This may explain Froome's anger ...
Some imbecile spectator spat at him as he passed on his way up the what I think ids the final climb. At the yellow jersey presentation, he looks a lot more relaxed than he did when he got off his bike. It’s been a bad day for him, but it could have been a lot worse. Has he got enough in hand to survive the final day in the Alps? Tune in tomorrow to find out. Thanks for your time and your emails, have a great weekend.
Here is the idiot who spit on Froome https://t.co/On2OJZbvvx
— Race Radio (@TheRaceRadio) July 24, 2015
General Classification after Stage 19
1. Chris Froome (Britain/Team Sky) 78hr 37min 34sec
2. Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +2:38
3. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +5:25
4. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) +6:44
5. Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff-Saxo) +7:56
6. Robert Gesink (Netherlands/LottoNL) +8:55
7. Mathias Frank (Switzerland/IAM Cycling) +12:39
8. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands/Trek) +13:22
9. Romain Bardet (France/AG2R) +14:08
10. Pierre Rolland (France/Europcar) +17:27
Stage 19 - the top 10
1. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) 4hr 22min 53sec
2. Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +44sec
3. Chris Froome (Britain/Sky) +1min 14sec
4. Thibaut Pinot (France/FDJ) +2min 26sec
5. Romain Bardet (France/AG2R)
6. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar)
7. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands/Trek)
8. Robert Gesink (Netherlands/LottoNL)
9. Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff-Saxo)
10. Samuel Sanchez (Spain/BMC Racing)
Chris Froome is very angry ...
He dismounts from his bike and unleashes a barbaric yawp - that’s a big show of emotion there and he’s clearly not best pleased by something or other. It’s been his most stressful day on the Tour thus far, which is hardly surprising considering the rate at which he was losing lieutenants from the start of stage. Replays of the attack Nibali launched while he was suffering from a mechanical suggest that the Italian was well aware that Froome was struggling at the time. Naughty Nibbles.
Thibaut Pinto finished fourth
He finished at the same time as Romain Bardet, Sammy Sanchez and other former members of the yellow jersey group. Nibali has shot back up the GC into fourth place ... I think. Froome continues to lead Nairo Quintana by 2min 38sec and the Colombian has one stage in which to make it up. With tomorrow’s climb up Alpe d’Huez, he’ll fancy his chances.
Froome comes third ...
Having shown he’s human, the yellow jersey crosses the line 30 seconds behind Nairo Quintana.
Updated
Nairo Quintana comes second ...
Quintana crosses the line 43 seconds behind Nibali. Start your watches ...
Nibali wins the stage ...
As the stage flattens out at the top, the reigning Tour de France champion wins stage 19 at La Toussuire.
Updated
Quintana increases his lead ...
The Movistar rider now has a lead of more than 20 seconds over Chris Froome on the stage, with a climb up Alpe d’Huez ahead of them tomorrow.
Updated
Quintana looks stronger than Froome
For all that, he’s only 16 seconds ahead of the yellow jersey as Froome gets out of his saddle and drives on up the hill towards La Toussuire.
Nibali passes under the 3-kilometre kite
He might not be home and hosed after all, as he’s clearly in discomfort and Nairo Quintana is in hot pursuit. Quintana increases the gap between himself and Froome to 14 seconds.
Froome is matching Quintana
Froome holds the gap between himself and Quintana at 13 seconds. He led the Colombian by 3min 10sec on GC this morning, so he doesn’t have too much to worry about at the moment.
The gap between Quintana and Froome grows
Quintana opens a gap of 13 seconds on Froome, who remains in touch. Meanwhile at the head of the field, Nibali remains 1min 42sec clear of Froome and will win the stage, barring an accident.
Froome leaves Valverde and Contador behind him ...
As he chases down Nairo Quintana, Chris Froome leaves Contador and Valverde in his dust. Quintana has a lead of about 100 metres on Froome as he kicks up the climb with 4.2 kilometres to go.
Nairo Quintana attacks ...
The Colombian takes my advice and jumps off the front of the yellow ersey group and opens a gap of 15 or 20 metres. With Wout Poels having shot his bolt and dropped away, Froome is on his own and getting no help from Majka, Contador or Valverde.
Updated
God bless Rafal Majka's energy ...
He continues to tow the yellow jersey group along, followed by Wout Poels and Chris Froome. Any time you like, Nairo - you might want to muster an attack. The race does ostensibly end tomorrow afternoon, after all. Nibali leads the stage by 2min 12sec.
Pierre Rolland gets caught ...
After his brave efforts earlier today, the French Europcar rider is about to be swallowed by the yellow jersey group. Vincenzo Nibali is the outright leader and he’s 2min 19sec clear of the Froome and co with a mite over seven kilometres to go.
An act of charity from Movistar
While handing out bottles to their riders in the yellow jersey group, the occupants of their team car take pity on BMC rider Sammy Sanchez, who has a thirst that needs slaking and asks if he can have one too. They hand one over to him and anyone else who wants one.
Nibali passes the 10-kilometre to go kite
He’s 2min 18sec clear of the yellow jersey group, where Polish rider Rafal Majka is making the pace for Tinkoff-Saxo.
Vincenzo Nibali grabs a bite
The Italian picks up an energy bar from his team car and the handover takes a lot longer than it should have, with the Italian getting a wee tow. Back in the yellow jersey group, Froome looks reasonably comfortable, with Nairo Quintana latched on his wheel. The gruppetto containing all the non-sprinters is 16 minutes behind and in danger of missing the cut-off. One suspects the race organisers will take mercy on them if they do so - they can’t throw that many people out of the race with just two days to go.
Vincenzo Nibali continues to lead
He’s 2min 17sec ahead of the yellow jersey group containing Froome, Quintana, Contador, Poels, Sammy Sanchez and others as they plod onwards and upwards towards the summit finish at La Toussuire. Rolland is 1min 05sec behind Nibali.
15 kilometre to go
And every single one of them is uphill. Geraint Thomas has lost over 10 minutes and is plummeting down the GC rankings. Nibali leads the stage by 20 seconds from Pierre Rolland and two minutes from the yellow jersey group, where Wout Poels continues to pedal along in front of Chris Froome, who is having a drink from his bidon and looking fairly comfortable.
Romain Bardet gets a new bike ...
He’s passed by the yellow jersey group as he does so and is now trying to get back into that particular party. A little under two minutes up the road, Nibali and Rolland have begun the climb to La Toussuire. Your humble reporter needs a quick “comfort break” but will be back in five minutes. Keep yourself amused with this guided Tour of the Sky Death Star while I’m away
Just 23 kilometres to go ...
That’s the good news for the riders. The bad news is that most of them are uphill to La Toussuire. vincenzo Nibali and Pierre Rolland continue their pell-mell descent at breakneck speed, while Romain Bardet remains behind them, hampered by his broken derailleur. He’s 30 seconds ahead of Froome, Nibali, Contador and co. It’s worth noting that, while the Eurosport consensus was that Nibali attacking the yellow jersey group when Froome had his mechanical was purely coincidental, the general consesnsus was that he knew exactly what he was doing. I’m in the latter school of thought, I must say. There’s little or no love lost between Froome and Nibbles.
Nibali leads from Rolland on the descent ...
There’s a gap of a couple of bike-lengths between them. Further back, Romain Bardet raises his hand to signal that he needs mechanical assistance - there’s something wrong with his front derailleur, I think. He’s still able to zip along, but he’s freewheeeling mostly and in a very, very low gear. He’ll need a bike change once it’s safe to do so.
Rolland moves ahead of Nibali ...
They continue to zip down the descent, but Rolland moves ahead of Nibali, before overcooking another corner and ushering the Italian through. This time he keeps his distance. Behind the pair, Romain Bardet is zooming along, but seems to have mechanical problems - there’s something wrong with his chain. Behind him, Roman Kreuziger has got a puncture in his back wheel, but continues the downhill descent. Heaven help us all - these guys are courageous to the point of pig-stick nutty.
Updated
Nibali catches Rolland
Well, I say “catches”, but he sort of cruises up alongside him, reaches out to grab his rival’s arm and seems to instruct him to get on his wheel and follow him down the 16-kilometre descent. This is going to make for thrilling viewing ... through latticed fingers from behind the sofa. rolland is a much bigger man than Nibali, which means the same racing line might not suit both of them. Almost immediately he overcooks one bend while zooming along at upwards of 50 miles per hour, with his front wheel about six inches behind Nibali’s back wheel.
Nibali is catching Rolland
As he approaches the summit of the Col du Mollard, Pierre Rolland looks over his shoulder to see vincenzo Nibali about 100 metres behind him. Meanwhile back in the yellow jersey group, Romain Bardet, who is the virtual leader of the king of the mountains category on the road, makes a break for some more points.
Nibali closes the gap to 32 seconds
The Italian is closing in on Pierre Rolland, who leads the stage. They’ve a 16-kilometre descent once they crest this particular Col, then an 18-kilometre climb to the finish at La Toussuire. One of the world’s bravest and best descenders, Nibali is likely to have a healthy lead over Rolland and the rest once he begins the final climb.
37 kilometres to go ...
Europcar rider Pierre Rolland continues to pedal his way towards Col du Mallard, his shirt unzipped and his mouth open as he gulps for air. There are about 20 riders in the yellow jersey group, which is 2min 10sec behind, while Vincenzo Nibali is between Rolland and that group, chasing the stage leader.
Rolland leads the stage ...
Vincenzo Nibali is one minute behind him and the yellow jersey group including Froome, Contador and Quintana are a further 1min 30sec behind.
Some bickering in the yellow jersey group
It seems that Chris Froome had a stone caught in his chainring or cassette earlier and now he seems to have become embroiled in some sort of argument with Alejandro Valverde, possibly for attacking him on the descent after Croix de Fer. More on that as we get it. Pierre Rolland makes his way up the Col du Mollard with a 2min 20sec lead over the yellow jersey group and Vincenzo Nibali chasing him down. After the Col du Mallard, there’s another long descent before the 18 kilometre climb to the finish.
Updated
Peter Connor writes ...
“It is worth pointing out that the last 70km of this stage is virtually identical to stage 11 in 2012 ... as won by Pierre Rolland,” he says. Good spot, Peter - Rolland is looking set fair to win this one too, as he barrels down the descent crouched low over his crossbar to create as little wind resistance as possible. Nibali continues to chase him, while Froome, the other GC contenders and their lieutenants are a little over two minutes behind. The 5.7-kilometre long category two Col du Mollard (1,638m) is next on the climbing agenda once they’ve got this descent out of the way.
Updated
The Chris Froome fan club is out in force
Alerte bras d'honneur pour Froome à droite de la route #TDF2015 https://t.co/187tb7PAQk
— Adrien Chantegrelet (@Adrientp) July 24, 2015
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
The yellow jersey group is on the descent after conquering the Croix de Fer. Alejandro Valverde attacks Froome while travelling at a quite frankly ridiculous lick, but Woet Poels guides his team leader back past the Spaniard. Further up the road, Vincenzo Nibali is chasing stage leader Pierre Rolland as the pair descend at high speed.
The road is narrow, many of the turns are tight and Rolland overcooks one corner and comes perilously close to crashing into a car parked outside somebody’s house. Nibali has also gets a kick off a pothole on the outskirts of one mountainside village and has a wobble. Nibali is going unbelievably fast as he chases Rolland.
Chris Froome regains contact with the group
He makes his way through to the front, past Nairo Quintana and Alberto Contador. Nibali has scorched off into the distance and on Eurosport, they’re wondering whether he attacked because he knew Froome had mechanical issues, which would be a poor show, or was in the process of attacking when Froome just happened to have what Sean Kelly to referred to as “probably just a chain-hop”. The consensus is that it was a coincidence. With Nibali so far behind on GC, it probably doesn’t matter. Pierre Rolland continues to lead the stage by 1min 56sec from the yellow jersey group.
Updated
Chris Froome has a mechanical
Something goes wrong with Chris Froome’s chain and he’s briefly forced to unclip from his pedals. It’s nothing too serious, but it affords his rivals the opportunity to get a jump on him and hare off ahead. As he attempts to to get back on the back of his group, a Frenchman runs alongside him to shout abuse in his ear. Further up the road, Vincenzo Nibali has opened a gap on his former travelling companions.
Alejandro Valverde attacks
The Movistar rider grits his teeth and jumps off the front of the yellow jersey group and is followed by Lampre-Merida rider Ruben Plaza Molina, who gets on his wheel. They open a small gap over the yellow jersey group, which is being led by Chris Froome and - I think - Wout Poels.
My £5 for today's stage is on Thibaut Pinot
He’s just been dropped from the yellow jersey group. Gah! Pierre Rolland is five kilometres from the summit of the Col du Glandon, where he will pick up 25 king of the mountains points before kicking on to the Croix de Fer. Back in the yellow jersey group, Astana continue to set a blistering pace. They’re 2min 05sec behind Rolland.
Geraint Thomas is struggling ...
They Sky rider is going backwards as he’s dropped out of the Froome group. With Richie Porte also struggling, Chris Froome is looking a bit exposed as Astana force the pace at the front of his group. They’re 2min 45sec Pierre Rolland, with a group of 17 riders behind them.
Some minor action at the front of the yellow jersey group
Vincenzo Nibali has ordered his Astana team-mates to up the pace at the front of the Froome/Quintana group and they’ve duly done so. Sky have sent Richie Porte forward to keep an eye on proceedings. They’re now 3min 13sec behind Pierre Rolland, who has attacked off the front of the lead group and opened a gap of over a minute on his former travelling companions.
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Reader obsession with ...
... the ownership of garish, moisture-wicking synthetic fibres continues. “I appreciate that the overall winners get to keep their prize jerseys, but what about the riders that wear the yellow, polkadot and green in the earlier stages but don’t win overall,” writes James Davison. “Do they get to keep them?”
Of course they get to keep them - why wouldn’t they? The organisers are hardly going to zip some poor bloke into the polka dot jersey at the end of the stage and then demand it back as soon as he gets back to the team bus, are they? [Addendum: If somebody writes in to provide concrete evidence that they actually do this, I will not be publishing their missive in a bid to remain right.]
Linus Turner is here with more answers
“Re the question on twins needing to go at the same time (13.33),” he writes. “I have 2 year old identical twin sons who are in the later stages of potty training at the moment. Whilst the fascination of the potty means that if one goes, the other one almost certainly wants to have a go next (ad infinitum, so that it turns into some sort of never-ending scatalogical version of musical chairs), they definitely don’t necessarily produce the goods at the same time. And given what they can produce on occasions, that’s a crumb of relief.” That’s that one sorted, then.
Ian Britton writes ...
“There are many many yellows,” he says. “The presentation one opens at the back. Top riders’ teams will have made to measure ready for their men - there were arguments over Froome’s yellow skinsuit (that was made in advance). You also see shots of lots of generic ones been signed for sponsors and others - in our company HQ we have/had a selection (not been for a bit) when we were a team sponsor. Plus some given as prizes etc etc But my kids did ask me to win them a lion - wish I was that good on a bike.”
Some of those in the breakaway ...
Romain Bardet (ALM), Joaquim Rodriguez (Kat), Roman Kreuziger (TCS), Michael Rogers (TCS), Cyril Gautier (EUC), Romain Sicard (EUC), Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN), Steph Clement (IAM), Steve Cummings (MTN), Nicolas Edet (COF). They’re making their way up the 25 kilometre climb to the Col du Glandon, which immediately kicks upwards to the Col de la Croix de Fer. Behind this breakaway, the yellow jersey group is 2min 37sec behind and rapidly thinning out.
George Rowland writes ...
“To reply to Christop Wagner,” he begins. “The obvious reason why the yellow jersey only started in 1919 is that it took 16 years of sweat to make it turn it’s trademark yellow.”
Updated
We have 72 kilometres to go ...
Tim Wellens and his team-mate Tony Gallopin have been dropped from the lead group on the lower slopes of the climb to the Col du Glandon. They lead the yellow jersey group by 2min 15sec.
Another reader rushes to Sheila Marchant-Webb's defence
“You quote Sheila Marchant Webb as asking whether the yellow jersey winner KEEPS IT, and you humiliate the poor woman (whom I’ve never met nor previously heard of, so no agenda) by answering a different question (do they get to keep them?)“ writes Liz Poulter. “I have often idly wondered what they do with them all (and also whether the presentation one is recycled when it’s the same winner) which is effectively the same question she asked. Love the detail about seeing the jersey printed up in the back of a van, though. I did hear Chris Froome say he hoped his yet-to-be-born son liked lions, so I guess he gets a new one of those every day.”
OK, fair enough. Perhaps I was a little bit hard on poor Sheila. Well, I would imagine most riders keep their yellow jerseys - Lance Armstrong famously tweeted a photo of seven of them framed on his living room wall when it became apparent he was going to lose them all. I suppose some would donate them to charity or other worthy causes.
Incidentally, the bloke I saw printing them off in the back of the van in Liege proceeded to fold them neatly, place them in a satchel and cycle a kilometre down to the finish line, where I presume he handed them over to the pertinent podium hostesses tasked with zipping the winners into them.
With regard to Chris Froome’s unborn child’s fondness - or otherwise - for cuddly lions, Mark Cavendish made the interesting point after winning his stage in this year’s Tour, that his young daughter Delilah is now old enough to understand that if daddy wins a stage, he gets presented with a nice bunch of flowers which he hands over to her. Apparently young Delilah was very upset when he was beaten to the line in Zelande at the end of stage two.
A pedant writes ...
“In relation to Sheila Marchant-Webb’s query,” writes Christoph Wagner. “I’d like to point out that the Maillot Jaune was first introduced in 1919, so the same one has not been in use since 1903 as you suggested.” That’s me told.
Tim Wellens has received treatment on a cut elbow and rejoined the 22-man breakaway as they make their way up the Col du Glandon, which must be tackled before a second brutal kick up to the Col de la Croix de Fer. They’ve got a lead of 1min 49sec over the yellow jersey group containing Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana.
The riders go through the feed zone
Lotto-Soudal’s Tim Wellens comes a cropper after making a pig’s ear of picking up his lunch. The musette hit his handlebars as he reached out to take it, causing him to lose control of the bike, swerve violently and hit the deck hard. He hops back on his bike with no serious injuries. He’s got a cut elbow, but no dinner. Speaking of riders’ lunch, you watch this while I dash off to get a cup of coffee. See you in five minutes.
An email from Sheila Marchant-Webb
“Do the riders who earn a yellow jersey keep each one?” she asks. Of course they don’t get to keep them, Sheila. Money on the Tour is so tight that the organisers insist on getting each filthy, sweat-drenched, salt-covered rag back from the owner at the end of each day, so they can run it through the washing machine and hand it on to the next fellow. It’s not widely known, but they’ve been passing around the same tatty yellow jersey for every Tour de France since the race began in 1903. I wouldn’t clean my car with the thing.
Another abandonment
Tinkoff-Saxo’s Danish rider Michael Valgren has hoisted the white flag. We’re down to 160 riders left from the 198 who began the race.
Updated
David Green is back and he wasn't being sarcastic ...
“Not sarcastic in anyway,” he says. “A war is won with the final battle and that is when any great leader most needs his lieutenants by his side. Go Team Sky! Outsmarting the rest to be the best!” Hmm ... I’m not so sure I share your point of view, David. Having your lieutenants by your side in the final battle is all well and good, but there’s not a huge amount of help they can provide their great leader happened to crack and lose 15 minutes in their absence in the previous day’s much tougher battle.
Intermediate sprint result
1. Cyril Gautier, 20 pts
2. Pierre Rolland, 17 pts
3. Michael Rogers, 15 pts
4. Dylan Van Baarle, 13 pts
5. Nicolas Edet, 11 pts
6. Stef Clement, 10 pts
7. Tony Gallopin, 9 pts
8. Joaquim Rodriguez, 8 pts
9. Alberto Losada, 7 pts
10. Romain Bardet, 6 pts
11. Romain Sicard, 5 pts
12. Stephen Cummings, 4 pts
13. Adriano Malori, 3 pts
14. Ruben Plaza, 2 pts
15. Roman Kreuziger, 1 pt
How things stand en route to the second climb ...
With about 90 kilometres to go, the yellow jersey group, which was about 60-strong, has split in two. We have a group of 21 riders, including Joaquim Rodriguez and Romain Bardet, who have opened a gap of 1min 30sec on Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana and chums in the main group. Between the two groups, MTN rider Daniel Teklehaimanot is trying to bridge the gap.
Another gem from Sean Kelly ...
He’s talking about “Jacob Fooglesong” and his little accident yesterday. The Astana rider, whose name is actually Jakob Fuglsang, was clipped by a motorbike, whose rider has since been kicked off the Tour. I shouldn’t be making fun of anyone for the way they pronounce foreign names, as I’ve mangled quite a few myself on the Football Weekly podcast.
As things stand, we have a main group of about 60 riders, including Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana, Peter Sagan, Romain Bardet and Joaquim Rodriguez.
Updated
Peter Sagan makes his move ...
The Slovak weaves to the front of the yellow jersey group to get in position for the sprint, which takes place soon. In other news, Geraint Thomas has recovered from being dropped on the first climb to rejoin Chris Froome.
“I spent a week in St Jean de Maurienne last month riding up and down all those big hills,” says John Sanderson. “Each time I went up the Col de Chaussy it rained on me. Looks like the riders today have similar luck - the downhill into La Chambre into the wet was squeaky-bum time I can tell you. On that note, I also saw the Yates brothers having a wee on top of the Col du Mollard. Interesting? Maybe.”
It’s possibly only interesting in so much as they were peeing at the same time. Can any twins out there clarify that if your sibling needs to go, you almost certainly will have to do so as well? Even if you haven’t drank anything?
An email from David Green
“Great tactics this from Sky,” he says. “No way that Chris will let the others get a chuck of time on him today and then Sky will have the freshest team for the final killer climb tomorrow.” Is he being sarcastic? I genuinely don’t know. Please clarify, David.
Bardet and Uran lead ...
Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) and Rigoberto Uran (Etixx-Quick Step) lead the kamikaze descent into La Chambre and open a gap of 15 seconds over the yellow jersey group. They’ve a bit on the flat to negotiate before tackling the Col de Glandon, which leads into the Hors Category Col de la Croix de Fer a couple of kilometres later.
Katherine Pearson writes ...
“My question from faraway California,” she says. “Who supplies the team-specific leader jerseys? Do teams have polka dot, green, yellow jerseys made up before the Tour even begins? I notice that one’s on podium and signed are often more basic than competitors’ jerseys worn in race.”
I can half-answer this for you, Katherine. The ones that are presented on the podium are printed up in the back of a van at the stage finish. I know this because I saw a fella doing it in - I think - Liege a couple of weeks ago. I think the ones the riders wear each day are also provided by the Tour organisers, but will happily stand corrected if somebody knows better.
“He’s still on a high from yesterday and he’s going to bite a bit too much of a big lump off the sang-wedge (translation: sandwich),” says Eurosport analyst over footage of yesterday’s stage winner Romain Bardet zooming down the first descent of the day. An awful lot of Irish people refer to sandwiches, both metaphorical and real, as “sang-wedges”. I have no idea why. I think it might actually a peculiarly Tipperary and Waterford thing.
Some positive spin from Sky
What they don’t mention is that Geraint Thomas and Nicolas Roche, among other members of their team, have been dropped on the first climb.
Over the top of the Col du Chaussy and Poels & Froome have joined the Contador/Valverde group. Nibali just ahead. #TDF2015
— Team Sky (@TeamSky) July 24, 2015
The riders descend towards La Chambre
Chris Froome has joined the leaders on the descent, but the blistering early pace has already cost him. He’s lost several team-mates on the first climb, which will please his rivals no end.
Updated
Joaquim Rodriguez is first over Col du Chaussy
He shoots ahead of Romain Bardet in the king of the mountains standings as first man over the Col du Chaussy as the riders begin their first descent of the day. It’s stopped raining and there are 122 kilometres to go.
Updated
Vincenzo Nibali attacks ...
The Astana rider and defending champion attacks the field on the first ascent as the yellow jersey group hoves into view over his shoulder. Rodriguez, Nibali and his team-mate Michele Scarponi and Alberto Contador are all towards the fore of the lead group as they approach the Col du Chaussy.
Nibali makes it into the breakaway ...
The Italian has made his way into the leading group, where he is joined by ALberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde. They’re three kilometres from Col du Chaussy and have a 17-second lead over the yellow jersey group, where Sky’s Nicolas Roche is already struggling. Chris Froome only has two team-mates with him at the front of the bunch.
Meanwhile in the yellow jersey group ...
Vincenzo Nibali is looking dangerous at the front, perhaps thinking of making a break for the escape party, where he has a couple of team-mates waiting to help him. Alberto Contador has already attacked, but Geraint Thomas and Alejandro Valverde reeled him in.
Your 26-man breakaway ...
Rigoberto Uran (Etixx), Steve Cumming (MTN), Michele Scarponi and Lieuwe Westra (Astana), JC Péraud (AG2R-La Mondiale), Alexandre Geniez (FDJ), Michael Rogers (Tinkoff-Saxo), José Herrada and Adriano Malori (Movistar), Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Soudal), Joaquim Rodriguez, Damiano Caruso and Alberto Losada (Katusha), Pierre Rolland, Cyril Gautier and Romain Sicard (Europcar), Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo), Ruben Plaza (Lampre-Merida), Andrew Talansky, Dan Martin and Dylan van Baarle (Cannondale-Garmin), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis), Jarlinson Pantano (IAM Cycling), Emmanuel Buchmann and Bartosz Huzarski (Bora-Argon 18) and Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN-Qhubeka).
Updated
Sky in control of the yellow jersey bunch
It looks like they have seven riders strung out in the lead of the main bunch, which is 30 seconds behind the 25-man breakaway, whose members are currently cycling through a torrential downpour. It is pelting down, which will make for even more dangerous descents if the roads get wet and greasy.
Among those in the breakaway ...
Lieuwe Westra (Astana), Jean-Christophe Péraud (AG2R), José Herrada (Movistar), Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha), Alberto Losada (Katusha), Romain Sicard (Europcar), Steven Krijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo), Ruben Plaza (Lampre), Dylan van Baarle (Cannondale) and Nicolas Edet (Cofidis). Rodriguez is currently towing up the climb.
Some riders struggling already
This is a bit of a cruel and unusual punishment for riders this far into a Grand Tour. With less than 10 kilometres gone, the bunch is already in bits, with several riders already out of their saddles, jerseys unzipped and flapping in the breeze as they struggle up the first climb. The Rodriguez breakaway is currently 26-strong and has a 40 second lead over the yellow jersey.
Updated
We have a 10-man breakaway ....
After five kilometres, 10 riders have put some time between themselves and the rest of the bunch. Joaquim Rodriguez is among the escapees making their way up towards Col du Chaussy, but Romain Bardet, his rival for the polka dot jersey, is not.
Joaquim Rodriguez hits the front
Joaquim Rodriguez, who it seems got the “bonk” yesterday after missing a feed, has immediately hared off into the leado on stage 19, with AG2R La Mondiale rider Jean-Christophe Péraud keeping tabs on him.
They're off and racing on stage 19
And immediately up a ruddy great mountain. Ouch. Here are today’s climbs and their levels of difficulty. There are a total of 60 king of the mountains points on offer today, with double-bubble available for anyone who wins them on La Toussuire.
- Km 15.5: Col du Chaussy (cat. 1), 15.4km at 6.3%
- Km 83: Col de la Croix-de-Fer (H.C.), 22.4km at 6.9%
- Km 103: Col du Mollard (cat. 2), 5.7km at 6.8%
- Km 138: La Toussuire (cat. 1), 18km at 6.1%
Not long now ...
Today’s stage is short but brutal and the riders are gently pedalling their way to the official start, where they will immediately tackle Col du Chaussy. Chris Froome leads Nairo Quintana by 3min 10sec and it’s neck and neck between Joaquim Rodriguez and Romain Bardet in the King of the Mountains stakes. Let’s get ready to rumble ...
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Sir Dave Brailsford speaks ...
Chatting outside the Sky Death Star ahead of today’s stage, the Sky boss seems very bullish. “Sometimes people over-complicate these things, but it’s really very simple,” he says. “Froomey has to stay on Nairo’s wheel and lose no time.”
Movistar's team manager speaks ...
“Second and third, it looks good on paper but it’s not enough for us,” says Jose Luis Arrieta. “We came for winning and the whole has been working for three weeks to make Nairo a winner. Unfortunately, there was this special stage in Zealand where Nairo lost one and half minute. Three minutes deficit is a lot, but in the two coming stages, failures can happen. We’ve seen it in the past. Those two hard stages are made to create differences. We have no choice but attack. However we have to do it smartly. Nairo is motivated. We keep the hope.”
Another Tour casualty
The motorbike rider who accidentally clipped Astana rider Jakob Fuglsang and brought him down with a hard bang just as Romain Bardet was making his winning move yesterday has been banished from the race.
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King of the Mountains
Joaquim Rodriguez and Romain Bardot are currently tied at the top of the table for the polka dot jersey, but the Spanish Katusha rider will wear the jersey today, because he has amassed more points on haute category climbs. Upon being asked about his chances of keeping it after yesterday’s stage, he didn’t sound hugely confident, saying he felt terrible yesterday and would have to wait and see if he could get in any breakaways.
And then there were 161
Mark Renshaw wasn’t the only withdrawal yesterday: MTN rider Louis Meintjes failed to start the stage. The duo’s absence brings the total number of withdrawals from the original 198 starters to 37.
Bad news for Mark Cavendish
Ahead of Sunday’s final stage on the Champs Elysee, the Etixx-Quick Step sprinter has lost his trusty lead-out man Mark Renshaw, who abandoned yesterday through illness.
““I woke up with the same pain this morning,” said the Australian yesterday. “It’s pain from really stiff muscles in my neck, and that pain from the stiffness has gone up into my head in the form of a migraine.
“Every hole, every bump, every rough part of the road I could feel the pain in the back of my head with this stiffness in my neck. I’ve never experienced anything like that before.
“Together with the team we decided it was best for me to stop. There is no way I could keep going like this. I already knew when I woke up this morning that it’d be hard to finish the stage. The pain was so intense and never lessened.
“It’s a shame that I cannot finish this Tour de France after riding with my team-mates for two and a half weeks, especially since I was getting ready for Paris on Sunday and my legs were OK.
“I’m really sad about it, especially since I can’t be there to help Mark Cavendish for the sprint on Sunday. But I will absolutely be there in Paris to give my full support to my team-mates in any way I can, and I wish them the best of luck in these final two days in the Alps before then.”
From the Tour de France website
In the past few days, the early breakaways have been formed by a significant number of riders. It could be the case again from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to La Toussuire. Start and finishing location are less than twenty kilometers away but the unprecedented col de Chaussy, right from the gun, the grueling col de la Croix-de-Fer and the tricky downhill of the col du Mollard are just as many opportunities to turn the race upside down.
As Chris Froome noted, there are a few races within the race. The most undecided is the hunt for the polka dot jersey. Joaquim Rodriguez and Romain Bardet are equal on points. They need to go on the attack again but GC contenders won’t let Bardet move up again after he entered the top ten at the expense of his compatriot Warren Barguil. Frenchmen will be inspired by his triumph on stage 18. La Toussuire is where Pierre Rolland won a Tour de France stage in 2012, the day Chris Froome was held back by his sport director at the request of Bradley Wiggins.
It’s also where Thibaut Pinot claimed stage 3 of the Tour des Pays de Savoie in 2009 prior to turning pro. In 2011, again at La Toussuire, he came second in stage 7 of the Critérium du Dauphiné… behind Rodriguez. Don’t murderers always come back on the scene of their crimes?
General Classification after Stage 18
AG2R La Mondiale’s Romain Bardet won yesterday after an impressive solo, which was enough to catapult him into the top 10. Chris Froome remains in the lead.
1 Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky 74:13:31
2 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team +03:10
3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team +04:09
4 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky +06:34
5 Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo +06:40
6 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo +07:39
7 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team +08:04
8 Mathias Frank (Swi) IAM Cycling +08:47
9 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek Factory Racing +12:06
10 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale +13:02
Stage 19: Saint-Jean-de Maurienne to La Toussuire (138km)
Good day, one and all. It’s another big day in the Alps, with four gruelling climbs and the accompanying hair-raising downhills for the riders to tackle. Today’s start and finish are only about 20 kilometres apart, but the riders will be taking a decidedly scenic route (unless somebody decides to cheat and go the short way), which after nearly three weeks of racing few are likely to enjoy.
This is probably the most fearsome of the four Alpine days, with two major climbs and one descent in the final 50km.
The climbing starts from the gun; the halt and the lame will be hanging on for grim death over the 18km Col du Chaussy, which goes back up the Lacets de Montvernier the other way, with a bit added on.
The big sort-out will happen on the Col de la Croix de Fer, with the finale to La Toussuire to offer a final verdict. This is a classic long Alpine finish, made for Nairo Quintana, who is running out of chances to claw back time on Chris Froome.
