Road
Riders may have to watch out for llamas on the Col du Tourmalet
In the past, Tour de France riders have had numerous encounters with dogs, sheep and horses which unfortunately have resulted in a number of crashes. On today's 184-kilometre stage in the Pyrenees from Pau to Bagnères-de-Luchon, the riders may have another four-legged animal to be mindful of. Joël Adagas has posted a number of a photos in the past week of...
The dramatic moment when the Tour de France inflatable arches collapsed (VIDEO)
Footage of the moment when the inflatable arches holding the flame rouge collapsed during yesterday's stage of the Tour de France has emerged. The footage had originally been posted on YouTube by Velon but has since been removed. However, a number of Twitter users have since posted the footage including the post below from William Hill Australia @WillHillAus. As can be...
Onboard highlights from Stage 7 of the Tour de France (VIDEO)
The Tour de France entered the mountains today with the first of three stages in the Pyrenees. The 162.5-kilometre stage took the riders from L'Isle-Jourdain to Lac de Payolle and the riders faced two categorised climbs along the way including the first category Col d'Aspin. Steve Cummings (Dimension Data for Qhubeka) rode away from his breakaway companions which included Vincenzo Nibali...
Steve Cummings solos to magnificent stage win at Tour de France
Steve Cummings (Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka) won stage 7 of the Tour de France in typical Steve Cummings fashion, attacking from the original break of the day, to win solo in Lac de Payolle. Daryl Impey (Orica-BikeExchange) made it an even better day for the African team as the South African finished in 2nd place with Daniel Navarro...
Drama at the Tour de France as inflatable flamme rouge marker collapses (VIDEO)
Orica-BikeExchange rider Adam Yates suffered a cut chin today at the Tour de France when the inflatable arches holding the flame rouge collapsed. The entire road was blocked by the collapsed inflatable which took place just as the main GC riders approached the kilometre-to-go marker. Yates hit the inflatable arches and could be seen after the collision sitting on the road...
When Gino Bartali was ‘attacked’ on the Col d’Aspin by a man with a salami
By Graham Healy The Col d’Aspin may not be the hardest or most iconic climb that features in the Tour de France, but in the 1950 edition of the race, it was the scene of considerable drama. The climb featured on the eleventh stage of the race from Pau to St. Gaudens and two-time Tour winner Gino Bartali was away with...
Steven Kruijswijk looks set to stay with LottoNL-Jumbo
Steven Kruijswijk will extend his contract with LottoNL-Jumbo on the Tour de France's first rest day in Andorra according to a report in De Telegraaf. The Dutch rider will stay with the team until the end of the 2018 season after negotiating a new contract with Robert van der Wallen of Brand Loyalty. A number of other teams including Team Sky...
Onboard highlights from Stage 6 of the Tour de France (VIDEO)
Today's sixth stage of the Tour de France was a relatively flat 190.5km stage from Arpajon-sur-Cère to Montauban. It was the calm before the storm as the riders will now face three mountain stages. The stage ended in a sprint finish which was won once again by Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka) ahead of Marcel Kittel (Etixx-Quick Step)...
Shay Elliott’s fight to finish the 1958 Tour de France
By Graham Healy The Irish rider Shay Elliott made his Tour de France debut in 1956, but unfortunately had to withdraw early on in the race, having sustained injuries from a crash prior to the start of the Tour. Two years later he lined up again, and did make it to Paris this time, despite having suffered an incredible amount of...
Mark Cavendish sprints to third stage victory at Tour de France
The fairy tale Tour de France continued on stage 6 for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka as Mark Cavendish sprinted to his 3rd victory at this year's race. Marcel Kittel (Etixx-Quickstep) was 2nd in the lunge for the line and Dan McLay (Fortuneo-Vital Concept) placed 3rd. At 190km from Arpajon-sur-Cere to Montauban, the terrain took in a few undulations but...
Onboard highlights from Stage 5 of the Tour de France (VIDEO)
The riders made their first foray into the mountains in the Tour de France today on the 216km course between Limoges and Le Lioran in the Massif Central. The stage was won by BMC Racing's Greg Van Avermaet who also took over the yellow jersey from Peter Sagan. The Belgian had been part of a nine-man break which had gone...
“It felt like you were riding through glue all day long” – Dan Martin
It was a good day for Etixx-Quick Step at the Tour de France today as Dan Martin finished in fifth on the stage while Julian Alaphilippe held on to the white jersey. Nine riders got clear after the first categorised climb of a day which included six ascents and several narrow and twisty descents, with the peloton more than happy...
Fourth top four finish for Peter Sagan as he extends Tour de France GC lead
After a hard-fought finish, which came at the end of the race’s longest stage, Peter Sagan came from behind to power past rivals and take third on the fourth stage of the Tour de France. This enabled him to extend his lead in the yellow jersey and snatch back the green jersey of points leader. The race’s longest day –...
Onboard highlights from Stage 4 of the Tour de France (VIDEO)
A photo-finish was again needed to identify who was first across the line on stage 4 of the Tour de France with Marcel Kittel (Etixx-Quick Step) being declared the winner. The German rider narrowly outsprinted Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) after the longest stage of the race, 237.5 km from Saumur to Limoges, to claim his first stage win since 2014. Andreas...
30 years ago today, Alex Stieda became the first North American to wear the yellow jersey
The 1986 Tour de France is remembered as being one of the best editions of the race in the past few decades when Greg LeMond won after repelling repeated attacks from his own team-mate Bernard Hinault. Even though LeMond became the first and to-date the only US rider to win the Tour, he wasn't the first North American to wear...
Marcel Kittel captures his 14th Grand Tour success in Limoges
Marcel Kittel scored his 11th win of the season and the 34th for Etixx-Quick Step at the end of a long day in the saddle on the fourth stage of the Tour de France today. As expected, the longest stage of the race had a calm beginning, with just four riders making it in the break – Alexis Gougeard (AG2R),...