Pretty in Pink #BradleyWiggins #Wiggo #GirodItalia #Giro

Those readers who know me know I love my cycling. In fact later this month I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Mapping le Tour, a book that covers the maps (another of my fascinations) of the previous 99 runnings of the longest running Grand Tour.

But tomorrow sees the start of the 96th edition of the slightly younger Giro d'Italia. It is the race that contains both last years winner Ryder Hesjedal and the winner of the Tour de France last year Bradley Wiggins. But there are three other previous grand tour winners in the mix Vincenzo Nibali  (Vuelta a España 2010), Cadel Evans (Le Tour 2011), Michele Scarponi (Giro 2011). Plus other contenders who have stood on Grand Tour podium, either as king of the mountains or in the top three in General Classification.

The leader of the next three weeks on the roads of Italy will wear the Maglia Rosa (Pink Jersey) you can follow my thoughts of the day's routes and action over on my sporting almanac.

But in the meantime I think this song is appropriate and as for genre almost Wiggo-esque.

It can happen to even the greatest cyclists #roadsafety

Not Bradley Wiggins crash

The news that Bradley Wiggins has been involved in a crash on British roads while riding his bike shouldn't come as a surprise to any who cycle. The fact that it happened in a relatively quiet village and  to the winner of the Tour de France has garnered media attention of this scale.

While I was a student in Kingston I soon learnt that not all road users could follow simple rules such as:

• Lane markings: I once got squeezed between two cars while turning right, the one of my left was in a left turn only lane at the lights.
• Overtaking without due caution: I was once looking to turn right, and waited for a van to come past me before heading to the centre of the road. As I checked over my shoulder to move out the van broke right in front of me breaking my jaw.
• Pulling across lanes without checking: I was once cycling along in a cycle lane in rush hour traffic for a car to turn through the gap left my a car right in front of me. I couldn't break in 1m so took an excursion over their bonnet.
• Open doors without checking: On a different day but on the same stretch of cycle lane a car once parked in a no-parking zone for that time of the morning, straddled the cycle lane. I had to pull out to go around them, only to be greeted by an opening driver's door in the face. Fortunately the car behind me managed to stop just in time to merely tap my back as I lay on the ground.

There are just a few of the examples, the ones where I came off due to contact. There were other occasions where avoidance action was taken, sometimes throwing myself and/or bike out of the way of inconsiderate drivers.

I admit those misadventures happened over 20 years ago. However, they did total a couple of bike frames and several wheels, and could easily have been fatal, bike helmets weren't en vogue then and I wasn't wearing one. However, there are still stories about cyclists who are obeying the rules of the road suffering injuries or death as a result of other road users, protected in their steel shell not seeing  them or taking attention of them.

Here are some tips.

• If there is a cycle lane, check if there is a cyclist in it
• Even if there isn't a cyclist may be coming up the inside of traffic.
• If you are a cyclist obey traffic lights and stop signs (indeed any part of the highway code) yourself
•  Leave room on the inside of a slow moving queue of traffic, that is where the cyclists should be able to go safely.
• If you are going to be parking all day (while going to work etc) don't park over a cycling lane on a main road use a side road
• Cyclists wear a helmet, armour sadly is a little impractical for side impact protection.
• Give cyclists room both while overtaking and after you have overtaken, don't take an immediate left after overtaking them wait for them to cross the junction first
• If driving always be aware of cyclists
• If cycling always be aware of other vehicles and ride at an appropriate speed for the surroundings (it isn't always a individual time trial)

 I hope that Wiggo has a speedy recovery from his broken ribs to get back into training for next season and that all road users will learn to respect others especially those who are vulnerably exposed on their bikes.

Royal Mail Golden Stamps #London2012

As promised the Royal Mail are issue stamps and commemorative First Day Covers for any British Olympian who wins gold at London 2012.

90 Royal Mail vehicles are heading off tonight to over 500 post offices so that the stamps will be on sale by lunchtime tomorrow. Or you can order a First Day Cover stamped with the address of the Olympic Stadium, with a date of issue the day after any win.

So here are the stamps to honour Helen Glover and Heather Stanning

and Bradley Wiggins

c

Also in Chorley, Bradley Wiggins home town, Lossiemouth for Heather Stanning and Penzance for Helen Glover the Royal Mail will be painting a post box gold in honour of the occasion.


My order is in for the first two first day covers.

Wiggold - Gold goes well with yellow #London2012

Wiggo and Froome receiving their medals at Hampton Court

On the last day of the torch relay the flame took a visit to the famous maze at Hampton Court Palace. Today the Palace acquired by Henry VIII saw the return of the King, or at least the Maillot Jaune from France, Le Tour that is.

Out through roads and town that I have cycled along in my time living in that part of the world was the women's and then the men's Time Trials.

All the talk before the start of the men's was about how Brits Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins had come first and second in the two Time Trials in Le Tour. Tony Martin (GER) the World champion in this discipline had retired after the first of those because of a broken bone in his wrist, and three times World champion Fabian Cancellera (SWI) the defending champion had had a fall at the turn just inside Richmond Gate in the road race on Saturday, after having a broken collar bone in April. There was also some talk about Luis Leon Sanchez.

So how would the Brits do and would those injuries affect the two men who have most recently worn the rainbow jersey in this discipline?

The answer seemed to answer itself out on the road. For Sanchez it was over almost as it began, he broke his chain on the start ramp and then shortly after needed a new rear wheel.

For the other four at the first time trial they were all in contention. Then at the second Froome took the lead only to see it taken by Tony Martin, and less than 80 seconds later it went to Wiggins. Cancellera was outside the medals at that spot. It was a top three that would not change all the way back to Hampton Court.

Wiggins crossed the line looking fresh while Tony Martin sat on the ground looking shattered. But Wiggo only had one concern, he still did not know it he had won or not. When we saw a shot of Cancellera at the Diana Fountain in Bushey Park outside of the time for any medal we knew, but Brad still wanted to know. When Cancellera finally climbed off his bike he was in agony clutching his left shoulder, I still suspect that he may well have broken his collar bone once again on Saturday but was determined to make the start line in defense of his Olympic title.

So in front of Hampton Court as the Union Flag (strangely without the roundel after a W, I and two Gs) was raised by the Gurkhas in honour of Team GBs second gold medal of the Games and day. God Save the Queen was song out just a little more vociferously than the chants of "Wiggo, Wiggo" just before they started to sing.

Wiggins with 4 Golds 2 silver and a bronze is now the Brit with the most medals, at least for now, Sir Chris Hoy may match him within days.

Wiggins is also the first man to win the Tour de France and Olympic gold in the same year!

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 18 Blagnac to Brive la Gaillarde

Yesterday was the stage that the contenders were meant to take on Bradley Wiggins and his Sky Train.

Only Vincenzo Nibali's team of Liquigas-Cannondale can have been charged with attempting that. From the slopes of the penultimate mountain of this year's Tour, Port de Balès, their men were on the front setting the pace. There was just one issue, behind them Wiggins had four men including Chris Froome looking after him. One of who was Richie Porte who along with Mark Cavendish had crashed in the feed zone just before the climb got under way and who had to change bikes as a result.

Up ahead there was a breakaway that included Thomas Voeckler (EUC) and Fedrik Kessiakoff (AST) who were the two men contending for the the King of the Mountains. In each of the first three climbs the result was the same Voeckler to the top first with Kessiakoff second. at the top of Port de Balès while they were no longer in the lead it was the two of them again who made a move from their group but Voeckler was again in the lead. As they climbed the Peyresourde down roads Voeckler descended alone to victory yesterday the main group picked them both up and threw them out the back. But by then we already knew one thing. With a maximum of 7 points left Voeckler had secured the King of the Mountains 134 points to 123. I reckon those two still have one more battle between them to be the combative rider of the Tour.

Froome still waiting for Wiggins while Valvarde survives

The man who had taken the summit of Port de Balès was Alejandro Valvarde (MOV) who had been given his head being so far down on GC. On his return to Tour he lifted himself to win Movistar's second Tour de France stage as a title team.

But as we climbed the Peyresourde we lost Cadel Evans once again, and Nibali looked to be struggling near the top. Lotto Belisol tried on the final climb up to Peyragudes to get Jurgen van den Broeck up the road but they were having none of it, then the yellow Jersey took to the front bringing Chris Froome with him. One by one those left were dropped, Nibali, Tejay van Garderen (BMC), Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), Pierre Rolland (EUC) and van den Broeck. Then there were two! Froome and Wiggins. Froome kept waiting for Wiggins and if anything looked like the only man that could have been a threat to the Maillot Jaune yet again.

The question of whether 'they' could catch Valverde ended in the negative as they came in 19 seconds down, with Pinot recovered to just three seconds behind them. But if Froome had been allowed to go he may well have taken the stage, but Nibali who did recover his legs may well have taken some time though not enough for the lead out of the Maillot Jaune. In the end he lost a further 18 on the men from Sky.

Today's stage is a true transition stage as we head away from the Pyrénées into the heart of Frane. There are mountains points up for grabs, but that will not affect the King of the Mountains, that has been won by Thomas Voeckler with Fredrik Kessiakoff second. There are 20 points up for grabs in the intermediate sprint. But the break away should get it and even if André Greipel were to go for them today and in Paris, Peter Sagan would only have to mark him and come among the point scorers which is a doable task.

So the only focus of today is the sprint at the end. We have lost a number of sprinters over the last 2½ weeks. But one hasn't won since stage 2. His team have more or less acheived their main goal. He wants to test his legs today and in Paris ahead of the Olympics road race in London. Therefore I think that Sagan and Greipel will have a certain Manxman looking to equal a piece of history in Brive la Gaillarde. The Sky train could in escorting Bradley Wiggins to safety also help to lead out the World Champion. If he wins today he would equal the sprint wins of André Darrigade, which could lead to Mark Cavendish bettering that record in Paris if he wins that for the fourth year on the trot. 

Tour de France 2012: Stage 17 Bagnères de Luchon to Peyragudes

Nibali being pulled back by the last two men from the peleton.

Hear ye, hear ye. The King is dead long live the new King.

Cadel Evans (BMC) was dropped once against yesterday and this time there was no truce and no limiting of losses, nor was Tejay van Garderen required to hang back with the rest of the team to help the team leader.

But who is the new King. It should be Bradley Wiggins. But if some misfortune overcomes the Maillot Jaune today Sky still have the fall back of Chris Froome. Vincenzo Nibali (LIQ) tried again yesterday to break the Sky one-two but if Froome wasn't pacing Brad back to his wheel, Wiggo was doing the same for Chris. The stage yesterday saw the three of the them locked together taking time out of all the other contenders. Jurgen van den Broeck (LOT), Haimar Zubeldia (RNT) and van Garderen were in the group 58 seconds down lead across the line by Nico Roche (AGM).

Early on there were 38 of the 152 riders still left in the Tour in a breakaway up the field. That is 25% of the race, just not any of the 10% that matter. In that Group was Thomas Voeckler (EUR) who ended up taking the top spot on both of the Hors Catégorie Climbs of the day and both the 1st Category Climbs. On the Col d'Aubisque second over the top were the Polka Dots on the back of Fredrik Kessiakoff, who was 4th over the Tourmalet but was outside the top 6 for the Col d'Aspin and the Col du Peyresourde, with only 34 points on the day Kessiakoff ended the day with 4 points less than Voeckler in the King of the Mountains.

Voeckler who attacked alone for the last climb and with only Brice Feillu for the one before that was not surprisingly the comabtive rider of the day as well as winning the stage by 1'40".

Today's stage in the final Mountain stage of the Tour. It is over 143km not all of them new to this years race as once the road circles around to Saint Aventin it is back up the Peyresourde in the reverse direction to yesterday before a short part of the descent before turning off the the left for the climb to Peyragudes.

After 17km of today's loop though the road starts to go up with the first category Col de Menté, the 15th time this has been a mountain in le Tour. In 1971 it was tackled in the direction we are going today on the way to Bagnères de Luchon during stage 14. Eddy Merckx was 7 minutes behind Luis Ocaña in yellow at the time and on the decent both men were taking risks, Merckx fell on a bend into a retaining wall, Ocaña following close behind could not avoid him and crashed himself. Although Merckx was up and off again quickly Ocaña's couldn't release his toe clips quickly and Joop Zoetemelk collided with the prostrate Ocaña. The Spaniard was helicoptered off the mountain his Tour over and the following day Merckx refused to wear the Maillot Jaune as a mark of respect.

Without that crash, which is marked by a memorial on the spot as they came down it is possible that Merckx may not have been one of the five time winners of Le Tour. But it is a constant reminder to all leaders that the race is not won until all the corners on all the descents are negotiated.

After the Col de Menté there is a relatively flat section of today's race. Although the category 2 Col de Ares and Category 3 Côte de Burs do intervene. Then at 95 km into the stage the climbing resumes again in earnest. 


First up is the 11.7km climb up the Port de Balès which is only in it's 3rd Tour having featured in 2007 and 2010 previously it is the day's only Hor Catégorie climb. The Average gradient is 7.7% but there is a three km section that averages over 9% 5km from the end. If Vincenzo Nibali still has any designs on winning this Tour it is likely to be at that point that he is going to have to attack. The descent is not likely to allow him to pull out a gap on Wiggins and it is doubtful that the gentler climb of the Peyresourde before taking the addition to Peyragude is going to going to offer him much opportunity to gain enough time.

After 16.5km of descending the Tour will find itself on familiar roads as for the next 12.5km they are going back the way they came yesterday. As they summit the Peyresourde and take part of the descent before turning off up to the Peyragudes ski station. The final climb itself is less than 3km, but along with the Peyresourde it is counting as a 1st category climb. There is a km of flt racing at the top and if Nibali reaches the plateau with Wiggins and/or Froome in close attendance his Tour is over and he will only have a podium position.

There are 62 King of the Mountains points on offer today, twenty of them for the mountain finish and I doubt that either Voeckler nor Kessiakoff will be there to pick up those. With Chris Anke Sorenson 40 points behind Voeckler and with only a maximum 7 more KoM points available between Peyragudes and Paris today should be the day that the Polka Dot Jersey finds it final recipient. if neither Voeckler nor Kessiakoff pick up any early points from a break away though it may come down to who if either can get into a break tomorrow. Voekler really only needs to secure 4 points more than Kessiakoff today to be sure. 9th on the Port de Balès or 4th on the Col de Menté or 10th on the Peyragudes if Kessiakoff fails to score.

If Peter Sagan (LIQ) gets through this final mountain stage his 102 point lead should be enough for him to be riding the green jersey into Paris and all the way to the line. Seeing as he has worn it since the start of Stage 2 and as of right since the start of Stage 3 his dominance in that competition has been almost absolute.

Yesterday Tejay van Garderen (BMC) was given the nod by Cadel Evans to race on for the White Jersey as best young rider and not come back to support the defending champion who said later that he was suffering from stomach pains. If he stays in contact or ahead of Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) who lost a little time to now be 3'48" back in that competition he should also be wearing that jersey all the way to Paris. However, Pinot along with Pierre Rolland (EUC) are both on track to be in the Top 10. If they do, after last year it will only be the second time since 2000 that more than one French cyclist has filled spots in the top 10, but with both in the early days of their careers rather than experienced men it holds the greatest hope for France to end the home Grand Tour drought since Bernhard Hinault.

And finally... today could be the day that means Bradley Wiggins takes the Maillot Jaune into the start box in last place for the Time Trial. With a Time Trailer like him that would be hard to make up by anyone, and with Fabian Cancellera nursing his new daughter and Tony Martin nursing his fractured wrist there isn't any obvious winner of the stage on Saturday so here is a good luck song from a fellow fan.

Tour de France 2012: Stage 16 Pau to Bagnères de Luchon

The Top Four

When those two towns are at either end of a stage it can only mean one thing. The classic Pyrénée's climbs of the Col d'Aubisque, Col du Tormalet, Col d'Aspin and Col de Peyresourde. Indeed the last time those two towns were the start and finish locations was only in 2010 when the route was reversed. The winner then was Pierrick Fédrigo who won the stage into Pau before yesterday's rest day.

First up today is the 46th climb of the Col d'Aubisque in Tour history. Jérémy Roy climbed this first on what was an easier stage in the Pyrénees with just the one major climb on the road from Pau to Lourdes. The descent to the finish produced Thor Hushovd as a rather surprising winner of a mountain stage.

Climbed in the this direction the ascent starts as Laruns at 499m before over the next 16.4km reaching the peak at 1709m. An average gradient of 7.1%. The first steep ramp is at the Cascade de Valentin which is 13% before an 8km section of steady 8% average toward the summit. Normally I'd expect all the GC riders to stay together on this climb, but remembering how Andy Schleck went out to attack on stage 18 last year you cannot tell. Vincenzo Nibali and Cadel Evans both need a big chunk of time somewhere over the next two days. Will either of them be brave enough to go alone from a long way out, even from the first climb?

Next up is the Col du Tourmalet with the €5000 Souvenir Jacques Goddet for the climber who reaches the summit first.

Last year Jérémy Roy was again in the lead over this famous Col, and it appeared as if Geraint Thomas wasn't aware of the prize money at the top as he didn't contest for it. This is the 79th time that the Tour has visited Tourmalet the most of any mountain.

From Luz Saint Sauveur where the climbs starts at 711m there is 19km still to go to the 2115m summit at an average of 7.4%.

In 2010 when Pierrick Fédrigo won this stage in reverse Christophe Moreau reached the summit first. There are a number of easing sections on this long climb with a ramp about 3km from the summit. Depending on how the GC riders are racing today either Sky will be riding a tempo of possibly Nibali (most likely) will be trying to get away and both Sky and BMC riders will be working to keep Bradley Wiggins and Evans in pursuit.

After the decsent to Sainte Marie de Campan it is straight into the climb of the Col d'Aspin.

Of all today;s climbs this is the easiest, but that still makes it a Category 1. There is 570m of ascent to the 1489 summit spread over 12.4km at a mere 4.8% gradient. It is unlikely to be a climb that will put any of the GC contenders into difficulty so I'd expect them, if they are together here, to ride this together.

The 6% gradient of the descent over 12km on the other side might however be an opportunity for Nibali to try and get ahead if he has not tried already before the start of the final climb of the day.

Which leads us into the Col de Peyresourde which is being climbs from its toughest direction unlike the Col d'Aspin.

The climb from Arreaux is 9.5km at an average of 6.7% but there are three distinct steep sections on the way including the final one 1.5km from the end.

If Wiggins, Evans and Nibali are still together here I'd expect one of the latter two to have to try and do something here on one of the ramps. They will have to try and put in an explosive burst when the road goes sharply uphill to try and test the Maillot Jaune. If Wiggins still has Richie Porte and Michael Rogers with him at the start of this climb alongside Chris Froome the other two are going to find it tough. Which is why I suspect they might have tried something on the Tourmalet to reduce the amount of support riding with the yellow jersey. Even if it is left to just Froome and Wiggins it may well still be too late.

However, after the summit there are 937m of descent at an average of 6.1% though some sections do reach 9.8% in which they might be able to open up some time over Wiggins.

If Wiggins gets to the line marking both Evans and Nibali there is just one more day for fireworks on the Pryénées tomorrow. I do expect someone however to test the post rest day legs of Wiggins and his team today and not to let them settle into their routine of riding tempo for everyone from the start.

Tour de France 2012: Stage 12 Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Annonay Davézieux

Yesterday was the toughest mountain stage is this year's Tour and you could see it as everyone of the top contenders suffered at least for some part of it.

Early on a large break got up the road, with the first slope the Col de la Madeleine starting just 14.5km from the start of the race they wanted away. Liquigas, BMC and Radioshack were amongst the teams they put men into a 31 men breakaway in the hope that these men would be able to help Nibali, Evans and Zubeldia respectively when the going got tough later on. It meant that Sky were forced to ride at tempo on the front from the early part of the race something that they looked set to have to do all day to defend the Maillot Jaune. One of the first riders to exit the back of the peleton was Mark Cavendish along with Bernie Eisel therefore meaning that Sky would only have 5 men at the front to help Bradley Wiggins. At the start of the day the only other man to have worn yellow in this Tour, Fabian Cancellera, did not start, returning to Switzerland to be with his wife who is about to give birth.

In the lead group lost and gained members on the slope of the Madeleine but in it were a number of riders who wouldn't normally be allowed to go like Robert Gesink (RAB) Vino Vinokourov (AST), Ivan Basso (LIQ), Michele Scarponi (LAM) Levi Leipheimer (OPQ) and Dan Martin (GRS) but because of time they had already lost they were not a real threat to the GC contenders. Also up the road were riders like Pierre Rolland (EUC) who last year won year on Alpe d'Huez, Frederik Keesiakoff (AST) who had lost the King of the Mountains to Rolland's team mate Thomas Voeckler the day before, Chris Anke Sorensen (STB) who is always a danger in a break in the Mountains.

At the top of the Col de la Madeleine Peter Velits (OPQ) took the maximum points but Kessiakoff going over second gave him the virtual lead in the KoM's once again. The Yellow Jersey Group reached the summit 2'55" after but Peter Sagan and Daniel Oss (LIQ) sprung from that group just before the summit, possibly in an attempt to get back to the lead group before the intermediate sprint in the valley below. In the end this attempt was no successful and Sagan failed to get there and rejoined that group before getting to the sprint point without adding to this points tally in the Green Jersey competition.

On the second climb the Col de la Croix de Fer there was a group of eight at the front Rolland, Alejandro Valverde & Vasili Kiryenka (MOV), Velits, Kessiakoff and team mate Kirserlovski, Yury Trofimov (KAT) but there were stragglers in the 3 minute gap back to the yellow jersey. Before some more including Leipheimer, Amael Moinard (BMC), Scarponi and Vinokourov got back onto their group on the ascent. Christophe Kern also got back into the lead group and he started to set the pace for his team mate Rolland.

About half way up the long climb however, Teejay van Garderen (BMC) made a break from the Wiggins Group followed a couple of minutes later by his team leader Cadel Evans. Wiggins still had Michael Rogers, Richie Porte and Chris Froome around him for protection and he asked Rogers to up the pace. Just up the road the BMC pair had got to the wheel of Moinard and so it became BMC v Sky in a team pursuit on a mountainside. Sky though didn't panic but over next mile or so whittled down what was a very big peleton into a select group. While up the road Evans showed the first signs that his legs weren't able to keep up with Teejay.

Eventually after about 20 minutes of steady climbing the Wiggins group (Roberts, Porte, Froome (all SKY), Vincenzo Nibali (LIQ), Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), Jurgen van den Broeck (LOT) and Janez Brajkovic (AST) captured Evans once more while still on the climb.

At the top there is a photo finish for the King of the Mountians points as Rolland and Kessiakoff battle it out. The former is initially given it, then the latter is accused of using his elbows as a reason why he is denied, before finally being awarded the points. There is the matter of the Henri Legrande Prix on offer for the highest pass of this year's Tour so €5000 is not to be sniffed at, nor the extra points for the KoM.

After going over the Col du Mollard with no major incident to report all the groups continued their descent to the final climb of the day to the ski station at La Toussuire. The lead group is now down to just four Rolland,  Sorensen,  Kiserlovski, and Kiryenka. Sorensen would continue to drop off and get back on all the way up the climb. Behind them first Brajkovic, then van den Broeck attack off the Wiggins Group. Nibali waited to see if anyone followed before going after them himself. Chris Froome is the only support that Wiggins has left and he starts the work of clawing it back.

Up front Rolland makes a solo move to break away from the lead group, but there is still over 10km to go. Froome brings Wiggins up to Nibali and van den Broeck, this time it is Nibali's turn to stare at Wiggins who just looks ahead at the wheel of this team mate. However, shortly after that Froome appears to fade to the back of the group where he finds himself on the wheel of Frank Schleck! But he holds on. Meanwhile Nibali strikes out again and quickly catches Pinot and Brajkovic up the road. Wiggins it is who starts to close Nibali down, then Froome appears to have found his legs once more and returns to the front, Schleck and van Garderen going with the pace but Evans is struggling. A look over the shoulder from Tejay van Garderen confirms that his work is to help pace the defending champion his team mate to the finish.

The trio of men who have podiumed in Grand Tour Wiggins, Froome and Schleck did pull themselves back to Nibali, Pinot and Brajkovic and then Froome goes through the group to the front taking Pinot with him but it is too much for Wiggins! Froome's acceleration lead to Wiggins getting dropped off the wheel of Nibali. So after a conversation in his radio Froome sits up.

There are no more moves for today behind Rolland ride Wiggins, Froome, Nibali, van den Broeck and Pinot. Rolland takes his second Alpine stage in the Tour remaining 55 seconds clear at the end. Within sight of the line Froome was given his wings to open up a few seconds on Nibali who was now virtural third on the road, but Thibaut Pinot was having none of it and chased him down for a French 1-2. But there were also a British one two as historically Froome was now in second place in the race behind his team leader.

As Wiggins and Nibali crossed the line together was was a mutual sign of respect after what they had gone through and how both men had gone about the job they had had to do.

Kessiakoff returned the Polka Dots, Rolland took the combative prize as well as the stage win. Van Garderen remains in the White Jersey but is now contesting that with Pinot who

Today's stage is the last Alpine one and there are two category 1 climbs on the road to Annonay Davézieux. However they are both in the first 80km of a 226km stage. So there is unlikely to be any move from any GC contender. But Kessiakoff and Rolland may try to battle it out for King of the Mountains points. Peter Sagan also may try and get himself into a breakaway as it is unlikely that most of the sprinters are capable of getting over the two climbs before the long race to the line so a break away might just stay away at least as far as the intermediate sprint if not the whole way.

Tour de France 2012: Stave 10 Mâcon to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine

Yesterday may have been a rest day for the majority of the Tour but it means something more to certain riders.

Tony Martin of Omega Pharma Quickstep the World Time Trail Champion made it as far as the Time Trail with a fractured wrist. He has however decided that three weeks rest ahead of the Olympics are what he needs if he is to challenge Bradley Wiggins and Fabian Cancellera in London. So he has abandoned this year's Tour.

Meanwhile elsewhere Remy di Gregorio from Cofidis, but formerly of Astana. He was arrested and taken from the team hotel in Mâcon to police station in Marseille for questioning about trying to use banned substances to improve his performance. His team where swift to suspend the rider which will become permanent exclusion from the team if the allegations are proven and the Tour officials are looking at this as an isolated incident allowing Cofidis to carry on.

Today's stage is 194km and sees the first Hors Catégorie climb of the race. The first 73km are spent rolling towards the Alps, before the race heads uphill. Then we have the second category Côte de Corlier which is 6.4km long at 5.5%, before the day's feed station then descent into the valley where the intermediate sprint is.

But next up is the 17.4km climb of the Col du Grand Colombier at 7.1% making its debut on the Tour. However, this is no stranger to race leaders Bradley Wiggins (SKY) and Cadel Evans (BMC) they were together at Culoz at the foot of this climb before this year, on stage 5 of the Critérium du Dauphiné, the day after Evans lost time to Wiggins in the Time Trial there. On the descent Evans tried to go clear with two of his team mates George Hincapie and Teejay van Garderen, but Team Sky paced them back together before the reached the Col du Richemond which is also the next climb on today's stage. There  sky paced up the ascent of another group that had Luis Léon Sanchez (RAB) as the danger man in it, before absorbing him back into the peleton.

After the Col du Richemond there is another long descent toward the finish, today it is 20.5km to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine


We shall see what tactics they try to make up time on Wiggins today on exactly the same three categorised climbs as they climbed a little over a month ago.

Tour de France 2012:....and on the tenth day they rested

....but not before another little bit of Tour history.

Yesterday was the race of truth. And the truth was rather revealing.

One of the first men to lay down a marker for the day was World Time Trail champion Tony Martin (OPQ) who came in with a time of 53'40". When asked at the end who would beat that time he said Fabian (Cancellera) (RNT) would be fastest at the end. It was a sentiment echoed by David Millar (GRS) but he also mentioned that Wiggo and Froome Dog would not be far behind.

Cancellera did indeed go faster, a whole 1'19" faster and it was looking like the four times world champion was laying down a marker for this stage. However, Teejay van Garderen (BMC) looked like he was going to take that away from him 3 seconds up at the first check and still 2 at the second. However, he lost time in the final part of the race and ended up 9 seconds back on the Swiss power horse. It wouldn't win him the stage but was enough to lift him back into the White Jersey as best young rider.

Chris Froome (SKY) may have been back in the colours of Sky after his one day in the Polka Dots, but he was a man on a mission, he was much faster than van Garderen at all the check points and reached the line 22 seconds faster than Cancellera but by this point we knew that one man had a chance to go faster and that was his team leader.

Haimar Zubeldia (RNT) was next to cross the line just 4 seconds down on the time set by Martin earlier in the day. Then Denis Menchov (KAT) and Vincenzo Nibali (LIQ) the latter one second faster, in what at the time were 7th and 6th places, for Nibali in particular that was an exceptional finish. But the big two that every one had been talking about before the Tour were still to come in.

Out on the course Cadel Evans (BMC) was losing time to Froome and Bradley Wiggins (SKYY) who was coming behind him. It became apparent that he wasn't so much racing for the Maillot Jaune (Yellow Jersey) but to stay in second place. In the end he lost 1'08" of his lead over Froome to be just 14 seconds ahead of one Brit, but it was the one still on road that in the process of setting up history. Bradley Wiggins did just what he had done in the week long Tours he had already won this year he took control of the Time Trial and dominated it. He was 35 seconds ahead of his team mate but had opened up a further 1'43" on Evans.

It was Wiggins first stage win in the Tour, the first time that Britain filled first and second spot on one stage. It was also the Third Brit to win a stage in the same Tour, and when Wiggo pulls on Yellow again after the rest day he will equal the most consecutive days that a Brit has worn that famous jersey in the Tour.

In last year's Vuelta Froome was on the podium one step ahead of Wiggins who was returning from his broken collarbone in the first week of the 2011 Tour. He was being touted as the heir apparent to Wiggins. He may well be part of the duo of outstanding all rounders if he can keep up his support of Wiggins through the Alps and Pyrénées. Sky for the second Grand Tour in a year have two men capable of being in the top three once the shorting out of the GC starts.

As I said yesterday the top 10 may well face a bit of a shake up as a result of the Time Trial, he is how they managed.

• 1. (nc) Bradley Wiggins (SKY) 39h 09' 20" (nc)
• 2. (nc) Cadel Evans (BMC) +1'53" (+1'43)
• 3. (+3) Chris Froome (SKY) +2'07" (+35")
• 4. (-1) Vincenzo Nibali (LIQ) +2'23" (+2'07")
• 5. (-1) Denis Menchov (KAT) +3'02" (+2'08")
• 6. (-1) Haimar Zubeldia (RNT) +3'19" (+2'20)
• 7. (nc) Maxime Monfort (RNT) +4'23" (+2'15)
• 8. (+9) Teejay van Garderen (BMC) +5'14" (+1'06)
• 9. (-1) Jurgen van den Broeck (LOT) +5'20" (+3'09)
• 10. (-1) Nicolas Roche (AGM) +5'29" (+3'08")

Out of the Top Ten now is Rein Taaramae (COF) who is now in 12th only 43 seconds behind van Garderen for the white jersey.

I'd like to say enjoy the rest day, but being in yellow Brad will have a lot of press to do as well as doing a long run on the bike at some point. But I'm sure he'll enjoy knowing that his lead and dominance in the Time Trail is now making his opponents think how can they eek out enough time to challenge his lead.

Tour de France 2012: Stage 9 Arc-et-Senans to Besançon

Yesterday we saw the first French winner of this year's Tour, he is also the youngest rider in the race. But before we got there it was full on from when the flag dropped for the official start of the stage. A group of 11 riders got up the road early on but there were too many dangerous names so Sky pegged that back pretty sharpish.

However, one man on a mission today early appeared to be Jen Voigt (RNT) but the mard man of so many Tours was eventually tagged back by a group of lesser names including Freddie Kessiakov (AST) who on the Côte de Saignelégier picked up his first Mountain points with 3 from going over the pass in second after setting off in pursuit of Jérémy Roy (FDJ). Before this however, there was a nasty crash involving the Olympic Road Race Champion Samuel Sanchez (EUS). Immediately as he was still sitting on the ground and the medic were looking at him I thought it looked like a broken collarbone. It appears that it will mean he is not able to defend his Olympic title as the Tour gets worse for Euskaltel-Euskadi who have now lost four of their team with Gorka Verdugo also withdrawing.

On the next climb up the Côte de Saulcy Kessiakov would leave Roy behind but the youngster of the Tour Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) with Christophe Kern (EUC) leading up the strongest of the 22 man breakaway that were left. Although it was enough of them that Peter Sagan (LIQ) wasn't going to pick up any of the points for the intermediate sprint only slightly further along the road.


On the penultimate climb up Côte de la Caquerelle Kessiakov may well have been thinking about the polka dot jersey he only needed 13 more points to take it. The pack chasing him was down to 8 men by the summit there were two men chasing him down Pinot and Tony Gallopin (RNT) leaving the rest behind. But the peleton are 3'25" behind Kessiakov.

The final climb of the Col de la Croix Pinot leaves Gallopin and went off in pursuit of Kessiakov. While behind an elite group of Wiggins & Froome (SKY), Evans (BMC), Nibali (LIQ) Schleck, Horner & Zubeldia (RNT), Menchov (KAT) and Van den Broeck (LOT) was forming and dropping the rest.

Pinot crossed the summit first 12 seconds ahead of the man who with 21 points today had done enough to wrest the Polka Dot jersey of Chris Froome who failed to add to his tally when the Group Malloit Jaune comes over 1'45" behind Pinot.

On the decent the group of nine GC contenders and team mates become an elite team pursuit off after the individual who passed through his home village the day before. They capture Gallopin who helps his three other team mates and later Kessiakov who cannot stay with them. As they enter Porrentruy FDJ-Big Mat team manager Marc Madiot is leaning out of the team car screaming "Allez! Allez!" to his young rider. Behind Van den Broeck makes an attempt to break at a tricky roundabout, and Evans tries to go with him to gain valuable seconds. But behind them leading the pursuit is a Olympic champion both individually and in the team wearing yellow, who succeeds in bridging the gap. Thibaut Pinot, who now is another new hope for a French champion, took the line 41 days after turning 22 and only 26 seconds after Evans who tried to make yet another break for the line only to have Wiggins continue to mark his every move.

Today it the race of truth, each man by himself against the clock and the last man out of the start house is one man who everyone knows can time trial.  Today it is 41.4km from Arc-et-Senans to Besançon. in 2009 as the race headed to Besançon for a flat race stage a female spectator was killed by a police motorbike. But in 2004 it was the setting for the penultimate stage time trail that saw Lance Armstrong assured of bettering Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault and Indurain with his sixth Tour.

Wiggins has won the Individual Time Trial in Paris-Nice (9.6km), Critérium du Dauphiné (53.5km) and the mountainous one in the Tour de Romandie (16.24km) already this year. In the first two he was defending the Yellow Jersey in the latter it was the day he took it never to give it up. Three very different time trails during stage races this year and outside of prologues he has not been bettered.

Evans is also a good time triallist but is still likely to lose time to Wiggins in such a stage. It is an undulating and difficult time trial. The top 10 of the GC could very easily been shaken up as some of the climbers could lose time due to poor time trialling ability.

Tour de France 2012: Stage 8 Belfort to Porrentruy

So the first mountain day and British riders ended up in two of the prestigious jerseys of the Tour. With Chris Froome taking his first Tour stage win came the 20 points and lead in the King of the Mountains competition. Two seconds back where the two big favourites Cadel Evans and the man who would slip into the Maillot Jaune Bradley Wiggins. Wiggins 10 second prologue advantage all that splits the two.

There may have been a breakaway of seven riders up the road at one point, but when it came to the slopes of La Planche des Belles Filles it was the black and blue colours of Team Sky that did all the work, pulling them back and then the leaders up the slopes. First Edvald Boasson Hagen, then Mick Rogers and Richie Porte before in the final mix up of five there was Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins. Indeed at one point on the climb those last four named were in a group of eleven and not a single other rider had a team mate present. Cadel Evan's BMC team was decimated and only he rode on alone. Vincenzo Nibali of Liquigas-Cannondale who has said "Wiggins doesn't impress me. I'm better than him." ended up losing 5 seconds on the day unable to keep up with Froome, Evans and Wiggins on the final kick.

Frank Schleck who was left on the earlier slopes did find his legs again riding up with his Radioshack-Nissan team mate Maxime Monfort. But still ended up in 12th 1'09" back, only 5 seconds ahead of the second of Wiggins mountain domestiques Porte, who was a further 10 ahead of another Rogers. The Estonian young rider Rein Taaramae did impress as the fifth of that final group. He starts in white today having finished just 19 seconds back from Froome.

Overall in 4th place now behind Wiggins, Evans, Nibali and Taaramae is Denis Menchov who came 9th on the day losing 48 seconds on the top two 54" back. Then it is two of Schelck's team mates Haimar Zubeldia and Monfort at 59" and 1'09". Ireland's Nicolas Roche is next for AG2R-La Mondiale at 1'22", then the other two Sky boys Froome and Rogers round out the top 10. The man who has worn yellow since Liege, Fabian Cancellera is next.

So what of stage 8?

The number of climbs almost matches the number of the stage. There are 7 in all.

The first, a Category 4, the Côte de Bondeval will seem like nothing by the end of the day but happens after just 20 km. It is swiftly followed by the Côte du Passage de la Douleur which is a shorter but steeper Category 3 climb at 32km.


There then follow four category 2 climbs. Côte de Maison-Rouge at 50km 7.9km long with gradient average of 5%, before descending into Switzerland then Côte de Saignelégier at 73km 7.8km at 6.1% then Côte de Saulcy only 4.6km long but at 8.6% though reaching over 10% at 5 points along the ascent including 2 at 14%, the latter near the summit. Before you get to the last category 2 climb there is the small matter of the intermediate sprint at Les Genevev, don't expect to see any of the Green Jersey leaders up there to contest those points though. The Tour then descends for about 23km before climbing the final category 2 Côte de la Caquerelle at 130.5km it measures 4.3km but has a gradient of 7.6%

A swift descent of that and then it is back to climbing straight away for the final peak of the day Col de la Croix it may be only 3.7km of climbing to its 789m summit but there is a real sting in the tail as it ramps up to as much as 17%. The average gradient is 9.2% so once again expect to see the GC contenders up here. But judging on yesterday's form Team Sky will be doing all they can to break them down. Once at the top though there is 16km of downhill road to get to the finish of the stage. So anything could happen as the road twists down towards the valley below.


With 5 points on offer for each 2nd Category climb, plus the three for the first two climbs of the day it is possible that a rider in the breakaway could take away Froome's Polka Dot Jersey if they win them all. It is however, unlikely that the breakaway would be the ones to take the honours on the final climb and claim its 10 points top prize. So it will be interesting to see how the summits are contested today. If Evans is really to be able to contest his defense of the title his team may well have to offer some challenge to Team Sky which they failed to do yesterday, or he may have to try and do something himself, if not today at some other point in the mountains.

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.

Brad retains Dauphiné title

It is not every day that you see a British rider in the leader's jersey with the champions number 1 on his back celebrate this far down the field. But this in the moment that Bradley Wiggins knew he had defended the Critérium du Dauphiné.

It is seen by many as the ideal preparation for the Tour de France and indeed is the only other race that all the five time winners of the Tour de France have also won. Indeed on 10 of the 63 previous running the winner has gone on to win le Tour.

• 1955 Louison Bobet
• 1963 Jacques Anquetil
• 1971 Eddy Merckx
• 1973 Luis Ocaña
• 1975 Bernard Thévenet
• 1979 Bernard Hinault
• 1981 Bernarh Hinault
• 1995 Miguel Indurain
• 2002 Lance Armstrong
• 2003 Lance Armstrong

Having crashed out of last year's Tour with a broken collar bone as a result of a crash on the flat Wiggo's palmarès (results) have been impressive. He came 3rd in the incredibly tough Vuelta a España, the first Britain to be on the podium at the end of a Grand Tour. He then this year has won Paris-Nice and the Tour de Romandie before retaining the Dauphiné title he secured last year. Not even Merckx,. or anyone else has managed those three plamarès in one season.


With Andy Schleck having to retire this week after a crash in the time trial but after already appearing to struggle, and with Cadel Evans apparently unable to shake Wiggins in the Dauphiné, things may well be looking good for Brad ahead of the start of the Tour.

Wiggins achievement in perspective

Wiggins in yellow with his Team Sky support
earlier this week

 "I'm on that list of riders who won Paris‑Nice, the Dauphiné. There's just one left now to win."


So said Bradley Wiggins yesterday after winning the 2012 Paris-Nice to add to his 2011 win in the Criterium de Dauphiné Liberé. But who else in on that list?


Well 3 time Tour de France winner Louison Bobet (1954-6), five time Tour Champions Jacques Anquetil (1957, 1961-4) and Eddy Merckx (1969-72, 1974) and Raymond Poulidor who while he never won le Tour did win the 1964 Vuelta a España. It means that of the five names of those who have won the two eight-day Tours only Wiggins has yet to win a Grand Tour and along with Poulidor, who was up against Merckx is the only one yet not to have won le Tour.


Here's another thing, apart from Poulidor, Wiggins is the only one to have won the Dauphiné first. Anquetil thrice (1963, 65-6), Merckx (1971) and now Wiggins 2011-12 are the only riders to be champions of both at the same time. The first time the other two did it they went on to win their third Tours. 


Wiggins isn't talking himself up too much ahead of July instead saying:

"I don't know if I'm a favourite [for the Tour] but I'm one of maybe five riders who can do something there [overall] this summer. I said Paris-Nice was a stepping stone, no disrespect for Paris-Nice. But I must continue that progression to July now. Lance Armstrong warned me recently not to burn too many matches for July. It's certainly a long trail."

But he is taking the advise of the seven times winner. Only the Tours of Catolonia and Romandie, his defense in the Dauphiné are where he will be competing ahead of the three weeks in July in which he could make history. 


But he already has as a winner of both, indeed a concurrent holder of, the Dauphiné and Paris-Nice titles.

Wiggins win Paris-Nice

Last Autumn Mark Cavendish became the second Brit after Tom Simpson to pull on the Rainbow Jersey on the road. Today his 'new' teammate Bradley Wiggins did the same in Paris-Nice.

The Paris-Nice stage race is often seen as an early season warm up to the Tour de France and Team Sky can be proud of their performance this week. Wiggins came second in the opening Time Trail but took the lead at the end of stage two and has never been beaten.

On stage 2 in the win Wiggins found himself on the right side of a crash and in the small leading group. On stage 5 he attacked on the climb and although Vestra beat him to the line he had done enough to stamp his authority on the race. On stage 6 he found himself in a an early group that was allowed to get away along with Vestra, before 2/3 of the field came back to them.

But up against the clock today he beat Lieuwe Vestra of Vaconsoliel by 2 seconds to extend his lead to 8 seconds overall.

An impressive win and a show of the form that Wiggins is carrying at the moment

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.

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.