Tour de France 2024: stage 15 units one other big check in Pyrenees – dwell

120km to go: John Little will get in contact: “Afternoon Mr Brewin, they’re going up the steep aspect of the Aspet at present, which does in 5km what the ascent from St. Girons does in 30km. On our final journey up, we couldn’t even outpace the forest bees, full respect to all of the riders and doffed cap to Casartelli.

“Double weekend shift for you we see- it’s a unclean job etc- and really grateful we’re as you’re our solely dwell entry at present. Are we actually going to have to attend ‘til Friday for this Tour’s Pantani/Galibier second? As for the commentary, we agree that Duffers is vastly missed and we’re massive Sean followers right here at Owl Towers.”

Man Hornsby: “Afternoon John, afternoon everybody. On the biking commentary, I’d agree there’s no good staff. Again within the day it was in fact Sherwen and Ligget, however I’d argue there’s higher now. I’d second Millar as a favorite and ITV normally. He’s at all times illuminating, and nonetheless is aware of the Peleton very well, and works nicely with Ned, who’s a bit hyperbolic however I like that he got here to biking late and fell in love with it. And Pete Kennaugh brings an ego-free voice too. Gary Imlach is, to me, the don of all of it, ageless and sanguine. I do actually like Eurosport, particularly seeing Dani Rowe currently, and I’ve a smooth spot for the Biking podcast, particularly Daniel Freibe and Mitch Docker. Actually, we’re spoilt for selection within the UK.”

To be sincere, this has served to kill the nerves forward of the match tonight. On pod responsibility, speaking bollocks into the night time.

127km to go: William Preston will get in contact: “This good from the off! This Col de Mente is gorgeous, however the riders are getting such a Respectable stomp on at present they certainly are lacking the surroundings.

“As I switched on the tv, I assumed for a second it was the acquainted sight of an FDJ staff chief slipping off the again of the peleton, however was delighted to learn Gaudu is up the entrance nd taking mountain factors. As a staff, they promised a lot over the previous ten years to high the GC, however dangerous luck hasn’t stopped their thrilling heroics when the street goes up with some good rides! I notice that Pinot is bike packing to Good and appears very comfortable in his dotage.

“Have an exquisite afternoon, I’m off to the zoo so will depend on essentially the most glorious protection right here!”

132km to go: S.Yates (Jayco-AlUla), De Plus (Ineos Grenadiers), Hindley, Jungels, Sobrero (RedBull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Martinez (Groupama-FDJ), Carapaz, Healy (EF Schooling Easypost), Fuglsang (Israel-Premier Tech), Martin (Cofidis), Mas, Aranburu, Romo (Movistar), Meintjes (Intermarché-Wanty), Onley (dsm-Formenich) and Johannessen (Uno-X) are the break, however only a minute forward of the peloton.

They go over that summit, and the descent begins. There wasn’t a lot of a push for the polka factors on provide.

135km to go: Little relaxation for the depraved as they head over this peak. The descent took them previous the memorial to Fabio Casartelli,

140km to go: The descent drops down and down, some nasty hairpins, nastily steep earlier than one more climb approaches, a primary class, the Col de Portet D’Aspet.

148km to go: The break goes over the Col de Mente, a grim outdated gradient. Richard Carapaz seems to be in good nick however is crushed to the highest by Javier Romo of Movistar. Simon Yates is within the break that now begins an extended descent.

Unhealthy information for Huge Sir Jim’s staff.

Biniam Girmay penalised 5 dash factors

150km to go: Simon Yates, like his brother Adam yesterday, if far earlier within the race, is attempting to bridge to the break. The peloton is 1’ 30” behind Simon Yates and his fellow chasers. Ben Healy is alongside him, and filled with assault.

155km to go: That is the break that enters Marignac and has a first-category climb up 10km or so to the Col du Mente forward that can virtually immediately cut up the pack. And does so. Rui Costa is a kind of to blow out early. As is Girmay, who can be again within the grupetto earlier than too lengthy.

Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla), Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers). Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek), Nans Peters (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Nico Denz, Jai Hindley and Bob Jungels (Pink Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ), Rui Costa (EF Schooling-EasyPost), Jakob Fuglsang (Israel-Premier Tech)
Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Enric Mas, Alex Aranburu, Davide Formolo and Gregor Mulhberger (Movistar), Louis Meintjes and Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty), Magnus Cort and Tobias Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) Mathieu Burgaudeau and Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies)

Girmay in inexperienced takes 20 dash factors

165km to go: The hole is a minute to the yellow jersey group. No Philipsen. Girmay might find yourself closing off the inexperienced jersey by profitable the approaching dash.

Ought to say, of the brand new breed, a fan of Orla within the studio and Adam Blythe, good Sheffield accent plus all around the element. Peter Kennaugh is sweet on that, too. Want extra Chris Boardman, too.

170km to go: Into Luchon, they go, and one thing of a breakaway is fashioned. Girmay is in there forward of that dash.

Gary Naylor will get in contact: “Who’re your most well-liked voices behind the mics? I discover Ned Boulting a bit too eager to promote the drama when the photographs converse for themselves, however I nonetheless go together with ITV as a result of David Millar is aware of his stuff and has a wonderful voice. Additionally, Gary Imlach is unimprovable, the most effective sports activities anchor for a decade or extra. On Eurosport, in addition they endure from talking an excessive amount of, however the revolving forged by no means discover the chemistry the most effective groups want when there are hours to fill – unsure the way you match Robbie McEwan and Sean Kelly into the identical studio.”

I’m going way back to Richard Keys being the primary man, however Gary Imlach is the professional’s professional. Like Ned quite a bit – a gent – and David Millar is nice, as you say. As I’ve a Discovery sub I have a tendency to look at Eurosport, and whereas I lament David Duffield – and used to assume David Harmon was good – I don’t thoughts a Carlton Kirbygasm, and Rob Hatch is Mr Reliable. Jonathan Harris-Bass is a former colleague, a really droll man. At all times good to listen to him and his recipes. I ought to save a phrase for Richard Moore, so sadly missed, who introduced us the wonderful Biking Podcast, with Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie. As for Sean Kelly, I really like his verbal tics – “the overall classement” and “the Tour of France”. And you may’t argue with him as a bike owner. That golden period continues to be the one I’m going again to.

180km to go: Subsequent comes a descent. There’s a grupetto already fashioned, Cavendish included. Bardet, Lazkano and Gaudu are the breakaway trio. There’s a dash on the backside that ought to curiosity Girmay. Right here’s the polka factors simply gained, and what comes forward. The hole to the yellow jersey group is simply 10 seconds.

David Gaudu takes 1o mountain factors

195km to go: Neilson Powless is the primary to make a transfer up the kind of climb your automobile can be in second gear and screaming. Arnaud DeMare and Mark Cavendish are among the many sprinters already spat out the again. Romain Bardet is up the entrance, so is Ben Healy, and so is Jai Hindley. Adam Yates is conserving watch on the entrance of the yellow jersey group.

Away they go up the Col de Peyresourde!

Extra on Dorito-gate

Right now’s stage is steep. Have a look at that begin. Loudenville is being traversed for the depart fictif.

Evenepoel appears to be trying backwards in the direction of Carlos Rodriguez of Group Ineos. He nonetheless has the time trial to come back, too.

Information on the Dorito chucker.

The spectator who threw a packet of chips at Tadej Pogacar yesterday was taken into police custody for aggravated violence in response to Le Parisien. He can be interviewed by the gendarmes at present after an evening within the sobering up cell.

Basic classification at begin of stage 15

Jeremy Whittle reported from Saturday’s summit end.

Pogacar admitted after the stage that he was indebted to his British teammate Adam Yates, whose lone assault, seven kilometres from the end, paved the best way for the Slovenian’s explosive effort.

“It was a bit little bit of improvisation,” Yates mentioned after the stage. “I used to be able to do the tempo, as regular, and Tadej instructed me to assault. I used to be like, ‘What?!’”

Yates revealed that Pogacar’s techniques are typically even a thriller to his teammates. “With Tadej, I’ve acquired no thought typically. This morning, he mentioned: ‘You possibly can win when you go full gasoline.’ You by no means know.”

The Netflix cameras may have garnered loads of materials from Saturday. Extra of the identical.

Through the years, the good double acts have all made a deep mark on biking’s consciousness. French bike racing has by no means acquired over Poulidor and Anquetil, whose rivalry reached its zenith 60 years and two days in the past. The Italy of the Nineteen Forties and 50s was bitterly divided between the tifosi of Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali. A single Tour de France, 1986, created a story of battle between Hinault and Greg LeMond which stays a bone of competition to this present day. In Belgium, the chilly conflict between Eddy Merckx and Roger De Vlaeminck lasted for many of the early Seventies, centred on the good one-day Classics. This yr, the game is embracing what has the makings of the best cleaning soap opera of all of them: Pogacar and Vingegaard.

William Fotheringham’s stage 15 information

Extra Pyrenean nastiness; anybody who’s struggling will dread the beginning straight up the Col de Peyresourde. Three early first class climbs soften the legs, the Col d’Agnès will create an preliminary choice earlier than a climax up the 15km “Plateau of the Bees”. It’s Bastille Day, so the French climbers can be buzzing: a ultimate flourish for Romain Bardet or Warren Barguil, maybe, or a breakthrough for Romain Grégoire or Lenny Martinez. Extra possible, a foreigner will win.

Preamble