Category — Le Tour

Dole – Station des rousses

Distance: 187.5 kilometers.

This stage gives the riders a hundred kilometers to warm up before three increasingly difficult climbs: category 3 Col de la Joux, category 2 Côte de Viry,and category 1 Côte de la Combe de Laisia-Les Molunes near the end of the stage. This will start the shake up of the general classification.

Lilian Calmejane won the stage, the most combative, the Polka Dots, cut a minute off his deficit in the generenal classification and moved from 38 to 28th position. He won the stage by 37 seconds over Robert Gesink. This was his day to shine.

Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 33h 19′ 10″
Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 ) [Green] 212 points
Lilian Calmejane ( Fra – DEN – 173 ) [Polka Dot] 11 points
Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) 6 [White]

Team: Team Sky ( SKY – 001-009 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Lilian Calmejane ( Fra – DEN – 173 )
Combative: Lilian Calmejane ( Fra – DEN – 173 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 )
2 Geraint Thomas ( GBr – SKY – 009 ) + 00′ 12″
3 Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) + 00′ 14″
4 Daniel Martin ( Irl – QST – 105 ) + 00′ 25″
5 Richie Porte ( Aus – BMC – 041 ) + 00′ 39″
6 Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) + 00′ 43″
7 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 011 ) + 00′ 47″
8 Alberto Contador ( Spa – TFS – 031 ) + 00′ 52″
9 Nairo Quintana ( Col – MOV – 021 ) + 00′ 54″
10 Rafal Majka ( Pol – BOH – 115 ) + 01′ 01″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Troyes – Nuits-Saint-Georges

Distance: 213.5 kilometers.

With a single Category 4 climb, Côte d’Urcy, this stage is another one for the sprinters who may be looking for a break after the fourth 200+ kilometer stage.

Marcel Kittel took his third stage in a photo finish with Edvald Boasson Hagen. I accept the decision of the judges of a 6 mm win, but it looked like a tie to me. In addition to the stage win, Kittel took the Green Jersey from Arnaud Demare. The general classificatio remained static, but the mountains beckon and change is on the way.

Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 28h 47′ 51″
Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 ) [Green] 197 points
Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 10 points
Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) 6 [White]

Team: Team Sky ( SKY – 001-009 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 )
Combative: Dylan Van Baarle ( Ned – CDT – 189 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 )
2 Geraint Thomas ( GBr – SKY – 009 ) + 00′ 12″
3 Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) + 00′ 14″
4 Daniel Martin ( Irl – QST – 105 ) + 00′ 25″
5 Richie Porte ( Aus – BMC – 041 ) + 00′ 39″
6 Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) + 00′ 43″
7 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 011 ) + 00′ 47″
8 Alberto Contador ( Spa – TFS – 031 ) + 00′ 52″
9 Nairo Quintana ( Col – MOV – 021 ) + 00′ 54″
10 Rafal Majka ( Pol – BOH – 115 ) + 01′ 01″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Vesoul – Troyes

Distance: 216 kilometers.

With two Category 4 climbs, Côte de Langres amd Côte de la colline Sainte-Germaine, this stage falls under the ‘hilly’ column. A sprint finish in Troyes is expected.

Marcel Kittel took his second stage win of this Tour after a superb set up by his team at 150 meters. Arnaud Demare and André Greipel lost momentum contesting with each other and Kittel zipped by to take the stage.

The Jerseys and General classification are relatively unchanged.

Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 23h 44′ 33″
Arnaud Demare ( Fra – FDJ – 071 ) [Green] 170 points
Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 10 points
Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) 6 [White]

Team: Team Sky ( SKY – 001-009 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Marcel Kittel ( Ger – QST – 101 )
Combative: Vegard Stake Laengen ( Nor – UAD – 065 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 )
2 Geraint Thomas ( GBr – SKY – 009 ) + 00′ 12″
3 Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) + 00′ 14″
4 Daniel Martin ( Irl – QST – 105 ) + 00′ 25″
5 Richie Porte ( Aus – BMC – 041 ) + 00′ 39″
6 Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) + 00′ 43″
7 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 011 ) + 00′ 47″
8 Alberto Contador ( Spa – TFS – 031 ) + 00′ 52″
9 Nairo Quintana ( Col – MOV – 021 ) + 00′ 54″
10 Rafal Majka ( Pol – BOH – 115 ) + 01′ 01″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Vittel – La Planche des Belles Filles

Distance: 160.5 kilometers.

It is Polka Dot time on the first test for the climbers. There is a warm-up Category 3 climb up the Côte d’Esmoulières at just over 107 kilometers. and then the final climb, Category 1, to the finish at La Planche des Belles Filles.

Super Manx, Mark Cavendish, didn’t start as he suffered a fractured shoulder blade in yesterday’s crash. His pursuit of overtaking Eddy Merckx’s 34 stage wins will have to wait a year.

Fabio Aru won the stage and the Polka Dots while Chris Froome took the Yellow from team mate Geraint Thomas.

Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 18h 38′ 59″
Arnaud Demare ( Fra – FDJ – 071 ) [Green] 127 points
Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 10 points
Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) 6 [White]

Team: Team Sky ( SKY – 001-009 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 )
Combative: Philippe Gilbert ( Bel – QST – 104 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBr – SKY – 001 )
2 Geraint Thomas ( GBr – SKY – 009 ) + 00′ 12″
3 Fabio Aru ( Ita – AST – 051 ) + 00′ 14″
4 Daniel Martin ( Irl – QST – 105 ) + 00′ 25″
5 Richie Porte ( Aus – BMC – 041 ) + 00′ 39″
6 Simon Yates ( GBr – ORS – 089 ) + 00′ 43″
7 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 011 ) + 00′ 47″
8 Alberto Contador ( Spa – TFS – 031 ) + 00′ 52″
9 Nairo Quintana ( Col – MOV – 021 ) + 00′ 54″
10 Rafal Majka ( Pol – BOH – 115 ) + 01′ 01″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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I am building the spreadsheets need to provide coverage in a reasonable manner, but this is already a ‘very interesting’ race that started in Düsseldorf, Germany, passed through Belgium to France.

Tour de France: Drama on stage four as Peter Sagan disqualified for Mark Cavendish crash

World champion Peter Sagan was kicked out of the Tour de France on Tuesday after sending Mark Cavendish crashing in a hectic finale to the fourth stage.

Sagan is the current World Champion and was going after his sixth Green Jersey when he was caught elbowing Mark Cavendish and causing a serious crash. You can’t get away with this stuff at the finish where dozens of press cameras and spectators’ cellphones are recording everything.

As always, here are the Tour basics if you want to follow along. The Tour started on July 1st, but I’ve been tied up with other things and couldn’t handle the daily updates.

The cartoon characters from my header are wearing the various colored jerseys that indicate the leader in the different classifications in the race.

The Maillot Jaune, Yellow Jersey is worn by the rider with the lowest time overall in the race. The eventual winner of the race may never have come in first in any stage, but was near the lead throughout the race and achieved the lowest time over the entire course of the event. The winner is normally an “all-arounder”, someone who is very good at the sprints and the hill climbing, even if they aren’t the best. Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, and Fabian Cancellara are “all-arounders”, showing up on the lists of the sprinters and the climbers, while staying in the top ten for overall time.

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Chantilly to Paris Champs Élysées

Distance: 113 kilometers.

This is the final ‘parade’ that begins with chanpagne and ends with an eight lap sprint in Paris. There is the Cat 4 Côte de l’Ermitage halfway to Paris, but the only real racing will be among the sprinters for the stage win.

André Greipel took his second straight Champs Élysées finish, Peter Sagan was selected as the Super-Combative rider and Chris Froome won his third Tour, the first Briton to do so.

Tony Martin had to drop out because of knee pain from an earlier injury, but 174 riders finished the race.

Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 89h 04′ 48″
Peter Sagan ( SVK – TNK – 032 ) [Green] 470 points
Rafal Majka ( POL – TNK – 037 ) [Polka Dot] 209 points
Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) 4 [White]

Team: Movistar Team ( MOV – 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: André Greipel ( GER – LTS – 161 )
Super-Combative: Peter Sagan ( SVK – TNK – 032 ) [Red numbers]
Φ Sam Bennett ( IRL – BOA – 135 ) + 05h 17′ 14″ [La Lanterne Rouge]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 )
2 Romain Bardet ( FRA – ALM – 041 ) + 04′ 05″
3 Nairo Quintana ( COL – MOV – 011 ) + 04′ 21″
4 Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) + 04′ 42″
5 Richie Porte ( AUS – BMC – 091 ) + 05′ 17″
6 Alejandro Valverde ( ESP – MOV – 012 ) + 06′ 16″
7 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( ESP – KAT – 141 ) + 06′ 58″
8 Louis Meintjes ( RSA – LAM – 157 ) + 06′ 58″
9 Daniel Martin ( IRL – EQS – 184 ) + 07′ 04″
10 Roman Kreuziger ( CZE – TNK – 036 ) + 07′ 11″

The Rest of the field:
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Megève to Morzine-Avoriaz

Distance: 146.5 kilometers.

The last mountain and truly competitive stage of the Tour. Four climbs and a long downhill finish. The climbs are the Cat 2 Col des Aravis, the Cat 1 Col de la Colombière, the Cat 1 Col de la Ramaz, and the HC Col de Joux Plane. After cresting the Col de Joux Plane there is a breakneck twisting flight to the bottom on bikes geared for hard, slow climbs to the top. A little rain and all bets are off.

At the end of the stage the Jersey wearers are all breathing easier. Froome maintained a lead of over 4 minutes on the challengers; Bardet and Quintana are still on the podium; Sagan and Majka of Tinkoff won the Green and Polka Dots, respectively; in spite of the dire possibilities of the Alps it was a whimper, not a bang.

Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 86h 21′ 40″
Peter Sagan ( SVK – TNK – 032 ) [Green] 440 points
Rafal Majka ( POL – TNK – 037 ) [Polka Dot] 209 points
Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) 4 [White]

Team: Movistar Team ( MOV – 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Ion Izaguirre ( ESP – MOV – 017 )
Combative: Jarlinson Pantano ( COL – IAM – 079 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 )
2 Romain Bardet ( FRA – ALM – 041 ) + 04′ 05″
3 Nairo Quintana ( COL – MOV – 011 ) + 04′ 21″
4 Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) + 04′ 42″
5 Richie Porte ( AUS – BMC – 091 ) + 05′ 17″
6 Alejandro Valverde ( ESP – MOV – 012 ) + 06′ 16″
7 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( ESP – KAT – 141 ) + 06′ 58″
8 Louis Meintjes ( RSA – LAM – 157 ) + 06′ 58″
9 Daniel Martin ( IRL – EQS – 184 ) + 07′ 04″
10 Roman Kreuziger ( CZE – TNK – 036 ) + 07′ 11″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Albertville to Saint-Gervais

Distance: 146 kilometers.

A mountain stage in the Alps with four climbs. The first is a Cat 1, Col de la Forclaz de Montmin, then a downhill to the start of the Cat2 Col de la Forclaz de Queige. They were the warm up for the HC Montée de Bisanne with a Cat 1 summit finish on Le Bettex. Lots of opportunities for break-aways, but not much chance of doing major damage to the General Classification.

Romain Bardet was the first French stage winner in this Tour and gained 2nd place by knocking 46 seconds off his deficit to Chris Froome. Quintana cut 10 seconds off his deficit and moved into 3rd. Froome crashed on the descent from Montée de Bisanne in the rain and finished on Geraint Thomas’s bike.

Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 82h 10′ 37″
Peter Sagan ( SVK – TNK – 032 ) [Green] 425 points
Rafal Majka ( POL – TNK – 037 ) [Polka Dot] 209 points
Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) 4 [White]

Team: Movistar Team ( MOV – 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Romain Bardet ( FRA – ALM – 041 )
Combative: Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa ( POR – LAM – 151 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 )
2 Romain Bardet ( FRA – ALM – 041 ) + 04′ 11″
3 Nairo Quintana ( COL – MOV – 011 ) + 04′ 27″
4 Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) + 04′ 46″
5 Richie Porte ( AUS – BMC – 091 ) + 05′ 17″
6 Fabio Aru ( ITA – AST – 021 ) + 06′ 00″
7 Alejandro Valverde ( ESP – MOV – 012 ) + 06′ 20″
8 Louis Meintjes ( RSA – LAM – 157 ) + 07′ 02″
9 Daniel Martin ( IRL – EQS – 184 ) + 07′ 10″
10 Bauke Mollema ( NED – TFS – 061 ) + 07′ 42″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Sallanches to Megève

Distance: 17 kilometers.

An uphill time trial – how evil can they get? About 4 kilometers of level road at the start, then climbing for over 10 kilometers, before a slight downhill to the finish.

Chris Froome showed the form that keeps him in the Yellow Jersey by winning the stage and increasing his lead by over a minute. It is going to take a lot of hard work and luck to make up time on Froome in the remaining stages.

Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 77h 55′ 53″
Peter Sagan ( SVK – TNK – 032 ) [Green] 425 points
Rafal Majka ( POL – TNK – 037 ) [Polka Dot] 173 points
Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) 3 [White]

Team: Movistar Team ( MOV – 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 )

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 )
2 Bauke Mollema ( NED – TFS – 061 ) + 03′ 52″
3 Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) + 04′ 16″
4 Nairo Quintana ( COL – MOV – 011 ) + 04′ 37″
5 Romain Bardet ( FRA – ALM – 041 ) + 04′ 57″
6 Richie Porte ( AUS – BMC – 091 ) + 05′ 00″
7 Fabio Aru ( ITA – AST – 021 ) + 06′ 08″
8 Alejandro Valverde ( ESP – MOV – 012 ) + 06′ 37″
9 Louis Meintjes ( RSA – LAM – 157 ) + 07′ 15″
10 Daniel Martin ( IRL – EQS – 184 ) + 07′ 18″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Bern to Finhaut-Emosson

Distance: 184.5 kilometers.

A mountain stage in the Swiss Alps. A pair of Cat 3s, Côte de Saanenmöser and Col des Mosses, warm up everyones legs for the ending: Cat 1 Col de la Forclaz and the HC summit finish at Finhaut-Emosson.

Ilnur Zakarin won his first Tour stage as the General Classification riders rode a very conservative race. Chris Froome managed to pad his lead.

Mark Cavendish chose to leave the Tour to prepare for the Rio Olympics, assuming they will still be held.

Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 77h 25′ 10″
Peter Sagan ( SVK – TNK – 032 ) [Green] 425 points
Rafal Majka ( POL – TNK – 037 ) [Polka Dot] 173 points
Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) 3 [White]

Team: Movistar Team ( MOV – 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Ilnur Zakarin ( RUS – KAT – 149 )
Combative: Jarlinson Pantano ( COL – IAM – 079 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 )
2 Bauke Mollema ( NED – TFS – 061 ) + 02′ 27″
3 Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) + 02′ 53″
4 Nairo Quintana ( COL – MOV – 011 ) + 03′ 27″
5 Romain Bardet ( FRA – ALM – 041 ) + 04′ 15″
6 Richie Porte ( AUS – BMC – 091 ) + 04′ 27″
7 Alejandro Valverde ( ESP – MOV – 012 ) + 05′ 19″
8 Fabio Aru ( ITA – AST – 021 ) + 05′ 35″
9 Daniel Martin ( IRL – EQS – 184 ) + 05′ 50″
10 Louis Meintjes ( RSA – LAM – 157 ) + 06′ 07″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Moirans-en-Montagne to Bern

Distance: 209 kilometers.

Officially this is a sprint stage, but the profile is a bit hilly and there is the Cat 4 Côte de Mühleberg before the cobblestones of Bern. Dry cobblestones are a bit iffy, but wet ones are a definite hazard to rider and bikes.

Peter Sagan took his third stage win, but it required some high tech equipment to decide and he thought he was second to Alexander Kristoff. The picture on the web looks like a tie.

Tomorrow is a rest day before the Alps.

Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 72h 40′ 38″
Peter Sagan ( SVK – TNK – 032 ) [Green] 405 points
Rafal Majka ( POL – TNK – 037 ) [Polka Dot] 127 points
Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) 3 [White]

Team: Movistar Team ( MOV – 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Peter Sagan ( SVK – TNK – 032 )
Combative: Julian Alaphilippe ( FRA – EQS – 182 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 )
2 Bauke Mollema ( NED – TFS – 061 ) + 01′ 47″
3 Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) + 02′ 45″
4 Nairo Quintana ( COL – MOV – 011 ) + 02′ 59″
5 Alejandro Valverde ( ESP – MOV – 012 ) + 03′ 17″
6 Romain Bardet ( FRA – ALM – 041 ) + 04′ 04″
7 Richie Porte ( AUS – BMC – 091 ) + 04′ 27″
8 Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 099 ) + 04′ 47″
9 Daniel Martin ( IRL – EQS – 184 ) + 05′ 03″
10 Fabio Aru ( ITA – AST – 021 ) + 05′ 16″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Bourg-en-Bresse to Culoz

Distance: 160 kilometers.

Officially this is a mountain stage – no doubt about that. Cat 1 Col du Berthiand, Cat 2 Col du Sappel, Cat 3 Col de Pisseloup, Cat 3 Col de la Rochette, HC Grand Colombier and Cat 1 Lacets du Grand Colombier. This is not a kind stage.

The Colombian, Jarlinson Pantano, won the stage and Rafal Majka took back the polka Dots, but the leaders played it safe and moved as a pack.

It is odd that we haven’t had a French, Spanish, or Italian stage winner yet.

Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 68h 14′ 36″
Peter Sagan ( SVK – TNK – 032 ) [Green] 340 points
Rafal Majka ( POL – TNK – 037 ) [Polka Dot] 127 points
Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) 3 [White]

Team: Movistar Team ( MOV – 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Jarlinson Pantano ( COL – IAM – 079 )
Combative: Rafal Majka ( POL – TNK – 037 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 )
2 Bauke Mollema ( NED – TFS – 061 ) + 01′ 47″
3 Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) + 02′ 45″
4 Nairo Quintana ( COL – MOV – 011 ) + 02′ 59″
5 Alejandro Valverde ( ESP – MOV – 012 ) + 03′ 17″
6 Romain Bardet ( FRA – ALM – 041 ) + 04′ 04″
7 Richie Porte ( AUS – BMC – 091 ) + 04′ 27″
8 Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 099 ) + 04′ 47″
9 Daniel Martin ( IRL – EQS – 184 ) + 05′ 03″
10 Fabio Aru ( ITA – AST – 021 ) + 05′ 16″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Montélimar to Villars-les-Dombes

Distance: 208.5 kilometers.

An officially flat stage that has three Cat 4 climbs in the first half. It is the last major stage for the sprinters.

It was Mark “SuperManx” Cavendish taking his fourth stage win of this Tour and his 30th lifetime. only two more stages to tie for first in lifetime stage wins with Eddy Merckx of Belgium.

Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 63h 46′ 40″
Peter Sagan ( SVK – TNK – 032 ) [Green] 340 points
Thomas De Gendt ( BEL – LTS – 163 ) [Polka Dot] 90 points
Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) 3 [White]

Team: BMC Racing Team ( BMC – 091-099 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Mark Cavendish ( GBR – DDD – 101 ) [30th Tour stage]
Combative: Jérémy Roy ( FRA – FDL – 128 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 )
2 Bauke Mollema ( NED – TFS – 061 ) + 01′ 47″
3 Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) + 02′ 45″
4 Nairo Quintana ( COL – MOV – 011 ) + 02′ 59″
5 Alejandro Valverde ( ESP – MOV – 012 ) + 03′ 17″
6 Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 099 ) + 03′ 19″
7 Romain Bardet ( FRA – ALM – 041 ) + 04′ 04″
8 Richie Porte ( AUS – BMC – 091 ) + 04′ 27″
9 Daniel Martin ( IRL – EQS – 184 ) + 05′ 03″
10 Fabio Aru ( ITA – AST – 021 ) + 05′ 16″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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