Tour de France live

All change on the front. Two EF Education-EasyPost riders – Owain Doull and Jonas Rutsch – now lead, along with Maximilian Schachmann from Bora-Hansgrohe.

I managed to accelerate one last time when Marianne was next to me." Geschke is looking a little sheepish and probably doesn't really want to be in the spotlight, he worked really hard to win the polka dot jersey but lost it after failing to get into the breakaway on Thursday and was, by all accounts, distraught having lost the maillot à pois. Basque rider Gorka Izagirre (Movistar), meanwhile, decided against completing his Tour to instead head home to compete in his hometown on Monday. Worth remembering that despite the relaxed appearance of the squad, they will be hoping to seal a seventh stage win today through Van Aert. In a team statement, general manager Brent Copeland said: “We are very happy to be able to set up a strong base for the coming three years with such a strong riders list, led by Simon Yates and Michael Matthews with their renewals. I'd be interested to know if there is actually Champagne in those plastic flutes, or simply fizzy apple juice? Speaking to Eurosport ahead of the stage, Tadej Pogacar said: “I can be really happy with this Tour de France. We wanted to win, but we can be proud. Once onto the cobbled boulevard, the pace will increase ahead of what promises to be a hectic finale. Dappled in sunlight, Paris is most certainly en fête as it awaits the world's biggest bike race to its favourite street. Daniel Martínez (Ineos Grenadiers), the Colombian sprinter who has had a disappointing Tour de France by his standards, has bridged over to the stage leaders. Mattia Cattaneo was forced to stop after the Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl rider appeared to ship a chain. The leading quintet's advantage is being held at around 20sec and does not appear to be budging, either up or down.

Lorena Wiebes, the 23-year-old Dutchwoman who rides for German squad DSM, has won the opening stage at the Tour de France Femmes, the relaunched women's edition ...

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It's always such a treat to see these sumptuous aerial views on a sunny day - enough to being a tingle to the spine and a shiver of wistful reflection. If Jonas Rutsch (EF Education-EasyPost) does the honours, it's Slovenia's Jan Tratnik (Bahrain Victorious) who opens up a small gap on the ride up towards the Arc de Triomphe. With the gap up to 10 seconds, Bisseger - who had that nightmare yesterday in the TT - led the quintet through the intermediate sprint to take some extra prize money for his EF team. A few minutes of worry for the man in yellow, I imagine... He was tearfully disappointed after Stage 18 but he's probably now accepted that the best climber won the KOM classification, after all. It's just as those escapees were pegged back at the conclusion of the first lap. Ineos Grenadiers are leading the chase with the gap just eight seconds. He came within 17 seconds of being eliminated on the stage to Peyragudes but lived to fight another day. It comes back together around the Arc de Triomphe after just one too many riders bridged over to the break. Ewan has had a rotten race - but he won here in 2020 and so cannot be discounted turning things round at the eleventh hour. I remember that well because I was right there in the VIP zone at the finish for what was the last of Lance Armstrong's now-asterisked-to-oblivion Tour wins. Can this five-man move go the distance?