Position: 9.8N 47.2W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West [275°] near 26 mph [43 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph [ 70 kph].
Wind Gusts: 50 mph [ 80 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 60 miles [ 95 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1008 mb.

Currently about 865 miles [1390 km] East-Southeast of Barbados.

This was Invest 95L that started as a tropical wave coming off of Africa.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for St Lucia, Barbados, and Dominica.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for St Vincent.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

Saint-Girons to Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Distance: 168.5 kilometers.

More of the Pyrenees with a category 2 followed by four category 1s: Col de Portet d’Aspet (1069 meters, 5.4 km at 6.9%,category 2); Col de Menté (1349 meters, 7 km at 7.7%, category 1); the sprint in an actually mostly flat area of the stage; Col de Peyresourde (1569 meters, 13.2 km at 7%, category 1); Col de Val Louron-Azet (1580 meters,7.4 km at 8.3%, category 1); La Hourquette d’Ancizan (1564 meters, 9.9 km at 7.5%, category 1); and 30 km downhill to the finish which makes it less than a certainty that a climber will take the stage.

It was all about team support today. Froome is still in Yellow, but he was stripped of support on the first climb as he was under attack by other teams all day. His principal problem was Nairo Quintana who was working on behalf of Alejandro Valverde and the Movistar team. He was careful to pick the important challenges and emerged still in first, while Valverde moved into second and Quintana moved up to seventh. Richie Porte’s legs just weren’t there today, and he is back at 31.

Tomorrow is a rest day, and people need it.

Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 36h 59′ 18″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 234 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 49 points
Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) 7 [White]

Team: Movistar ( MOV – 121-129 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Daniel Martin ( Irl – GRS – 175 )
Combative: Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 082 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 )
2 Alejandro Valverde ( Esp – MOV – 121 ) + 01′ 25″
3 Bauke Mollema ( Ned – BEL – 164 ) + 01′ 44″
4 Laurens Ten Dam ( Ned – BEL – 167 ) + 01′ 50″
5 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – TST – 094 ) + 01′ 51″
6 Alberto Contador ( Esp – TST – 091 ) + 01′ 51″
7 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) + 02′ 02″
8 Daniel Martin ( Irl – GRS – 175 ) + 02′ 28″
9 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( Esp – KAT – 101 ) + 02′ 31″
10 Rui Alberto Costa ( Por – MOV – 124 ) + 02′ 45″

The Rest of the Top 30:
[Read more →]

July 7^th, 2005, London

BBC In Depth and the Wikipedia articles on the bombing.