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Tour de France: Primoz Roglic extends lead as Daniel Martinez wins stage 13

By Jack SkeltonBBC Sport


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Less than a minute agoLess than a minute ago.From the sectionCyclinghttps://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/188.jpgMartinez prevailed after an arduous battle with KamnaPrimoz Roglic extended his lead in the yellow jersey on the Tour de France after Daniel Martinez claimed a superb win on stage 13.
Roglic and fellow Slovenian Tadej Pogacar dropped all of their rivals on a gruelling final climb to Puy Mary.

Defending champion Egan Bernal slipped to third overall, with Roglic now leading Pogacar by 44 seconds.
EF Pro Cycling's Martinez punched clear of Lennard Kamna in the final metres to take his first Tour stage victory.
Fellow Colombian Bernal, who had trailed Roglic by 21 seconds after stage 12, struggled on the brutal summit finish and is now 59 seconds back on Roglic and 15 seconds down on Pogacar.
Frenchmen Guillaume Martin and Romain Bardet, who started the stage third and fourth overall respectively, also cracked and are out of the top 10.
"I see this as a Slovenian day, not a Colombian day," said Roglic.
"I'm super happy with how it went but here's still a lot of road ahead of us and next week there'll different scenarios with different riders."

• Adam Yates' stage-by-stage guide

When the day began, the top 10 on general classification was the closest it had been at this stage of any Tour since 1947, but the race ripped apart on the two final climbs.
Ineos Grenadiers set a high pace on the penultimate climb of the Col de Neronne, dropping Britain's Adam Yates as well as Martin and Bardet, who crashed earlier in the stage.
Pavel Sivakov had sat up from the breakaway to work for Bernal, who initially also had Richard Carapaz in support, suggesting the defending champion could look to attack.
But Roglic's Jumbo-Visma again displayed they are the strongest team in the race, with Sepp Kuss and Tom Dumoulin taking up the pace-setting and isolating Bernal.
When Pogacar sought to animate the race once again by attacking, only Roglic could go with his friend and compatriot, with Bernal distanced.
Richie Porte, Mikel Landa and Miguel Angel Lopez did well to limit their losses and all move up on GC, but a visibly suffering Bernal came in 38 seconds down on Roglic, who had only led the Colombian on bonus seconds before this stage.
Yates, who is now seventh overall, recovered well to finish alongside Nairo Quitana and two seconds back on Bernal and Rigoberto Uran.
Martinez, who won this year's Criterium du Dauphine after Roglic pulled out while leading, proved to be the strongest rider from a 17-man breakaway that finally established after a frenetic start to the stage.
His team-mates Hugh Carthy and Neilson Powless both attacked first but were each brought back before Max Schachmann dropped Powless to begin the final climb alone.
When Martinez countered, Schachmann's Bora-Hansgrohe team-mate Kamna jumped on his wheel and let the Colombian do all the work to reel in the German.
Kamna twice tried to kick clear of Martinez in the final 2km with sections of 15% gradient after Schachmann was dropped, but Martinez responded each time before making his own decisive move late on.
Saturday's 14th stage is a 194km route from Clermont-Ferrand to Lyon.
Top 10 on stage 13

1. Daniel Martinez (Col/EF Pro Cycling) 5hrs 01min 47secs
2. Lennard Kamna (Ger/Bora-Hansgrohe) +4secs
3. Max Schachmann (Ger/Bora-Hansgrohe) +51secs
4. Valentin Madouas (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) +1min 33secs
5. Pierre Rolland (Fra/B&B Hotels-Vital Concept) +1min 42secs
6. Nicolas Edet (Fra/Cofidis) +1min 53secs
7. Simon Geschke (Ger/CCC Team) +2mins 35secs
8. Marc Soler (Spa/Movistar) +2mins 43secs
9. Hugh Carthy (GB/EF Pro Cycling) +3min 18secs
10. David de la Cruz (Spa/UAE Team Emirates) +3mins 52secs
General classification after stage 13

1. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) 56hrs 34mins 35secs
2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) +44secs
3. Egan Bernal (Col/Ineos Grenadiers) +59secs
4. Rigoberto Uran (Col/EF Pro Cycling) +1min 10secs
5. Nairo Quintana (Col/Arkea-Samsic) +1min 12secs
6. Miguel Angel Lopez (Col/Astana) +1min 31secs
7. Adam Yates (GB/Mitchelton-Scott) +1min 42secs
8. Mikel Landa (Spa/Bahrain McLaren) +1min 55secs
9. Richie Porte (Aus/Trek-Segafredo) +2mins 06secs
10. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) +2mins 54secs















Tour de France stage guide: Adam Yates profiles 2020 race stages

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/189.jpgBy Adam YatesMitchelton-Scott rider


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1 hour ago1 hour ago.From the sectionCyclinghttps://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/190.jpgAdam Yates' best Tour finish is fourth in 2016, when he won the best young rider jersey

Tour de France
Dates: 29 August - 20 September
Coverage: Live text commentary on each stage on the BBC Sport website and app

This year's rescheduled Tour de France starts in Nice on Saturday and finishes in Paris on Sunday, 20 September.
The riders will tackle a particularly tough course, with plenty of unique touches, as they race 3,470km around France.

Britain's Adam Yates is targeting stage wins over general classification in his fifth Tour and has given BBC Sport his insight into each of the stages.
This page will be updated throughout the Tour with the winner and brief report after each stage has been completed.
Saturday, 29 August - stage one: Nice - Nice, 156km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/191.jpgKristoff secured the yellow jersey with a superb sprint finishWinner: Alexander Kristoff (Nor/UAE-Team Emirates)
Report: Kristoff wins first stage as several riders crash in rain
Alexander Kristoff timed his sprint finish to perfection to win the opening stage, with Mads Pedersen second and Cees Bol third. There were several crashes on wet roads, but Team Ineos' defending champion Egan Bernal largely avoided the trouble and finished safely in the peloton.
Sunday, 30 August - stage two: Nice - Nice, 186km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/192.jpgJulian Alaphilippe was the fastest finisher from the late attackers as the peloton closed quickly but ultimately too lateWinner: Julian Alaphilippe (Fra/Deceuninck-Quick-Step)
Report: Alaphilippe rides into yellow with Yates second overall
Our Tour guide Adam was in with a shout of winning stage two after launching a late attack alongside Julian Alaphilippe and Swiss youngster Marc Hirschi.
In the end he did not have the legs in the final sprint, but his third place in Nice was enough to put him into second overall, four seconds behind effervescent Frenchman Alaphilippe.
Monday, 31 August - stage three: Nice - Sisteron, 198km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/193.jpgCaleb Ewan has won stages in all three Grand ToursWinner: Caleb Ewan (Aus/Lotto Soudal)
Report: Ewan sprints to dazzling victory
As Adam suggested it would be, this was indeed a sprint finish, and one taken in spectacular fashion by Aussie speedster Caleb Ewan.
After Peter Sagan had led out from distance it looked like Irishman Sam Bennett was set for victory, but Lotto Soudal's Ewan came from deep, squeezed past a fading Sagan on the barriers and swooped around Bennett to win in sensational style.
Tuesday, 1 September - stage four: Sisteron - Orcieres-Merlette, 160.5km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/194.jpgPrimoz Roglic secured his third Tour stage win on the 2020 edition's first summit finishPrimoz Roglic made a statement of intent with victory on the first summit finish of this year's race. The Slovenian's Jumbo-Visma team set the pace on the final climb before Roglic countered a late attack by Guillaume Martin to claim his third Tour stage win.
Despite Roglic's show of strength, most of the contenders did not lose any time, with Julian Alaphilippe retaining the yellow jersey and Adam Yates remaining second overall.
Winner: Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma)
Report: Roglic shows impressive form in summit finish win
Wednesday, 2 September - Stage 5: Gap - Privas, 183km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/195.jpgAdam Yates is the ninth different British rider to wear the yellow jerseyOur guide Adam Yates claimed the yellow jersey for the first time in his career in strange circumstances after Julian Alaphilippe was docked 20 seconds for taking a bottle off a team support member inside the final 20km of the stage.
It had been a quiet day until the finale, with unusually no breakaway forming, before Belgium's Wout van Aert underlined his all-round talents by beating the best sprinters in the race. Ireland's Sam Bennett finished third to take the green jersey off Peter Sagan.
Winner: Wout van Aert (Bel/Jumbo-Visma)
Report: Yates takes yellow after Alaphilippe penalised
Thursday, 3 September - stage six: Le Teil - Mont Aigoual, 191km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/196.jpgAlexey Lutsenko's only previous Grand Tour stage win came at the 2017 Vuelta a EspanaA strong eight-man group established a healthy lead early on before Kazakh champion Alexey Lutsenko steadily dropped the rest of his breakaway partners. The Astana rider rode the last 17km alone to take an impressive first Tour stage win.
Adam Yates comfortably retained the yellow jersey, with none of the contenders mounting any attacks, although Julian Alaphilippe sprinted late on to grab one second back.
Winner: Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz/Astana)
Report: Lutsenko wins first Tour stage as Yates stays in yellow
Friday, 4 September - Stage seven: Millau - Lavaur, 168km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/197.jpgWout van Aert, a three-time world cyclo-cross world champion, continues to impress on the road in FranceCrosswinds played their part as Wout van Aert claimed his second stage win of the race in a reduced bunch sprint finish. Britain's Adam Yates managed to keep in the leading group but several of his general classification rivals missed out with Tadej Pogacar and Mikel Landa both losing more than a minute.
Winner: Wout van Aert (Bel/Jumbo-Visma)
Report: Yates keeps yellow as Van Aert continues to impress
Saturday, 5 September - stage eight: Cazeres-sur-Garonne - Loudenvielle, 141km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/198.jpgNans Peters won his first stage on a Grand Tour at the Giro d'Italia in 2019Britain's Adam Yates retained the Tour de France leader's yellow jersey as Nans Peters rode to a superb solo win on stage eight. A tough day of climbing saw Yates respond to several attacks on the final climb on the Col de Peyresourde to maintain his advantage. France's Peters led home the survivors of a 13-man breakaway to record a memorable win in the Pyrenees.
Winner: Nans Peters (Fra/AG2R-La Mondiale)
Report: Yates defends Tour de France lead after tough mountain stage
Sunday, 6 September - stage nine: Pau - Laruns, 153km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/199.jpgTadej Pogacar is the youngest stage winner at the Tour in the 21st CenturyBritain's Adam Yates lost the leader's yellow jersey to Primoz Roglic as Tadej Pogacar won the stage. Yates was dropped on the final climb, while Pogacar edged fellow Slovenian Roglic in a sprint to the line.
Winner: Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE-Team Emirates)
Report: Yates loses yellow jersey to Roglic
Monday, 7 September - rest day: Carente-Maritime

• A brutal Tour de France will see the return of what sport has missed so badly - fans
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Tuesday, 8 September - stage 10: Ile d'Oleron - Ile de Re, 168.5km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/200.jpgSam Bennett has now won stages in all three Grand ToursIreland's Sam Bennett sprinted to his first Tour de France stage victory by holding off Caleb Ewan and Peter Sagan after a stressful day that saw several crashes. Victory also moved Bennett, who Adam Yates picked for the stage win, back into the green jersey as leader of the points classification ahead of Sagan. Primoz Roglic avoided trouble to retain the yellow jersey.
Winner: Sam Bennett (Ire/Deceuninck-Quick-Step)
Report: Bennett claims first Tour stage win
Wednesday, 9 September - stage 11: Chatelaillon-Plage - Poitiers, 167.5km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/201.jpgCaleb Ewan claimed the tightest sprint finish of the race so farCaleb Ewan claimed his second win of this year's Tour and fifth overall by edging out his rivals in a thrilling sprint. The Australian threw his bike just ahead of Peter Sagan, who was subsequently relegated to last and docked 13 points by the race jury for colliding with Wout van Aert. Sam Bennett was promoted to second, giving the Irishman a 68-point lead over Sagan in the green jersey points classification.
Winner: Caleb Ewan (Aus/Lotto Soudal)
Report: Ewan wins thrilling sprint as Bennett tightens grip on green
Thursday, 10 September - stage 12: Chauvigny - Sarran, 218km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/202.jpgMarc Hirschi claimed his first professional win on stage 12 after twice being on the podium earlier in the TourMarc Hirschi produced a superb solo break to record his first professional win. The Swiss rider went clear with 28km remaining of the 218km stage - the longest in this year's Tour - to win by 47 seconds on an uneventful day in the general classification.
Winner: Marc Hirschi (Swi/Sunweb)
Report: Hirschi wins his first Tour stage
Friday, 11 September - stage 13: Chatel-Guyon - Puy Mary, 191.5km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/203.jpgDaniel Martinez won the 2020 Criterium du DauphinePrimoz Roglic tightened his hold on the yellow jersey after he and fellow Slovenian Tadej Pogacar dropped all of their rivals on a gruelling final climb to Puy Mary. Defending champion Egan Bernal struggled and slipped to third overall, with Roglic now leading Pogacar by 44 seconds.
Colombian Daniel Martinez proved the strongest rider from a 17-man breakaway, reeling in Max Schachmann before punching clear of Lennard Kamna in the final metres to claim a superb maiden Tour stage win.
Winner: Daniel Martinez (Col/EF Pro Cycling)
Report: Roglic extends lead as Martinez claims maiden stage win
Saturday, 12 September - stage 14: Clermont-Ferrand - Lyon, 194km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/204.jpgLyon hosted the finish of the first stage of the first Tour in 1903, with Maurice Garin winning a 467km long raceSunday, 13 September - stage 15: Lyon - Grand Colombier, 174.5km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/205.jpgThe Grand Colombier has featured three times in the Tour - 2012, 2016 and 2017 - with the first rider over the summit going on to win the 'King of the Mountains' jersey each timeMonday, 14 September- rest day: Isere

Tuesday, 15 September - stage 16: La Tour-du-Pin - Villard-de-Lans, 164km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/206.jpgVillard-de-Lans was popular during Tours in the 1980s and 1990s, with Pedro Delgado going a long way to ensuring victory in the 1988 race by winning hereWednesday, 16 September - stage 17: Grenoble - Meribel, 170km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/207.jpgThe yellow jersey was introduced during the 1919 Tour and first worn by Eugene Christophe after a stage that finished in GrenobleThursday, 17 September - stage 18: Meribel to La Roche-sur-Foron, 175km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/208.jpgLa Roche-sur-Foron is more known for skiing but hosted the start of a Dauphine Libere stage in 1988Friday, 18 September - stage 19: Bourg-en-Bresse - Champagnole, 166.5km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/209.jpgBourg-en-Bresse has often suited sprinters when used as a stage finish, with Thor Hushovd winning there in 2002 and Tom Boonen doing so in 2007Saturday, 19 September - stage 20: Lure - La Planche des Belles Filles, 36.2km (Time trial)

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/210.jpgChris Froome made his first big impression at the Tour on La Plance des Belles Filles by claiming stage seven of the 2012 race, which team-mate Bradley Wiggins went on to winSunday, 20 September - stage 21: Mantes-la-Jolie to Paris, 122km

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/211.jpgCaleb Ewan, Andre Greipel and Alexander Kristoff are the three former winners on the Champs-Elysees riding this year's Tour




HSBC extends sponsorship with British Cycling to cover rescheduled Olympic & Paralympic Games

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10 September 202010 September 2020.From the sectionCyclinghttps://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/09/212.jpgBritish Cycling entered into an eight-year sponsorship deal with HSBC in 2017HSBC has extended its sponsorship with British Cycling to cover the rescheduled Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
The bank had announced that it would be ending the deal early, but coronavirus has since disrupted those plans.

The deal is understood to be worth £10m per Olympic cycle.
"I'm incredibly proud of what our two organisations have achieved. We have bold plans for 2021," GB Cycling chief executive Julie Harrington said.
The national lockdown sparked by the worldwide pandemic has seen a rise in people taking up cycling in the UK.
In turn, it helped HSBC and British Cycling surpass their target of getting two million more people on bikes by the end of 2020.
"HSBC will continue to help British Cycling to capitalise on the wave of enthusiasm for cycling as people return to work and school," Harrington added.
The original eight-year deal began in 2017 but HSBC exercised a break clause in its contract in February, curtailing the arrangement at the end of 2020.
The Tokyo Olympics will now take place from 23 July 2021, with the Paralympics scheduled for 24 August, after the original dates for this summer were postponed due to coronavirus.

Danish win in Lyon

Nice :)

A fantastic last 4k sprint by the Dane.

Michal Kwiatkowski led a superb Ineos Grenadiers one-two on stage 18 to help salvage their Tour de France as Primoz Roglic took a step closer to the title.

Poland's Kwiatkowski and team-mate Richard Carapaz crossed the line arm-in-arm after riding away from the rest of the field on a tough mountain stage.

Roglic and his Jumbo-Visma team held off any attacks as he maintained his 57-second lead with three stages to go.

Britain's Adam Yates slipped from fifth to seventh overall.

Former world champion Kwiatkowki's first ever individual Grand Tour stage victory capped a strong showing by Ineos since defending champion Egan Bernal dropped out of contention, before abandoning after stage 16.

The British team have been active in the breakaways, with Carapaz coming close on both stage 16 and 17, before Kwiatkowski secured their first win of the 2020 Tour.

"That was some day - I can't describe how grateful I am to the whole team and Richard. I will never forget that," said Kwiatkowski.

"I've had some nice moments in cycling but that was something new. I had goosebumps for the final kilometres because I knew we were going to make it. It was incredible."

Ineos salvage their Tour
Despite a very successful career that includes victories in Milan-San Remo, the Amstel Gold Race and Strade Bianche twice, a Grand Tour stage win had eluded Kwiatkowski, with the 30-year-old having been a crucial support rider to Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Bernal since joining Team Sky in 2016.

He and Carapaz had a lead of four minutes heading into the final 10km, leaving them plenty of time to celebrate and decide who would take the win in La Roche-sur-Foron, with Carapaz just squeezing his brake at the last moment to ensure Kwiatkowski got it.

Carapaz had gone clear with Marc Hirschi over the first climb of the day as they battled for mountains classification points before Kwiatkowski, Pello Bilbao and Nicolas Edet joined them on the second climb.

Edet slipped back and Hirschi crashed, before remounting, descending the Col des Saisies, before the Ineos duo dropped Bilbao on the final climb.

Last year's Giro d'Italia champion Carapaz also took the polka dot jersey as leader of the mountains classification from Tadej Pogacar, who remains second overall on general classification.

The Ecuadorian leads Pogacar by eight points in that competition, with 12 points maximum left on offer.

Roglic nearly there
As the final mountain stage, this was the last realistic opportunity for any of Roglic's rivals to take back considerable time on the Slovenian, but he came through unscathed.

Friday's stage 19 should see the GC contenders finish together and Sunday's final stage is a procession into Paris where tradition dictates the race leader is not attacked.

Saturday's individual mountain time trial culminates in a climb up La Planche des Belles Filles but, as an impressive time trialist and climber, Roglic will be confident he already has enough of a lead.

Again Roglic was well supported, with Pogacar unable to launch an attack on the final climb up the punishing Plateau des Glieres before the compatriots sprinted to fourth and fifth respectively after Roglic's team-mate Wout van Aert had neutralised the four bonus seconds for third.

Mikel Landa briefly went clear as his Bahrain McLaren team again set a high pace but with more success than on stage 17 as they dropped Rigoberto Uran and Yates, who finished over two minutes down, allowing Landa to move up to fifth overall.

Richie Porte suffered a puncture on a gravel section after the top of the Glieres but managed to chase back on to keep hold of fourth overall.

Stage 18 result
1. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol/Ineos Grenadiers) 4hrs 47mins 33secs

2. Richard Carapaz (Ecu/Ineos Grenadiers) Same time

3. Wout van Aert (Bel/Jumbo-Visma) +1min 51secs

4. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) +1min 53secs

5. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) Same time

6. Richie Porte (Aus/Trek-Segafredo) +1min 54secs

7. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) Same time

8. Mikel Landa (Spa/Bahrain McLaren)

9. Damiano Caruso (Ita/Bahrain McLaren)

10. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Jumbo-Visma)

General classification after stage 18
1. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) 79hrs 45mins 30secs

2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) +57secs

3. Miguel Angel Lopez (Col/Astana) +1mins 27secs

4. Richie Porte (Aus/Trek-Segafredo) +3mins 06secs

5. Mikel Landa (Spa/Bahrain McLaren) +3mins 28secs

6. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) +4mins 19secs

7. Adam Yates (GB/Mitchelton-Scott) +5mins 55secs

8. Rigoberto Uran (Col/EF Pro Cycling) +6mins 05secs

9. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Jumbo-Visma) +7mins 24secs

10. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +12mins 12secs

Soren Kragh Andersen claimed his second win of the Tour de France with another shrewd late solo attack on stage 19.

Team Sunweb's Andersen, 26, attacked from a break 16km out and powered to the line in Champagnole, 53 seconds ahead of Luka Mezgec in second.

Ireland's Sam Bennett won his duel with Peter Sagan and looks set to take the green jersey, leading by 55 points with two stages remaining.

Primoz Roglic comfortably retained his 57-second lead in the yellow jersey.

The Slovenian will win his first Tour title should he remain in the lead following Saturday's mountain time trial, with tradition dictating the yellow jersey is not attacked on the final, processional stage into Paris on Sunday.

Having won stage 14 with a similar solo move, Kragh Andersen is the fourth rider in this year's Tour to win two stages after Wout van Aert, Caleb Ewan and Tadej Pogacar, who remains second overall.

The Dane never looked back after kicking away from an elite 12-man group that included Bennett and Sagan, only letting up inside the final kilometre after screaming at a TV motorbike for a time check to ensure his lead was insurmountable.

"I have to say that, in the last kilometres, I was screaming in pure disbelief," he said.

"I've got two stage wins on the same Tour de France - it's incredible. I'm speechless.

"I was in the mix with some of the best riders of the world for this type of race and I honestly didn't know how to beat them as I was on my limit too.

"But then I realised that, if I managed somehow to get a small gap, it may enable me to pull it off and that's exactly what happened. This is a memory I will carry in my mind for the rest of my life."

It was another impressive tactical display by Sunweb, who have now won three stages in this Tour.

After the breakaway was caught at 35km to go, the German team initially tried to keep the race together for their sprinter Cees Bol by using Kragh Andersen and Nikias Arndt to mark any attacks.

But once it became clear the peloton would not catch the lead group, they adjusted superbly, with Kragh Andersen catching out and riding away from fine one-day riders such as Greg van Avermaet, Oliver Naesen and Sagan.

The group could not get organised behind and when Britain's Luke Rowe launched a late counter-attack, it was already in vain, with the Ineos Grenadiers rider eventually coming home seventh.

Bennett appeared content to mark record, seven-time green jersey winner Sagan instead of chasing his second stage win of the race.

The Deceuninck-Quick-Step rider beat the Slovak at both the intermediate sprint and at the finish to add three points to his lead in the points classification.

There are a maximum of 90 points on offer remaining in the race, although it is highly unlikely Sagan or Bennett will take any points in Saturday's time trial by finishing in the top 15 on the stage.

That leaves 70 points on the final stage and even if Sagan were to win maximum points, Bennett just needs to collect 16 - the equivalent of finishing fifth on the stage - to ensure he becomes only the second Irishman after Sean Kelly to win the green jersey.

Stage 19 result
1. Soren Kragh Andersen (Den/Team Sunweb) 5hrs 36mins 33secs

2. Luka Mezgec (Slo/Mitchelton-Scott) +53secs

3. Jasper Stuyven (Bel/Trek-Segafredo) Same time

4. Greg van Avermaet (Bel/CCC Team)

5. Oliver Naesen (Bel/AG2R La Mondiale)

6. Nikias Arndt (Ger/Team Sunweb)

7. Luke Rowe (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) +59secs

8. Sam Bennett (Ire/Deceuninck-Quick-Step) +1min 02secs

9. Peter Sagan (Svk/Bora-Hansgrohe) Same time

10. Matteo Trentin (Ita/CCC Team)

General classification after stage 19
1. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) 83hrs 29mins 41secs

2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) +57secs

3. Miguel Angel Lopez (Col/Astana) +1mins 27secs

4. Richie Porte (Aus/Trek-Segafredo) +3mins 06secs

5. Mikel Landa (Spa/Bahrain McLaren) +3mins 28secs

6. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) +4mins 19secs

7. Adam Yates (GB/Mitchelton-Scott) +5mins 55secs

8. Rigoberto Uran (Col/EF Pro Cycling) +6mins 05secs

9. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Jumbo-Visma) +7mins 24secs

10. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +12mins 12secs

Tadej Pogacar is set to win the Tour de France ahead of strong favourite Primoz Roglic in one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the race's history.

Pogacar, 21, will be confirmed as the youngest winner for 111 years at the end of Sunday's largely processional stage to Paris.

The UAE-Team Emirates rider overhauled a 57-second deficit to Roglic, who was thought to be a far stronger rider on stage 20's time trial to La Planche des Belles Filles.

It will be a first Grand Tour victory for Slovenian Pogacar, who took the yellow jersey from compatriot Roglic after he had held it for 13 days.

Pogacar is now 59 seconds ahead of Roglic at the end of a day of drama reminiscent of the 1989 Tour, when Greg LeMond unexpectedly overhauled Laurent Fignon in a final-day time trial to win by eight seconds.

Richie Porte of Trek-Segafredo will be on the podium in Paris for the first time, taking third, three minutes and 30 seconds down.

Pogacar won the stage, one minute 21 seconds ahead of Roglic's Jumbo-Visma team-mate Tom Dumoulin. Porte climbed to third overall after finishing in third place on the stage.

Britain's Adam Yates of Mitchelton-Scott will finish ninth in the general classification, 9mins 25secs behind the winner.

Relive stunning time-trail stage as it happened
Primoz Roglic
Roglic looked unbeatable all race long
What happened to Roglic?
Roglic has looked imperious throughout the three-week race thanks to support from his powerful team, featuring some of the sport's best riders, including Dumoulin, Wout van Aert and Sepp Kuss.

The 36km stage from Lure to La Planche des Belles Filles was a challenging course that finished, unusually for time trial, with a category 1 climb. Roglic, 30, was considered a far better time triallist than Pogacar, and began the stage strongly.

But Roglic hit trouble at the changeover from super-fast specialist time-trial bikes to a more conventional road machine before the climb, struggling to clip into his pedals, wobbling when being pushed away and never seeming to find his typical rhythm.

Roglic, who claimed his first Grand Tour victory at last year's Vuelta a Espana, looked desperate as he crossed the line, his helmet pushed upwards and slightly lop-sided, knowing already he had lost the race.

Desperation turned to confusion and dejection as he sat on the ground in his full yellow skinsuit, trying to comprehend how he had committed one of modern cycling's biggest chokes.

And as Pogacar sat down for his post-race TV interview, Roglic interrupted it to embrace his countryman.

"I just didn't push enough," said Roglic. "It was like that. I was more and more without the power I needed but I gave it all until the end.

"We'll see what happens next. I can be happy with the racing we showed here so let's take positive things out of it."

Tadej Pogacar
Pogacar won three stages on this year's race
From a distant second, Pogacar takes it all
Roglic had been favourite to win the 107th edition of cycling's greatest race, alongside defending champion Egan Bernal of Ineos Grenadiers.

However, Bernal abandoned the race before stage 17 following a disastrous climb up the Grand Colombier on stage 15, where he cracked and lost more than seven minutes to Roglic.

It was one of the biggest downturns in form for a defending champion in recent history, and put an end to Ineos' record of winning every Tour since 2015, four of which were as Team Sky.

Ineos looked set to have something to celebrate as they tried to seal the polka dot King of the Mountains jersey through their second protected rider Richard Carapaz.

But despite 2019 Giro d'Italia winner Carapaz's attempts to deliberately ride a slow first section before blasting up the mountain, Pogacar's epic performance eclipsed him and he took the jersey.

It is the second of three jerseys Pogacar will claim at this year's race - he will also pick up the young riders' white jersey.

In total Pogacar picks up prize money of 500,000 euros (£458,270) for the yellow jersey, 25,000 euros (£22,900) for the King of the Mountains award, and a further 20,000 euros (£18,300) for being the best placed young rider.

"I'm really proud of the team," Pogacar said. "They did such a big effort. We were dreaming of the yellow jersey from the start. Amazing.

"It was not just me today, we needed the whole team for the recon. I knew every corner and knew exactly where to accelerate. Congrats to all my team.

"I didn't hear anything on the radio in the final five kilometres because the fans were too loud so I just went full gas.

"My dream was just to be on the Tour de France and now I've won it. It's unbelievable."

grand_tour_heroes
Laurent Fignon
Similar scenes: Fignon, like Roglic, is inconsolable on the line after losing the Tour in Paris in 1989
General classification after stage 20
1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) 84hrs 26mins 33secs

2. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) +59secs

3. Richie Porte (Aus/Trek-Segafredo) +3mins 30secs

4. Mikel Landa (Spa/Bahrain McLaren) +5mins 58secs

5. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) +6mins 07secs

6. Miguel Angel Lopez (Col/Astana) +6mins 47secs

7. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Jumbo-Visma) +7mins 48secs

8. Rigoberto Uran (Col/EF Pro Cycling) +8mins 02secs

9. Adam Yates (GB/Mitchelton-Scott) +9mins 25secs

10. Damiano Caruso (Ita/Bahrain McLaren) +14mins 03secs

Stage 20 result
1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) 55mins 55secs

2. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Jumbo-Visma) +1min 21secs

3. Richie Porte (Aus/Trek-Segafredo) Same time

4. Wout van Aert (Bel/Jumbo Visma) +1min 31secs

5. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) +1min 56secs

6. Remi Cavagna (Fra/Deceuninck-Quick-Step) +1min 59secs

7. Damiano Caruso (Ita/Bahrain McLaren) +2mins 29secs

8. David de la Cruz (Spa/UAE Team Emirates) +2mins 40secs

9. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) +2mins 45secs

10. Rigoberto Uran (Col/EF Pro Cycling) +2mins 54secs

Mountains and masks: Tour de France 2020 – in pictures | Sport | The Guardian

French cycling team Arkea-Samsic says it will take action if an investigation into alleged doping offences during the Tour de France finds evidence of wrongdoing.

French police searched the team hotel last week as part of an anti-doping investigation, the team's general manager said.

"It concerned a very limited number of riders," Emmanuel Hubert said.

The AFP news agency said two people were in police custody.

"A search did take place last week in our hotel," Hubert said.

"The team, its general manager as well as its staff are absolutely not questioned and consequently are not kept informed of any element relating to the progress of the investigation, which I remind you that it is not targeting either the team or its staff directly.

"We obviously support our riders, but if it turns out that at the end of the current investigation, evidence confirms the veracity of doping practices, the team will immediately dissociate itself from such acts and take the necessary measures to put an end to the links with unacceptable methods."

Arkea-Samsic competed in the Tour, which finished on Sunday, with a wildcard entry and was led in the race by Colombian star Nairo Quintana.

The 30-year-old - who had three times finished on the podium in previous Tours - suffered a crash on stage 13 and then cracked on the Grand Colombier two days later before finishing 17th overall.

World governing body the UCI said it had been in contact with the police over the investigation.

A statement read: "The UCI welcomes and supports the action of all parties involved and will take the appropriate measures once it has taken note of the information obtained by the French legal authorities."

Tao Geoghegan Hart became only the second British man to win the Giro d'Italia as he took the title in Milan.

The 25-year-old won Saturday's stage 20 to share the lead with Jai Hindley before the final stage, the first such instance in the race's history.

Ineos Grenadiers' Geoghegan Hart finished 39 seconds ahead of Hindley in Sunday's 15.7km time trial.

"Not in my wildest dreams did I imagine this would be possible when we started," said Geoghegan Hart.

"It's incredible, really incredible."

From Hackney to Milan - Britain's new cycling star
Chris Froome is the only other British man to win the Giro, in 2018.

Geoghegan Hart is the fifth British man - alongside Froome, Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas and Simon Yates - to win a Grand Tour.

In only his fourth Grand Tour, Geoghegan Hart began the race as one of Geraint Thomas' domestiques and was in 126th place after the opening stage.

Geoghegan Hart described his victory as "bizarre", adding: "All of my career I've dreamed of trying to be top 10 - top five maybe - in a race of this stature, so this is something completely and utterly different to that and it's going to take a long time to sink in."

The penultimate leg of this year's Tour of Britain will run from Hawick to Edinburgh, as three new stages are confirmed.

South Cheshire, Warrington, Cumbria and Gateshead will also feature on the tour as well as two stages in Wales.

Cornwall, Devon and Aberdeenshire had previously been confirmed as venues, with the event taking place from 5-12 September.

Last year's race was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

This will be the first time since 2007 that the event has finished in Scotland,

Tour de France 2021

Attachment 71092

The 2021 Tour de France is almost upon us with the Grand Départ set for June 26, and 21 mouth-watering stages to look forward to as the race takes in Brittany, two individual time trials, a double assault on Mont Ventoux and the customary finish on the Champs Élysées in Paris on July 18.

Attachment 71093

The 108th edition of the race will see defending champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) aim to defend his crown against Primoz Roglič (Jumbo-Visma), Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) and a host of other yellow jersey contenders over what is an intriguing and multi-layered route profile.

After a mountain-heavy Tour de France in 2020, race organisers ASO have opted for a more traditional and classic affair this time around, with the race reverting to hosting two long individual time trials for the first time since 2013.

In fact, on the face of it, the profile and route of the 2021 edition of the Tour de France is somewhat of a throwback to a Jean-Marie Leblanc style of race – in that the route suits a strong time triallist and puts the pure climbers on the back foot almost immediately. However, there are deeper levels and dimensions to Christian Prudhomme’s opus.

Tour de France 2021: The Essential Race Guide | Cyclingnews

https://www.cyclingstage.com/tour-de-france-2021-route/

One of the best things about the Olympics is being introduced to new stories from obscure sports you don't normally follow. For those who were already cycling fans, they were also treated to meeting a new champion in Tokyo.

Regular viewers of women's cycling are unlikely to have seen that much of Anna Kiesenhofer, but there was little doubt as to her ability after winning the women's road race from the day's breakaway to take Austria's first Olympic cycling medal since 1896.

Kiesenhofer is more than a bike rider, though, currently a teacher and researcher at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, having previously studied at the University of Cambridge and got her PhD in Mathematics in Catalonia.

Rouleur's Andy McGrath interviewed her in 2016, explaining Kiesenhofer took up cycling while at Cambridge due to persistent running injuries, finishing dead last in a British universities league 10-mile time trial in 2012 at a time of 34-25. How things change.

After a win of this stature, the 30-year-old could likely entertain multiple contract offers to go pro (she did previously ride for Lotto-Soudal Ladies in 2017) but that's not in Kiesenhofer's plan currently.

Regardless of how often we see our new Olympic champion on the road before the next Games in 2024, she's put her name in the history books as one of the least likely road race winners.

Tour of Britain 2021 in Cheshire
Stage 5 - Alderley Park to Warrington - Thursday 9 September
This year sees the return of the Tour of Britain to Cheshire. Starting at Alderley Park the riders will undertake a 152km route that finishes in Warrington at the famous Golden Gates. The Olympic and international cyclists will be riding through some of Cheshire’s best scenery, towns and villages.

The route will pass Cheshire landmarks such as the 18th Century neoclassical Capesthorne Hall, Jodrell Bank – home to the iconic Grade I listed Lovell Telescope – and through the towns of Holmes Chapel and Congleton, the latter of which hosts the first intermediate sprint.

A trio of ŠKODA King of the Mountains climbs follow skirting below the famous skyline of Bosley Cloud and into the Cheshire Peak District, with the main climb at Bottom-of-the-Oven, a 1.7km ascent (with an average gradient of 6.9%) to just shy of the famous Cat and Fiddle.

Macclesfied, Rainow, and Adlington will all welcome the race before a second intermediate sprint at Wilmslow. The route then heads through the town of Alderley Edge and the climb of the same name and on through Chelford, Knutsford and High Legh before entering Warrington via Appleton.

With all of this in what promises to be a fantastic race, there’s plenty of room for visitors to explore Cheshire on race day and beyond. Use tiles below to get inspiration for how you can enjoy the Tour of Britain in Cheshire to the fullest

Great Thread Joe

WILL BE GREAT RACING AND A SPLENDID AREA

i had the joy to explore most of the S part of this om foot and bike when footloose.

I'll ask Chitty or try and find some pix of Wildboarclough near the source off the Dane where Cheshire, Staffs and Deryshire meet.
The Wincle Beer and Forest Distilery are new too me but the Cloud the Roaches and Alderly Edge are the stuff of dreams.

The Wierdstone of Brisingamen , Where Englsih joined up stories were first recorded in Gawain and the Green Knight at Lud's Chapel


The Weirdstone of Brisingamen - Wikipedia

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - Wikipedia

Lud's "chapel" a much gloomier chasm on tyical rainy days
Attachment 75389

As Joe will confirm if you ate enough of the mushrooms on a clear day you couldd see wallabies doing gymnastics.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by david44

As Joe will confirm if you ate enough of the mushrooms on a clear day you couldd see wallabies doing gymnastics.

---

I concur David, although I have seen them without the assistance of local mushrooms :)

Btw I'm going to try and slipstream the tour and sprint to the front for a few seconds on tv...

Britain's Lizzie Deignan took a sensational breakaway win in the first edition of the women's Paris-Roubaix.
The Trek-Segafredo rider pulled away from the peloton with more than 80km to go, before rain affected the course.

The legendary race on the brutal 'pave' cobblestones returned this weekend after the coronavirus pandemic caused it to be postponed in 2020.
"I feel so incredibly proud - women's cycling is at a turning point and today is a part of history," Deignan said.
"I'm also proud to be part of a team making history, and even fans watching at home are making history to show there's an appetite for women's cycling - and that these athletes can do one of the hardest races in the world."
Deignan, who becomes the first Briton ever to win Paris-Roubaix, powered clear just over halfway through the 116km race before the riders reached the unforgiving cobbled sections that permeate the race known as the 'hell of the north'.
The 32-year-old took cobbled corners carefully to stay on the bike tand protect a lead of two minutes 30 seconds.
She then also revealed after the race that she was not the rider her team had initially selected for the victory.
"[Winning] was really not the plan," she said. "I just needed to be at the front on the first section of cobbles to protect the leaders - today I was third rider.
"I looked behind after the first cobbles and there was no-one behind me, so I thought they have to chase me so, I just kept going."
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cp...handlebars.jpgDeignan's blood could be seen on her handlebars after the race, such was the force of her effortSuperb bike handling saved Deignan's charge

Jumbo-Visma's Marianne Vos of the Netherlands broke away from a group of 19 riders chasing Deignan and halved her lead by 10km to go.
However, Deignan brilliantly held on to the bike as her rear wheel slewed left and then right across the mud on the treacherous Caphin-en-Pevele sector.
Deignan, who has won the road world championships, Tour of Flanders and the one-day women's Tour de France, beat the sport's greatest riders to lift the famous cobblestone trophy.
She crossed the line in the soaking wet Roubaix outdoor velodrome ahead of Vos in second and team-mate Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy third, to claim prize money of £1,300.
Deignan will contest the Women's Tour of Britain from Monday, while the men contest a 259km edition of Paris-Roubaix on Sunday for a first place prize of £26,000.
The first men's race was in 1896.
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cp...risroubaix.jpgSeveral riders crashed in the conditions, including France's Eugenie Duval (pictured)Meanwhile, Britain's Adam Yates of Ineos Grenadiers finished fourth in the Giro dell'Emilia one-day race in Italy.
The 29-year-old, who came fourth in this year's Vuelta a Espana, was 10 seconds behind winner Primoz Roglic of Jumbo-Visma.
Paris-Roubaix result

1. Lizzie Deignan (GB/Trek-Segafredo) 2 hours 56 mins 7 secs
2. Marianne Vos (Ned/Jumbo-Visma) +1min 17secs
3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/Trek-Segafredo) +1min 51secs
4. Lisa Brennauer (Ger/Ceratizit Pro Cycling) +2min 10secs
5. Marta Bastianllei (Ita/Ale BTC Ljubljana) Same time
6. Emma Norsgaard (Den/Movistar)
7. Franziska Koch (Ger/DSM)
8. Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Fra/Trek Segafredo)
9. Marta Cavalli (Ita/FDJ Nouvelle Aquitane Furturoscope)
10. Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned/SD Worx) "

Dylan van Baarle won the fastest edition of the men's Paris-Roubaix to secure a first title in the race for Ineos Grenadiers.

The Dutchman's sole attack with 19km to go saw him seal an emphatic victory in five hours 37 minutes.

Wout van Aert finished 01:47secs behind in second, with Stefan Kung third.

Yves Lampaert had been in contention for a podium finish but suffered a heavy fall after a brief collision with a spectator with 8km remaining.

Van Baarle, who finished second in the Tour of Flanders earlier this month, caught up with the leading pack with 25km to go.

The 29-year-old then accelerated on the cobbled section just 6km later to give himself a dominant lead.

Longo Borghini wins women's Paris-Roubaix
"I could not believe it when I went onto the velodrome," said Van Baarle.

"I looked on the other side to see if there were other guys but it was just me."

Jumbo-Visma's Van Aert outsprinted Groupama-FDJ's Kung in the velodrome to finish second.

Van Aert missed the two previous weeks of racing after contracting Covid-19.

Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl rider Lampaert clipped the hand of a spectator who was stood close to the cobbles.

His bike flipped and, despite being able to resume racing, the Belgian could only finish 10th.