1) It’s the Grand Départ of the Tour de France on Saturday and after five years the peloton returns to the Netherlands, for the prologue in Utrecht which marks the sixth time the Netherlands have hosted a stage – a record for a country without a French border. In 2010 it was Fabian Cancellara who took the yellow jersey in Rotterdam, but it was Lance Armstrong who hogged the headlines, finishing 22 seconds back in his comeback to the Tour. In 1996, citizens of ‘s-Hertogenbosch were treated to two stages – the prologue and then a 209km stage with the start and finish in the town. Here’s the peloton in 1978 setting off from Leinen while here the riders prepare for the 1973 Grand Départ from Scheveningen. And finally, Amsterdam in 1954.
2) It seems Kevin Penny of Warrington Wolves can fly.
3) It also seems AJ Nelson can fly.
4) We rarely need an excuse but there have been two recent reasons to reel out the Italia 90 footage – England’s women’s team reaching the World Cup semi-final and Saturday marking 25 years since Gazza’s tears. Here’s the BBC’s review of the tournament and here is every goal scored.
5) Speaking of the Women’s World Cup … Japan good, Japan bad.
6) Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, but SEVEN Days in Hell. And on the topic of anniversaries, it is now 20 years since Tiger Tim did this.
Our favourites from last week’s blog
1) Football with big dice you say? The hills are alive with the sound of Six Cup.
2) Muddy hell! This is impressive from Danny Hart.
3) It was all going so smoothy …
4) Ouch!
5) Big waves … bigger waves.
Spotters’ badges: AozRoon, The Reducer, Black Caeser, Scunny Bunny.
