"
• Jean-Christophe Pernaud (AGM) 2'09"
• Alejandro Valverde (MOV) 2'09"
• Robert Gesink (RAB) 3'31"
• Sandy Casar (FDJ) 5'11"
• Thomas Voeckler (EUR) 6'02"
• Lieuwe Westra (VCD) 13'24"

With so many walking wounded at the end of the day it will be interesting to see if there are any others who do not start today's stage, the field has already been reduced to 190 riders.

Today's stage may well see the polka dot jersey ripped off the shoulders of Michael Morkov (STB) because we are going up hill, and finish on a first category climb to the ski station of La Planche des Belles Filles. The climb is new to the Tour and here is a brief preview of what today holds.

With so many of the GC riders caught up in the crash yesterday the final climb may well be a true test for some of the knocks they may have received yesterday and those that have so far stayed on their bikes and merely been held up in crashes or Evans who has appeared immune thus far may well be able to press for some advantage this afternoon.

The intermediate sprint comes  Gérardmer 103.5km into today's stage which is before the going gets too tough for the sprinters, even though they have been climb. But immediately after that at 112km comes the first to today's two category 3 climbs the Col de Grosse Pierre which is 3.1km long with an average gradient of 6.4%. At 150.5km there is an identikit profile to Col du Mont de Fourche, only it has a lower altitude. 

Which leads into the first of the big mountains of Le Tour and with a kick at the end and 20 climbing points on offer the winner will pull on the Polka Dots at the end of the day. But the profile of 5.9km and an average gradient of 8.5 doesn't tell you everything. there are four parts in excess of 10% and even getting towards 22% in part. If will really be sorting out the climbers and serious GC contenders today. The yellow jersey should even change wearer, but who will be pulling it on. Wiggins can afford to sit and watch as others eek out a small advantage, or if he is ready to dominate he may well stay with them all to the end or even try and open a few seconds.  Cadel Evans is just 10 seconds back but there are other climbers who are further down the GC by a few seconds who are not long term threats who may be allowed to go while the leaders watch each other.


We shall have to see what today brings.

Tour de France 2012: Stage 6 Épernay to Metz

So yesterday there was another crash inside the 3km banner. This time is was Tyler Farrar (GAR) who brought down several other riders including the leader in the points classification Peter Sagan (LIQ). The peleton had yet to capture all of the 4 man breakaway at this point who had left something in reserve for the final km and had made the capture difficult.

Difficult though not impossible, especially with the Sky train working to keep Bradley Wiggins safe on one side of the road, the BMC train on the other working for the same purpose for Cadel Evans plus other chains such as Lampré, Argos and Orica-Greenedge all working to bring it back for their sprinters.

 The crash meant that Sagan missed out to all his main rivals André Greiple (GER) took his second stage in a row, Matt Goss (OGE)  took another second, Juan José Haedo (ARG) third and after his lead out train leaving him with just Edvald Boasson Hagen over 1km from the finish and in second Mark Cavendish did salvage 4th having returned back to the front after slipping back down. It was Cavenndish who had taken most points available at the intermediate once again, from Mr Second Goss, Mark Renshaw (RAB) and Sagan. Overall the Green Jersey contest (the only one to change yesterday looks like this:

• Peter Sagan 155pts
• Matt Goss 137
• André Greipel 132
• Mark Cavendish 119
• Allesandro Pettacchi LAM 91

With another supposed sprinters stage today at the end of 207.5km of racing and the 45 points on offer plus whatever they can salvage in intermediate expect the sprinter to be scrapping it out again.

First up for them is the intermediate sprint at Saint-Mihiel 135km into the stage. We've seen already that it seems hard to beat Cavendish to these, he may only pick up a signle point advantage over his nearest rivals but with Goss and Renshaw taking the two places behind him and possibly others it means that Sagan will lose a few points here once again.

We do have one climb today just 10km after the sprint at Côte de Buxières so the signle point will go to whichever member of the breakaway wants it. But it is only 2.2 km long with a gradient of 3.8% so it is only a category four. After resting a day will King of the Mountains Michael Morkov (STB) find himself out in front again? With just a single point on offer I would doubt it.

That leaves us with the final km and as we have seen already it isn't just on the corners that crashes can happen. With so many teams looking to get their man the win either to help in the green jersey of to take that illusive first stage win wheels may collide. One sprinter who will take no further part in this tour is Marcel Kittel of Argos who was was at or off the back for most of the Tour so far, so for whatever reason he was struggling. He withdrew yesterday bringing the number of riders left down to 194.

Tour de France: Stage 5 Rouen to Saint-Quentin

 When you are  hurtling along at 70km/h on a wide straight piece of road in the bunch of sprinters the last thing you need is come across a water bottle. Yet apparently this is what led to the domino affect that brought Robbie Hunter down in the South African champion's jersey and just behind him as circled the rainbow jersey of Mark Cavendish had nowhere to go. He hit the ground and emerged covered in dirt but with a shattered helmet and ripped left shoulder on this jersey and skin.

The ensuing chaos meant that a group of only 12 riders hit the line together with smaller pockets of riders coming along behind. Lotto-Belisol had the perfect lead out for their man André Greipel, ahead of Alessandro Petacchi (LAM), Tom Veelers (ARG), Matt Goss (OGE) and Peter Sagan (LIQ).

But because the crash happened at 2.6km from the finish everyone who was in the pack was thankful to be given the same time so there was no change in the Overall General Classification.

But it meant that all the hard work that Cavendish had put in down the road at Fécamp taking 4th place in the intermediate sprint behind the three riders in the break away was more than wiped out as his main rivals for the Green Jersey Griepel and Goss leapfrogged him in that competition on the line with Sagan increasing his lead.

Today's stage is 196km of flat racing from Rouen to Saint-Quentin. As usual the day after he crashes I expect Mark Cavendish to be bullish and up to make amends. The intermediate sprint at Breteuil is 109km into the stage. Cavendish has taken the last two of these. If he is up for racing this one we will know that he still has designs on green knowing that anything can happen to any of his opponents between here and Paris. If he doesn't contest it he may no longer be looking for Green but he'll know that one more win and he will equal Lance Armstong for stage wins in the Tour but more importantly for a sprinter it will equal André Darrigade, the French sprinter who between 1953 and 1964 won 22 stages in Le Tour. When Darrigade was World Champion in the 1960 Tour his only stage win was on stage 5 so maybe a little poetry of history will see his record equaled today.

Tour de France 2012: Stage 3 Orchies to Boulonge-sur-Mer

Today Le Tour finally enters France, but what f our last day in Belgium.

Had Mark Cavendish lost too much speed because of the weight lose to make him more able to get over hills? With his team concentrating on yellow would he be able to win sprints as there will be no train?

Well yesterday I was standing in front of my TV for the last 3 km , not following what Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin were telling me watch but keeping a track on the yellow helmet and rainbow jersey. For a change in a bunch sprint the combination made it easier to spot Cav. He was surfing off various wheels not one of which was his own team mates. At times he was following Mark Renshaw (RAB), habits are hard to break, then he got on the wheel of Oscar Freire (KAT) then when it mattered he found himself third wheel on the back of André Greipel (LOT) and his lead out man. Then he pounced just when it matter to take his 21st stage in the Tour de France and to move him into second in the Maillot Vert Green Jersey competition behind Peter Sagan (LIQ) who trailed in 6th. It was a 1-2-3 of former HTC riders though with Matt Goss (ORG) coming in behind Greipel.

Of course Cav was a top sprinter before he was given a lead out train, that was just a tool to help him win more and more easily. Yesterday he showed all the skills he learnt as a track scratch and Madison racer to get to the line just at the right time and in the right place leading for all of 1m of a 207500 metre race.

So the King is not dead, at least not yet. Though he is likely to be slumbering at least after Senlecques today. That at 119 km into the race is today's intermediate sprint but it comes before the tough last 67 km. Starting with the high point of the day at 193m above sea level Côte de L'Eperche (Cat 4) at 132 km, we then have the Côte de Mont Violette (Cat 3) at 163.5km. Then the last 16km of hell Côte de Herquelingue (Cat 4) at 181km, Côte de Quéhen (Cat 4) at 185km, Côte de Mont Lambert (Cat3) at 190.5km then the Category 4 climb to the finish at 197km to Boulogne-sur-Mer. One added element as we twist this way and that towards the sea will be the wind. This may well be a factor which breaks up any pack as much as the climbs and descents so contenders will have to be aware and stick near the front all the time.

So it is a tough stage today and not one for the mass sprint finish. We will see if Sagan can manage to keep up over the category 3 Côte de Mont Lambert before trying to repeat his stage win from Seraing. Also from that stage Phillippe Gilbert (BMC)  led the main group of 45 almost up to the bolting three riders. He may well want to launch his own attack this time to ensure he has his own win. But when he launched his attack to take his stage last year it was to counter his new team mate Fabian Cancellera so we shall see what those guys do in the finish today. We've seen that the legs of both Cadel Evans and Bradley Wiggin have been able to keep with almost anything that has be put to them on the uphill finishes so far.

Tour de France 2012: The Teams - Sky Pro Cycling

It is that time of year once again that the 21 teams in the Tour de France will be naming their nine man squads for the Tour de France which starts on Saturday.

So lets start with the team that will be hoping to see the world champions rainbow jersey replaced by the maillot vert (green jersey) as well as hoping to see the maillot jaune (yellow jersey) in their midst on the Champs-Élysées. But there is an home Olympics ahead for the British Team's big stars and one Geraint Thomas will be doing laps of a velodrome instead of the roads of France to prepare to defend his Olympic title.



Bradley Wiggins already this year he has won Paris-Nice, the Tour de Romandie as well as defending the Critérium du Dauphiné. He is in form over these week long Tours and Sky seem to have the team to help Brad both on the flat and in the Mountains. After crashing out last year he came third in the Vuelta a España his first Grand Tour podium. He is seriously being talked of as a contender again this year to go further than his 4th place finish in 2009.

Mark Cavendish will start the Tour wearing the World Champion's rainbow jersey. He moved to Sky at the start of the year after his former dominant team HTC-Columbia ceased to exist. He finally took the Green Jersey in last year's tour after 5 more stage wins and an unprecedented third win on the trot on the Champs-Élysées. With the Olympic Road Race coming only 6 days after Paris a target it is yet to be seen how much Cav puts into this year's Tour.


Edvald Boasson Hagen last year he was often contending with Cav for the sprints he actually took two stages last year. But this year his role has been to replace Mark Renshaw as the man who launches the Manx Missile to the line. In some of the tougher finishes he may be Sky's go to man if Cavendish is not going for line honours simply to stop people like Philippe Gilbert gaining points over Cav, but he will be at the front with about 600m to go ready to take the World Champion into his final sprints.


Bernhard Eisel has moved with Cavendish from HTC last year. Bernie will be ever present with Cav helping him through the mountains but also staying beside him in the peleton as the race trundles along before being a key component of the lead out train.


Chris Froome the Kenyan born Brit was actually ahead of Brad in last year's Vuelta a España coming in second. But as he proved there he is an able lieutenant in the Mountains as he was in the Tour de Romandie. Last year he was also one of the engines in the train that Great Britain used to control the peleton in the World Championships to deliver the rainbow jersey for Cav.



Richie Porte from Australia has a palmarès to his name this year winning the Volto ao Algarve but like Froome he is there to help Bradley control events in the mountains. He was best young rider in the 2010 Giro d'Italia.
 


Michael Rogers has been world Time Trial champion three times in 2003, 2004 and 2005. But he has also long been a mountain support in 2003 he helped Richard Virenque to his six polka dot jersey. He had periods leading T-Mobile and HTC coming as high as 9th in the Tour in 2006. But his role like Froome and Porte is to get Wiggins through the mountains.


Christian Knees was the 2010 German Road Race Champion but his role in the tour is a domestique and wingman on the flat stages.


Kanstantsin Siutsou has been Belarus road and time trial champion. He finished 10th in last years Giro with Team Highroad but is another engine for the flat stages of the Tour.

Giro d'Italia Stage 18

With Joaquin Rodriguez winning the stage into Cortina d'Ampezzo yesterday Mark Cavendish is still in the maglia rossa (red jersey), just by one slim point over the wearer of the maglia rosa (pink jersey) there is one flat stage left and two on the mountains. So that crash caused by Ferrari may well prove vital in deciding where this jersey goes.

Today is the last flat stage before the final Time Trail into Milan on Sunday, indeed if anything it is downhill most of the way as we finish 900m further down than we start. There is just one thing that Mark has to do today to keep hold of that jersey at least for one more day, stay upright and win points. There is just 149 km of racing today from San Vito di Cadore to Vedelago. The last 5 km of straight and flat with no major bends on the run in. Sky will have to deliver Cavendish to the front at the right time, there are less printers around now, but they will need to keep him save from the number of have-a-go wannabes, who may not be used to going wheel to wheel in such a finish.

The one thing in Marks favour is that there are 29 points for the line in a flat stage opposed to 25 on a mountain. A win today would extend the lead to 30 points. It would mean that Rodriguez point opportunities are down to 25, 20, 16, 14, 12, 10 etc for the last two days in the mountains when others will want and have to take it out of him. Whether he marks his rivals or goes off after minor riders who can climb will determine the points competition.

But first Mark Cavendish has to win to make it exciting.

Giro d'Italia Stage 6

Mark Cavendish holding daughter Delilah on the winners podium yesterday

Yesterday Mark Cavendish resumed his place on the podium as he won the sprint against Matt Goss. He took his place there for the first time in his 80 professional wins with his daughter one-month old Delilah in his arms. But I don't expect to see Mark up there as stage winner today.

The reason quite simply is that the tour goes uphill. Not massively so, but enough that expect to see all the sprinters in a Gruppeto at the back of the field.

There are three category three climbs and one category two, plus a lot of uncategorised lumps in the road all along its course. This is not sprinters' territory but also it shouldn't really lose any of the GC contenders the race unless they really are not on form.

The start at Urbino is inland from the finish yesterday at Fano where Sky led out Mark Cavendish so perfectly that when Goss tried to accelerate to get around and beat him the Manx Rocket just had to put his own foot down and race for the line. But unlike yesterday's largely straight and for the start level route, today the race will climb a total of 13 times. The hardest of these is the 8km climb up the Passo Della Cappella.

There does follow 46 km of downhill or flat valley roads before the second of the category three climbs so there is an outside chance that some of the sprinters may get back on, but with six more lumps in the road two of them category three it would depend how much was taken out of the legs to get back, I suspect that there will be no way that the sprinters will be in a fit state once they reach the top of the last bump 12 km from the finish to be thinking of contesting a sprint finish. Although maybe some of them will surprise us.

Giro d'Italia Stage 5

After yesterday's team trial which saw Taylor Phinney, then in the Maglia Rosa (pink jersey) take an excursion off course through some long grass and saw all three of the men most closely affected or involved in Monday's crash start. We have probably the most straight route I recall for any road stage of a Grand Tour.

From the start at historic Roman colony of Modena we go straight and flat to Rimini on the coast. Then following the coast around to Fano for the stage finish there few bumps in the road, but only one warrants a category four rating.

The final 10km are flat and straight leading into the finish itself. So expect another sprinters finish.

I would say without any bends in the final few kms this should be an uneventful run in but after Monday and the crash on the straight I won't be so bold. What I do hope is that the sprinters do race a fair sprint and keep largely to their sprinting line. Because although Fano is mentioned in Dante's Inferno I want all the fire to merely be in the explosive finish and not a hail of angry words, tweets, press interviews after the event.

So as Lithuanian cyclist Ramanus Navardauskas wears the Maglia Rosa there is added incentive for team Garmin-Baracuda sprinter Tyler Farrar to win today. The time bonuses would lift him into the leader's jersey, but I expect that both Mark Cavendish (SKY) and Matt Goss (OGE) will have something to say about him taking the maximum time bonus when it comes down to it.

Leaders both crash and one is out #Giro #GirodItalia

Just 125m from the end of stage three of the Giro d'Italia today there was a massive crash that lead to both the pink and red jersey's hitting the deck hard. It was the second stage in a row that saw a crash in the final stages and some of those affected in that crash, especially Dennis van Winden (RAB), were struggling today covered in gauze.

As the sprint was opening up Mark Cavendish (SKY) was riding fifth wheel with Matt Goss (OGE) at the front. But he had gone for space on the right and a gap developed behind the leading three. Roberto Ferrari (AND) whipped across the road. Despite his best instincts and efforts to try and avoid his rear wheel at that speed Cavendish was clipped by the erratic move and crashed down right in the middle of the road. A following rider, Arnoud Demare (FDJ), just avoiding hitting him in the head, another unable to avoid crashing into this hip and going over the top, and the domino effect carried on.

Picture via Eurosport

Another casualty of the crash however, was the winner of the opening time trial and the proud wearer of the maglia rosa (pink jersey) Taylor Phinney (BMC). He had been riding near the head of the race to keep out of trouble but unfortunately he crashed into the barriers on the right hand side and appears to have broken his right ankle and in the most unfortunate of circumstances failed to have crossed the line under his own steam.



While Cavendish got up to carry his broken bike over the finish line the race leader made a sorry sight crossing it in the back of an ambulance for a DNF mere metres from the line. Geraint Thomas (SKY) will have inherited the maglia rosa in the most unfortunate of circumstances.

Roberto Ferrari will almost certainly be relegated to last spot in this race for causing the incident, if not a greater sanction. While Matt Goss goes one better than yesterday to secure Orica GreenEdge their first win the Giro as well a securing the Red Jersey which hung in tatters around the shoulders of the previous days winner as he walked over the line.

Update it appears that Phinney did manage to cross the line himself but his injuries mean he will not be riding after the rest day tomorrow. So Wednesday's race will probably not contain the maglia rosa as is tradition for a fallen leader.

Update 2 As I called it Ferrari has been relegated from crossing the line 10th to last man.

Update 3 Mark Cavendish has since pointed out that other riders, including himself and his lead out with HTC over the last few years Mark Renshaw  have been kicked out of races for far less than this sudden swerve and attempted hook of a faster finisher. However, with Ferrari being an Italian racer on an Italian team is is possible that no further sanction than relegation to 192nd on the stage may occur.

Giro d'Italia Stage 3

It is our final day in Denmark but already this is a good Giro for team Sky. Geraint Thomas is still second in the overall classification thanks to his finish in the individual time trail around Herning.

Then yesterday the man who is second in the race helped the world champion to yet another win here in Denmark, the country where Cavendish won the rainbow strips.  The two of them were well up at the front, riding fifth and sixth wheels, ahead of a crash going into the finishing straight that caused a split in the peleton but because of the last km rule, no lose of time. Thomas himself wearing the red jersey for points leader finished 11th, before relinquishing his temporary custodianship of the points jersey to the man he hopes will still be wearing it in Milan.

Today we head to the east coast of the Danish mainland for a figure of eight circuit around the city of Horsens before three criterium loops around the city itself potentially setting up another sprint finish that Sky will want to consolidate they very good weekend in Denmark.

With the 20 second bonus for the stage win yesterday Cavendish is up to 12th in the overall classification only 18 seconds behind his team mate in 2nd place so another 20 second bonus today on the line would actually lift him up to 2nd overall, although of course with the mountains still to come Cavendish is only focussing on the red jersey for this tour.

Thomas because of his 2nd and 11th place finishes is actually second in the point classification at the moment.

The question already being asked by La Gazzetta dello Sport is can any other sprinter deny Cavendish.

Giro d'Italia 2012 Stage 2

Today the Giro d'Italia will run along Denmark's North Sea coast as it goes from the town of yesterday's time trial, out to the coast, then north to Lemwig, then south again through Hostelbro to Herning once again.

While it is a flat stage there is the potential for the cross winds off the North Sea to cause a split in the race. But even the inland run back to Herning offers little protection to the potential of wind. But if Sky can protect Mark Cavendish he is likely to be able of winning his 8th stage (sixth individually) in the Giro.

This is a sprinters stage so after the struggles he had to get a sprint finish in the Tour de Romandie expect Mark Cavendish to chomping at the bit to get a win under his belt in the rainbow jersey, which he's hoping you will not see again until the start of the Tour de France as he attempts to win the sprinters jersey in this Grand Tour to go with the one he won in Paris last July.

Well the important one out of three ain't bad

The evening that Gary Lineker announced the 10 nominees I stuck my neck out and made my predictions.

3 Rory McIlroy

2 Alastair Cook

1 Mark Cavendish

So I may have got the runners up wrong but at least I was right about the British public for a change.

As for what I said about the runners up. I ruled out Darren Clarke making the top three as he wasn't the best golfer on the list, but like in 2006 he was the runner up on a purely emotional vote. I knew that Mo Farah would score highest of the two athletes, but I was expecting the hero of the Ashes to be battling with Cav for the top spot. From the cheers in the studio at the start of the evening I thought that was definitely the case.

Thankfully it wasn't and Cav won. He started as he always starts a winning interview appearing to be shy. But soon got stuck in thanking the teams that help make him great who look after him and get him towards the line where he then sprints for the line.

Surprisingly considering the success of British cycling in recent years the Manx Missile is only the third British cyclist to win BBC's Sports Personality of the Year following our other road race world Champion Tommy Simpson in 1965 and Sir Chris Hoy in 2008.

However, Cav did point out that the success of British cycling is leading to more people taking to two wheels more often:

"Now I see so many people out riding bikes, commuting to work or doing it as a hobby, they can see what it's like to ride."

Sadly it comes in the year that the first cyclist to be killed on the roads of London had in the past been part of the Sports Personality of the Year shows. Gary Mason the boxer was a name I think was missing from the sports people who had lost their lives this year in the tribute just before the final award.

End of the High Road but top of the World

Team HTC-High Road may be extinct at the end of this season. But the podium in their final year at the World Road Race Championships ending with three sprinters who have worn their colours on the podium.

André Griepel of course had to go elsewhere, to Omega Phrama Lotto, to get out of the shadow of Mark Cavendish. Matt Goss was happy to stay and help or take the honours when he could. So the three of them were a mark of just how strong the High Road set up has been down the years.

But the other mark of today was how the GB pulled together. Chris Froome, 2nd in the Vuelta a España, Bradley Wiggins who was second in the Time Trail earlier in the week, David Millar who had to return his world Time Trial silver after a doping positive. Geraint Thomas an Olympic Pursuit Champion, plus Ian Stannard, Steve Cummings and Jeremy Hunt. All of these guys sacrificed themselves for most of the afternoon to bring their one man to the line. But also all the British cyclists through the seasons gaining points to get the strongest national team possible here in Copenhagen.

Cavendish may have been upset when Bradley Wiggins was unable to help him win Olympic Gold in the Maddison in Beijing, after he had left his Tour de France early to go an take part. But Brad was on the front of the peleton for about 7 minutes not looking for support this afternoon, to bring the last breaks together and leaving it up to the rest of the team. He sacrificed himself 100% for his colleague, who may well be his team mate next season.

Cavendish in the first British winner of the World Professional Road Race Title since 1965. He's won it in the same year he's won his greatest desire the final Green Jersey in the Tour de France. He truly is the top of the world right now. What can next year and the 5 man Olympic team bring about.

Hola, la bienvenida a la Vuelta

Hola. ¿Qué tal?


Excuse my Spanish start to today, but I did the same early in July for the start of the last Grand Tour, and today is that start of tyhe last Grand Tour of the 2011 season. Yes today sees the start of the Vuelta a España.

There may be a BMC Team without Cadel Evans, a Schleckless Leopard-Trek, no Contador in the Saxobank Team and as for Thomas Voeckler well Europcar don't even take part. However, there are some names that are targetting the Vuelta this yearwho started in the Tour de Francee.

Sky see Bradley Wiggins, Omega Pharma Lotto have Jurgen Van Den Broeck both back in the saddle after their horrendous crashes before the Pyrenées in this year's Tour. Nicolas Roche is also there for AG2R trying to shake off that bad day he had in the Alps this July. As for the sprinters well there is Tyler Farrar (Garmin), Alessandro Petacchi (Lampré) and Tom Boonen (Quickstep) all experienced guys, but there is also the winner of the London-Surrey Cycle Classic last weekend over the Olympic Course, of course HTC's Mark Cavendish. Last year Cav wore the leader's Red Jersey for the second day, but more importantly wore the Green for longer and more importantly in Madrid at the end after winning three stages. As the current holder of two points classifications of the three Grand Tours he may well be going to defend as built up to the World Championships this September, in the Netherlands.

Today though is the individual time trail around Benidrom, so some Brits won't be lazing on the beach and one, Wiggins, may even be hoping to pull on the Red jersey at the finish.

Let the racers race #TDF Cavendish and Hushovd Stage 3

Ok so in their wisdom the director of the Tour the France have decided to dop away with three intermediate sprints on the stages and replace them with one Super Sprint.

The reason is simple often the breakaway never used to contest the sprints they just rode through, although if there were three in teh breakaway they usual tried to share the honours and the line money. Now however, there are points for the first 15 at the Intermediate sprint. The result is that there will now unless there is a big group out in front still be points on offer for the sprinters still with the peleton. One stage one with three escapees that was 13 points, today with 5 that was 10.

Now there is one important difference between a sprint on the finish line where 45 are on offer and the intermediate where a total of 20 for the top rider could be available. If a sprinter were give his all, fall off and end up bloodied and wounded, he would still be within the final 3km when this happened. he could limp in to the finish if he needed to and not face elimiation on time. What we have seen so far is that these guys are still sprinters when it comes to that intermediate sprint. Today two of the toughest came shoulder to shoulder, literally.



If you look at this Mark Renshaw has just peeled off in the second white Jersey, 5th wheel and the Yellow Jersey of Thor Hushovd then leans into Mark Cavendish on the bend. These guys were doing 60-65km/h at this point. If Cavendish where to hit a curb or gutter at that speed he would have come off. He needed room, he is worried that Hushovd would take the line of the rider in lime green ahead and force him off the road. Of course he is going to lean back to give himself space. This is a racing incident and at this point of the race a matter of self preservation. Indeed both the riders were still racing as second and third man once the last lead out man in Pink pulled off 200 metres further on down, and did not impede another racer in doing so.

Tour director of competition Jean-Francois Pescheux said:

"First of all Hushovd left his line and then Cavendish forced his way in. That’s a serious infringement. We can’t allow that.

"If we let this pass, in the sprint tomorrow there could be dozens of guys crashing and then people will be asking us 'Why didn’t you act’?"

 The question is where should Cavendish have gone if he couldn't keep the line as Hushovd had taken it. The straight line leads straight to the curb and disater. If a sprinter had come off and got badly hurt 94km from the end of the stage, it is unlikely that they would have have the cut off time, therefore ending his race.

Last year when Cavendish's lead out man Mark Renshaw was

Now there was a telling point in Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen's commentary that race Referees need to be in a sprint to experience what happens before making some of their judgement. A split second to make a decision for survival or an announcement some hours later with teh hindsight of video footage. As it was Cavendish who could have been eliminated came in first and Hushovd 6th of those sprinting from the pack, neither of them was put off by the incident, they dealt with it and got on with racing.

So you have made the race more exciting, and you are making for more agressive racing not once, but twice in a stage. So you are wanting the fearless to take their Tour in their hands at about the half way point, but not keep a line that will avoid trouble, risk a major off, a broken collarbone and a long limp home to try and get treatment to carry on.

Mind you if the rule about sprints:

2.3.036 SprintsRiders shall be strictly forbidden to deviate from the lane they selected when launching into the sprint and, in so doing, endangering others. from the UCI rules

Is going to be equally adherred to Mark Cavendish should be in 4th place on the stage look at Sébastien Hinault here, at 40 seconds in from the left, nudging into Farrar.

#TDF The Teams 6 - HTC-Highroad

Cavendish first and Renshaw second in Paris 2009

There is no surprise that this team has two objectives. One is to get Mark Cavendish to the front of as many sprints as the Manx Missile can get to, the other other is that Tony Martin places as high as possible in the General Classification so therefore the team is designed with engines to help both to their goals.

Mark Cavendish (UK) 26 This years Tour isn't that good for him. Though that shouldn't stop Cav climbing from his tie for 12th for most stage wins. He currently has 15 one less than the great Jacques Anquetil. Expect that to be matched on stage three into Redon.  He may climb into 8th equal with France's Jean Alavoine on stage five to Cap Frehél, although watch those cross winds. Stage 6 unless he has improved his performance on uphill finishes may be beyond him, but stage 7 is ideal for the Missile to be launched into Châteauroux. He'll be struggling with the mountains from then until stage 15 to Montpellier. If this produces a fourth stage win he will have matched the first non-French winner of the Tour François Faber's 19 stage wins. All that would remain then would be the Avenue that the Manxman has owned the last two years the Champs-Élysées. By the end 20 stage wins is possible, with the help of the other eight men, but Cav will have to be perfect. 5th Tour Start: best 131st (2009) Six stage wins 2009, 2nd in the Points Classification (2010)

Tony Martin (Ger) 26 Last year didn't have so good an overall Tour, but did well in the Time Trials only losing out to Fabian Cancellara. Being the same age as Andy Schleck has meant that he has also missed on on winning the best Your Rider competition in the Tour, despite holding it for a long time in 2009. He will be the teams focus when the road goes up and Cav is sitting uncomfortably in the Autobus. He won Paris-Nice this year, including winning the Individual Time Trail a feat he repeated in the Volta ao Algarve. With ITT wins also in the Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour of the Basque Country look out for him come Grenoble. But also expect him to ride in the mountains more like he did in 2009, that year he was second in the Tour de Suisse and picked up the Mountain Jersey en route. 3rd TS: best 36th 2009


Mark Renshaw (Aus) 28 The Aussie's cheif task as in every Tour recently has been to make sure that with 200 metres to go in a mass sprint that there is a little Manxman on his back wheel and a clear chance for his change to hit the line first. Renshaw was kicked off last year's Tour for a head butting incident, but his charge carried on winning stages. In 2009 he gave Cav such a good lead out up the Champs-Élysées. he'd love to do that again some day with the man in front wearing green. I don't think that will be this year however, but he is an important cog as Cav focuses in on 20 stage wins. 4th TS: best 149th (2009)

Lars Bak (Den) 31 Having been national Time Trial Champion 3 years in a row and 5th in this year's Paris-Robaix he will be using his time trialling skils largely in pursuit of the escapees on the stages that Mark Cavendish is looking to win. Tour Debut

Bernhard Eisel (Aut) 30 He is another of the big engines in the crunch stage of the Manxman's train. A sprinter in his own right but he will sacrifice his all to help establish Renshaw and Cavendish in the right point. he finshed 4th in the Green Jersey himself in 2006 but will sacrifice it all for the sprint leader of this team. 8th TS: best 108th (2006) 4th in the Points Classification

Matt Goss (Aus) 24 Another sprinter on this team who could win stages on his own if Cav isn't there. He has won the sprint jersey in this year's Tour Down Under, a stage in Paris-Nice and won Milan-San Remo. He has a first and second pllce finish in stages of last year's Giro d'Italia and came third in a stage of last year's Vuelta a España. He is making his first start, but in years to come may well move teams to take on Cav as so many other young sprinters have had to do. Debut Tour.

Danny Pate (USA) 32 New to HTC this year the one time cyclo-cross US junior champion is a power house that will do long stints at the front to chase down a breakaway so their man can take the stage win. He'll then be one of the riders to help Martin for as long as possible in the mountain passes. 3rd TS: Best 95th (2008)

Teejay van Garderen (USA) 22 The young time trialist is another guy who will sacirfice himself at the front of a pursuit to bring the race back together for their man. He came 3rd in the 2010 Critérium du Dauphiné upsetting Alberto Contador in the Prologue, coming 5th and best Young Rider in this year's Tour of California he's earnt his first start in the Tour. Tour Debut

Peter Velits (SVK) 26 His twin brother Martin has not made the HTC team for this year, but his 3rd in the Vuelta a España (2010) including winning the ITT on stage 17, means that he will be the chief supporter for Martin in the Mountains. He was the most compative rider in the 2008 Tour on the road to Alpe d'Huez, wonder if he will do the same again this year. 4th TS: best 32nd (2009)

Stage wins are the main aim and getting as good a finish for Martin as possible a secondary objective. But the site of Cavendish arms raised in triumph is big business to try and lure in potential new sponsors to this team, and it needs them before the end of the Tour to keep going.

Is Cav aiming for the Sky?

Speculation is rife ahead of the start of the Tour de France next weekend that Mark Cavendish, who is out of contract with HTC-Highroad at the end of the year, might be joining Bradley Wiggins and UK Coach Dave Brailsford on Team Sky.

When Brailsford first muted the idea of a predominently British team there where three names in the ring Wiggins, David Millar and Cavendish himself. Together these three are the top British road cyclists at the moment and each has their own strengths. While Bradley can chase the overall wins, like he did last week in the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Millar is known for his time trialling ability and is not unknown in the breakaways, but seems settled at Slipstream-Chipotle.

But of course it is Cav who will be the man that you want to propel to the front of the pack when the line approaches on a flat stage. He is the sprinter supreme, having already won fifteen stages in the last three Tours de France and seven in the Giro d'Italia. It is those addition wins that will attract sponsors, that additional coverage on race days that makes Cav the biggest catch in the cycling world at the end of this year. If Sky or anyone else wish to secure his services there will be a high price tag, and also possibly the need to acquire a lead out team to suit him, maybe even securing the services of his lead out man Mark Renshaw.

Of course all this talk at the moment is just speculation, no team or individual can say anything until the start of August as the grandest of the Grand Tours is out of the way.