Tour de France 2014 route claimed as Chris Froome friendly

By Neil Metcalfe

When Sir Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France it was considered a national triumph.

No Brit had ever won the Grand Boucle before but that year we managed to occupy not only the top step of the podium but also the second one as well.

Last year Chris Froome made the leap into the final yellow jersey to make it two wins from two.

Could he do it again to make a remarkable third successive British triumph?

Next year's route was announced in Paris on Wednesday and it immediately led to calls that 'yes he can'. 

With 25 mountains in total, five summit finishes and only one Time Trial it does appear that Froome, fitness and form aside, stands a very good chance.

But with only 54km of time trialing, so do a lot of the other climbers.

If it is to be one of the mountain goats who takes the spoils, there will have to overcome one or two hurdles along the way.

For the first time in seven years the Tour will start here in Britain, and Yorkshire to be precise.

The Director of the Tour, Christian Prudhomme, has said that Yorkshire won the organisers over with it's beauty and the quality of the terrain for cyclists.

With the severity of some of the climbs however that might not be a sentiment shared!

Stage Five will commemorate 100 years since the start of World War with the stage beginning in the Flemish town of Ypres, scene of some of the heaviest fighting in the Great War.

It will then head back into France finishing at Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, but not before taking in 15.4km of cobblestones or pave.

The last time the cobblestones were included in Le Tour was back in 2010 and it caused chaos.

Most of the pre race favourites lost a lot of time and one, Frank Schleck, crashed out.

The lead riders will need to be vigilant and ensure they can get through this safely.

The Vosges mountains will be pivotal, with their short but incredibly steep climbs, and the first summit finish will be one Froome knows well.

La Planche des Belles Filles (literally the plank of the beautiful girls) was the scene of Froome's first ever stage win back in 2012.

It was also the stage where Wiggins and Team Sky put their dominance on the race, destroying most of their rivals and taking over the yellow jersey, a grip they would keep all the way to Paris.

The time trial comes the day before the procession onto the Champs-Elysees.

It will be the final battleground of this years race and for some of the non-specialists they will need upwards of two minutes, and probably closer to three, over the likes of Froome if they are to beat the Sky man in the general classification.

It is an exciting looking route.

The short, sharp climbs will test riders to the limits. Even the climbers may find they have bad days on more than one occasion.

There isn't a lot of the so-called transition stages and even the designated sprint days will not be as easy as the likes of Mark Cavendish would hope for.

So what exactly can we expect?

The Route

Stage 1: Saturday 5th July : Leeds to Harrogate - 191km

Starting on the Headrow outside of Leeds Town Hall, the riders will set out across some of the most picturesque countryside in England. Two categorised climbs including the famous Buttertubs Pass in the Yorkshire Dales will test the field but it should be a fair sized peloton arriving into Harrogate. Expect Cavendish to be busting a gut to ensure he takes the first yellow of this years race.

Sunday 6th July : Stage 2 : York - Sheffield - 198km

Only one categorised climb on the parcours does not tell the whole story. Once over the iconic Holme Moss the riders will face a very lumpy and in parts ridiculously steep run in to the finish in Sheffield. Likened to Liege-Bastogne-Liege with, the soon to be infamous, Jenkin Road taking the place of the Muur de Huy. With it's ramps of near 30% it is guaranteed to produce a classic style winner so look to the likes of Alejandro Valverde, Joaquin Rodriguez, Daniel Moreno or even Ireland's own Daniel Martin. 

Monday 7th July : Stage 3 : Cambridge - London - 159km

The Champs-Elysees is without doubt the most famous finishing straight in all of cycling. But The Mall is slowly developing a reputation of it's own and entering into folklore. Nothing but a sprint finish is expected here and after missing out in the Olympic Road Race, this will be high on Cav's wishlist.

Tuesday 8th July : Stage 4 : Le Touquet-Paris-Plage - Lille - 164km

Back on French soil and back to the scene of a record breaking ride by a Brit. Chris Boardman set a record average speed of 55.152kph in taking the yellow jersey in the 1994 Tour. Speeds may get close to this in the final gallop to the line as a bunch sprint looms. 

Wednesday 9th July : Stage 5 : Ypres - Arenberg Porte du Hainaut - 156km

With over 15km of 'pave' and most of it loaded into the final third of the stage it will be another classics rider who should take the honours here. Fabian Cancellara, Thor Hushovd and maybe our own Geraint Thomas will be names expected towards the front. For the favourites, today will truly be 'hell of the north' as they fight to limit their time losses, and make it through unscathed.

Thursday 10th July : Stage 6 : Arras - Reims - 194km

Another transitional stage should see a bunch sprint. Nerves will be frayed though and the fight to stay in the first few places will be intense. Crashes could well be the danger to anyone with overall ambitions.

Friday 11th July : Stage 7 : Epernay - Nancy - 233km

This will be the third time in five years that the Tour has left Epernay. The previous two occasions the stage finished with bunch sprints as first Cavendish (2010) and then Peter Sagan (2012) took the honours. Expect another this time around after the second longest stage of the Tour.

Saturday 12th July : Stage 8 : Tomblaine - Gerardmer La Mauselaine - 161km

The first summit finish comes at the end of what starts out as a straight forward day. However the final 20km will produce a real sting in the tail with three short but very steep climbs. The final ascent up La Mauselaine is only 1.8km long but it averages at 10.6%. Rodriguez will be one to watch but I would look towards a Colombian such as Nairo Quintana, Rigoberto Uran or Sergio Henao.

Sunday 13th July : Stage 9 : Gerardmer - Mulhouse - 166km

No categorised climbs announced yet but that doesn't mean the day will be flat. The route will be lumpy but the final 40km is downhill which should mean a reduced peloton contesting the finish. It sounds like a day for the likes of Peter Sagan or Gianni Meersman.

Monday 14th July : Stage 10 : Mulhouse - La Planche des Belle Filles - 161km

Sky dominated here two years ago and will want a repeat of that. However it may not be possible this time out. Six categorised climbs litter the route which will change the gaps in the general classification from seconds to minutes. Expect Froome to attempt a repeat but as it is Bastille Day look for a possible French victor. Thibault Pinot, Christophe Riblon and the darling of the French fans, Thomas Voeckler are names to look out for.

Tuesday 15th July : Rest Day : Besancon

Wednesday 16th July : Stage 11 : Besancon - Oyannax - 186km

Oyonnax appears on the Tour for the first time but it did host a finish of last years Criterium Dauphine. Elia Viviani was the winner ahead of Meersman that day. Sagan will be the man to beat this time around.

Thursday 17th July : Stage 12 : Bourg-en-Bresse - Saint-Etienne - 183km

Breakaways succeed less and less but this might be one day it does. With the Alps on the horizon the favourites may want to keep their powder dry. If it does become a day for the opportunists then names such as Johnny Hoogerland, Sylvain Chavanel and Jan Bakelents.

Friday 18th July : Stage 13 : Saint-Etienne - Chamrousse - 200km

The final climb up to Chamrousse is a long, 18.2km drag but does settle down to a steady gradient after the first 7km. It will need a big attack early on for someone to get a gap but the likelihood is the big names will arrive together. Saxo Tinkoff with their multitude of options and Movistar likewise may send someone up the road for the win.

Saturday 19th July : Stage 14 : Grenoble - Risoul - 177km

Another long steady finishing climb which should see the teams of the favourites keep the pace high in an attempt to break the resistance of the other main players. Ahead of them though a breakaway may be given enough space and could take the result here.

Sunday 20th July : Stage 15 : Tallard - Nimes - 222km

Definite transition stage and I can't see the sprinters passing up a chance like this, especially with a rest day to follow. The usual suspects should contest the win.

Monday 21st July : Rest Day : Carcassonne

Tuesday 22nd July : Stage 16 : Carcassonne - Bagneres-de-Luchon - 237km

The Port du Bales takes the riders to 1,755m in altitude. From the top it is 22km to the finish and it is all downhill. Thomas Voeckler has won the last two stages that have finished here (in 2010 and 2012) and you wouldn't put it past him attempting to make it three. Vincenzo Nibali and Valverde are both sensational descenders and both may see this as an opportunity to gain some time over their rivals.

Wednesday 23rd July : Stage 17 : Saint-Gaudens - Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet - 125km

A really short, but more than likely, explosive stage. Four categorised climbs including the final ascent to the Pla d'Adet will mean there will be plenty of people with an eye of this stage. Final positions won't be decided today but they could well be rubber-stamped. Definitely not one to miss!

Thursday 24th July : Stage 18 :Pau - Hautacam - 145km

The last mountain stage of the Tour sees the bunch head over the Col du Tourmalet again after last year's omission. The final climb up Hautacam gets steep in the last 5km and will be the scene of attacks. The climbers will need to distance Froome, Nibali and Valverde.

Friday 25th July : Stage 19 : Maubourguet Pays du Val d'Adour - Bergerac - 208km

Last sprint stage before Paris. And with the favourites waiting until the ITT tomorrow this one should go to form.

Saturday 26th July : Stage 20 : Bergerac - Perigueux (ITT) - 54km

It will be the last chance saloon and for some of the climbers it may be too late. Those climbers who can time trial well, the likes of Froome, Nibali and Valverde will all have a chance to claim the malliot jaune for the final time. For the stage win expect the usual suspects, Tony Martin, Cancellara and Wiggins with Taylor Phinney, Andrew Talansky and Tejay Van Garderen as outsiders.

Sunday 27th July : Stage 21: Evry - Paris Champs Elysees - 136km

It's iconic, it will be fast and furious and it will crown another winner of the world's biggest bike race. But before that final presentation it is eight laps of the most famous boulevard in the world. Cavendish ruled supreme here until last year. Marcel Kittel will be out to prove that last year wasn't just a flash in the pan.

Obviously this is all dependent on form, fitness, selection and huge slices of luck.

It will be another fascinating race.





 

Tour de France 2013 : Stage 16 Preview

CHRIS Froome delivered a sensational ride on Sunday up Mont Ventoux to put some big time gaps into his rivals for yellow.

It is the third time so far in this Tour that he has done so, following his stage victory into Ax-3-Domaines and the individual time trial at Mont-Saint-Michel.

Yet on both previous occasions his rivals managed to put him under pressure and gain some time back, with his isolation in Bagneres-de-Briggore and through the crosswinds into Saint-Amand-Montrond.

Stages are running out for them to do this a third time and if they are going to make any impact at the top of the overall standings they are going to have to launch attacks at every opportunity.

Stage 16 gives them their first chance in this final week. It is 168km long and sees the riders head from Vaison-la-Romaine to Gap, and the foothills of the Alps.

Three climbs await them, the third category Cote de la Montagne de Bluye and two second category ascents, the Col de Macuegne and the Col de Manse.

The first two of these come within the opening 48km and while they will provide a chance for the breakaway to form, which might be allowed to go all the way by the peloton, they won't affect the GC riders.

The Col de Manse will however.

The climb itself is 9.5km long and has it's summit 11.5km from the finish. The average gradient is 5.2% but there are over 2km where that gradient rises to 7% and over. A tough climb and will see some attacks. But the climb is just the appetiser to the main event.

The descent off the mountain is infamous and will be crucial. It has it's place in tour history as it was on this descent that Joseba Beloki crashed in front of Lance Armstrong, effectively ending Beloki's career and forcing Armstrong over a field and ditch before rejoining the road.

It is fast, technical and will test Froome's descending skills to their limits. And I imagine there are some who will think they can gain anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute on the leader.

Alberto Contador isn't a bad descender and will hope he can use that to gain any sort of an advantage over the Brit.

Roman Kreuziger is probably the best of the bunch and could well try to link up with his team leader to force a move.

Bauke Mollema is an unknown variable to me when it comes to descending. We know he can climb and his time trialling is good but I'll admit to not knowing what he's like on the descents. I think he will have a go though, at the very least to ensure he retains his second place overall. Same goes for Nairo Quintana.

And for some that will become more and more central to their tactics as the days and kilometres roll by, defending their current position in the GC. Finishing on the podium in Paris is a massive thing and for the likes of Mollema, Contador, Kreuziger and Quintana it will eventually become more important to defend that position than attack Froome.

I do think that if the break gets caught then the winner will come from someone outside of the top 10 overall. The likes of Cadel Evans, Alejandro Valverde and Sylvain Chavanel will be favourites for the win simply due to their ability to go downhill very fast, their bike handling skills and time trialling ability.

Another man who can do that is the current green jersey holder (and most likely winner of that competition) Peter Sagan. He's already proven he can sprint, climb and pull wheelies halfway up mountains. expect his descending skills to be put on show here!
If Evans is not up to it then maybe BMC will finally let World Champion Philippe Gilbert off the leash. The Belgian had spoken to the press earlier this month about the fact he wasn't allowed to attack and had to work for his leader.

However if the breakaway does succeed, and under normal circumstances there should be no real reason for Sky to chase it, then all bets are of as to who will win. I do think Pierre Rolland will be in there as he will want the points on offer for the King of the Mountains competition. Vaconsoleil will also have a rider in there, and as both Juan-Antonio Flecha and Wout Poels have been very active so far, it wouldn't be a shock to see one of them in the break.

But whether they are at the front or following the break in, it is going to be the GC boys who will provide the entertainment.

And if you have never seen a cyclist go down a hill faster than a motorbike, then you may want to watch from behind a sofa!

Tour de France 2013 : Stage 14 Preview

WITH a huge stage coming on Sunday, the organisers could have given the peloton an easy run in to Lyon. But where's the fun in that!

Stage 14 sees the riders reach the foothills of the Alps as they travel 191km from Saint-Pourcain-sur-Sioule to Lyon.

The route takes in seven categorised climbs, two Cat 3's and five Cat 4's.

On their own they may not have caused the sprinters too much trouble. However put them all together and it is a safe bet you won't see the likes of Mark Cavendish or Marcel Kittel at the finish.

It is the two Category ascents in the middle of the stage which will cause the most damage. The Cote de Thizy-les-Bourgs is only 1.7km long but has an average gradient of 8.2%. This is followed less than 10km later by the Col du Pilon which has a far lower average gradient of just 4.4% but it goes on for 6.3km.

As these come straight after the day's intermediate sprint I can't imagine the sprinters busting a gut to stay with the peloton.

That is with one definite exception.

As with recent 'medium mountain' stages we could see a reduced peloton contest the sprint. And the current leader in the points classification is more than capable of getting over these lumps. Peter Sagan will be licking his lips at the thought of this stage as it could well see him extend his lead in the competition, to the point of his lead becoming almost unassailable.

He may have competition however. John Degenkolb of Argos Shimano can also get over the lumpy stuff as can the likes of Tony Gallopin of Radioshack and Francesco Gavazzi of Astana. Despite this the Slovakian should have more than enough in the tank to beat anyone today.

However there is the potential fly in his ointment and one which might deprive him of the win.

Chris Froome heads into this stage leading second placed Bauke Mollema by 2 minutes 28 seconds with third placed Alberto Contador 17 seconds behind that.

As Saxo Tinkoff proved today opportunities to reduce those gaps can come without warning. But to have any chance of winning the tour you have to take them and make Froome suffer.

Movistar also proved that it is possible to weaken the Brit and his all conquering Sky train last Sunday. And Sky are reeling at the minute. Having already seen climbing super domestique Vassili Kiryenka head home, they lost Edvald Boasson Hagen to injury on Thursday. With Geraint Thomas and Peter Kennaugh not at 100% either Froome is fast running out of support riders.

Stages are also getting less and less so the GC contenders will be well aware of that.

The final two climbs come within the last 15km and while not particularly taxing they could well prove to be a launching pad for someone to attack the Malliot Jaune. The likes of Joaquin Rodriguez, Dan Martin and Alejandro Valverde could all fancy spreading their wings and going for it.

Valverde went into today's stage in second placed but he had an awful day as first a puncture and then crosswinds saw him lose contact with his main rivals, eventually finishing almost 10 minutes behind.

Movistar will also be angry at what they will perceive as poor sportsmanship by Belkin. (Belkin put more men at the front after Valverde punctured in order to aid their man Mollema's GC position)

I think Froome will be able to cope with one or two but where Movistar let themselves down into Bagneres-de-Biggore was that they didn't keep hitting him with constant attacks. If they or someone else can do that here they may weaken the Sky leader enough to claw back a handful of seconds.

Don't be surprised if the attacks come early as well. The earlier into the stage the more chance they have of hurting Sky, if not for today but certainly for tomorrow.

Movistar will probably be looking for a reaction after today and could be the main instigators of any attacking.

It will be an intriguing day of racing and is just part one of what could be a powder keg weekend!

Tour de France 2013 : Stage 13 Preview

IT'S another so called transitional stage for the peloton as they face 173km from Tours to Saint-Amand-Montrond.

It should mean another bunch sprint, in fact scratch that. It WILL mean another bunch sprint.

Yes a breakaway will go but the sprinters teams will not want an opportunity to slip by so they will be given a short gap and then reeled in before the finish.

There is only categorised climb, the Cat 4 Cote de Crotz, which comes 96km from the end and will not cause any concern to the main favourites.

What will be of concern is the finish, which again has some serious obstacles inside the last km.

First there's a 90 degree left hand turn with around 900km to go. The road then swings right through another 90 degree turn before the third and final sweeping left hand curve with around 450m to go.

The crash in stage 12 will do nothing to calm the nerves in the peloton as GC guys and sprinters alike try to stay at the front of the group.

Whoever manages to do this will then hope to be around that final corner in the first half dozen spots in order to go for the stage win.

Mark Cavendish had a perfect lead out today but quite surprisingly Marcel Kittel proved to be the fastest man.

It is not the first time this tour that the German has got the better of the British Champion and there is bound to be frustration for the Manxman.

I have picked Cav for a few stages simply because he is (was?) the fastest man on two wheels. I do believe he will come good but at the minute Kittel is on top form. It's hard to go against the German again.

It won't be a two horse race though. Andre Greipel was caught up behind the crash and although he got through unscathed, he was out of the final fight. He is the German champion and will not be happy at the spotlight of his home country moving to the young pretender. Expect him to go fast and hard for the win.

The others will all be there again. Peter Sagan was third today with Alexander Kristoff fourth.

Daryl Impey got involved in the sprint for Orica GreenEdge and others who are proving to be good bets for a top 10 are Roberto Ferrari, Jose Joaquin Rojas and Juan Jose Lobato.

The GC guys will hope for a easy and calm finish. Ian Stannard managed to guide Chris Froome through the mayhem and will hope to do so again. Saturday and definitely Sunday will be firmly in their minds and they won't want any problems going into it.

But going back to the stage win, I would say it'll end up being a Germany - England confrontation. And as with our footballing sides, the favourite is probably a German!

And that's without penalties!

Tour de France 2013 : Stage 12 Preview

IT'S a day one man has been dreading above all others.

Even Mark Cavendish looking at the double ascent of L'Alpe d'Huez is not quaking in fear as much.

The man? Eurosport's commentator Carlton Kirby!

Stage 12 travels 218km (or 135.5 miles) from Fougeres to Tours and bar the obligatory intermediate sprint, there is nothing on the profile. No climbs, no descents, nothing.

It means a long day behind the microphone as a break goes up the road and the sprinters teams take their time bringing them back. Expect as much waffle and time filling as it is possible to muster. And expect many scenic shots as the helicopter goes looking for Chateau's and vineyards!

Once the break has been caught the finish at least should bring some excitement. With about 2.5km to go the road swings through two 90 degree bends, first left and then right, as we cross the river.

Then with 700m we turn right through another 90 degrees and again with 400m to go.

It will mean any leadout train will have their rhythm severely disrupted and position for the last two corners will be paramount. Anyone with designs on the stage win will need to be in the one of the first five positions out of that last corner.

It will really raise the likelihood of a crash in the peloton as nerves will be high and sprint teams race to get their man into the best position possible for those final two corners.

The nullification somewhat of the sprint teams at the end means we could see other riders getting close to the now established names of potential sprint winners.

Roberto Ferrari has figured in the top 20 in a few of the sprint stages so far but without the success of the Giro d'Italia in 2011. Samuel Dumoulin is another who can't be totally ruled out. While he could never be classed as a top sprinter, the diminutive Frenchman has a habit of appearing through carnage and other peoples difficulties to grab good results. Could be an outsider for a top 3 place here.

And you just can't seem to keep Orica Green-Edge away from the spotlight. Matt Goss was 11th into Saint-Malo the other day. He should be able to go higher than that.

The likelihood is though that the winner will be from that elite sprint group. Kittel looks fast at the minute and both of his wins so far in this Tour have come without the aid of a sprint train. I have him down to pip the likes of Greipel, Cavendish, Sagan and Kristoff.

It will be a chaotic finish to what will be a fairly quiet day. Quiet that is except for the Eurosport commentary box!

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Best Young Rider Classification (White Jersey)

Eddy Merckx famously won every jersey going in the 1969 Tour de France, his first appearance at the race.

He would have won this one too had it been in existence!

First awarded in 1975 the title has been given to the best rider on GC under the age of 25 since 1987. The jersey itself came fully into existence in 2000.

It has been won by some of the great in the sport, as well as some of the now disgraced, and has seen some of it's winners go on to swap white for yellow. The likes of Andy Schleck, Alberto Contador and Marco Pantani all won this competition prior to the big one.

And Schleck, Contador, Jan Ullrich and Laurent Fignon are the only four men to have won both in the same year.

It is basically a competition within a competition. It uses the same rules as defines the overall standings. Tejay Van Garderen won the white jersey last year while finishing 8th overall.

This year as I've mentioned previously, barring a crash or other such misfortune, the jersey will be a two horse race between Nairo Quintana and Michael Kwiatkowski.

Both have been touted as future winners of the Tour and for good reason. Both can time trial and both can climb although the Colombian excels more in the lumpier stuff while the Pole takes the plaudits against the clock.

With the Alps fast approaching it will be fascinating to see how they react. Both are in their first tour and the final week of any three week tour brings with it a whole new range of issues, as the riders cope with fatigue and a savage profile.

They have shown enough already to cement their reputation and potential. Don't be surprised if this jersey is just the start of many for them both.

Tour de France 2013 : Stage 10 Preview

AFTER the trials and tribulations of the mountains, it's time to turn our attentions back to the sprinters.

Stage 10 sees the peloton at the opposite end of the country to the Pyrenees with a 197km route through Brittany from Saint-Gildas-des-Bois to Saint-Malo.

The profile shows just one Cat 4 climb coming 55km from the finish although there are a couple of uncategorized lumps early in the stage which may prove a springboard for a breakaway.

The last part of the course hugs the coastline and can be described as rolling but shouldn't be testing unless there is a wind coming off the Channel. The final 5 km are pretty straight with just a slight dogleg right with 350m to go to test the sprinters.

A break will be allowed to go early on and while the responsibilities will be on Team Sky to keep it in check, it should be a fairly easy day for them. Once over the Cote de Dinan expect some of the sprinters teams to come and give them a hand in reeling the escapees back.

Favourites for the stage are the usual suspects. Mark Cavendish, Andre Greipel, Peter Sagan, Alexander Kristoff will all be in the mix again. Greipel looks the strongest at the minute but you can never count out Cav. Or Sagan for that matter.

If you want outsiders for the sprint then look to the former race leader Daryl Impey to be involved. He is in great form and I think Orica Green Edge will hand him the opportunity to go for the win ahead of Matt Goss. Euskatel's Juan Jose Lobato del Valle has also been impressive through this race and should gain another top 10 finish here.

If the wind does get up, and the forecast has it coming from the north east which will be behind the field for the last 10km or so, then we could see someone try and jump away from the group along the coast. Juan Antonio Flecha has been very active this year as has his team Vaconsoleil as they attempt to attract new sponsors. A lone attack suits Flecha's style down to the ground and he certainly has the power to back it up. If the peloton hesitate and allow someone like him to go they may miss out altogether.

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The Points Classification (Green Jersey)

There is more than one race within the Tour de France. Not everyone can win the yellow jersey so in 1953 the organisers introduced the Malliot Vert for the best daily finisher. The colour green was chosen because the sponsor at the time was a lawn mower producer.

Usually this is a competition for the sprinters. Points are available to the first 15 finishers on each stage and there are more on offer on the flat than in the mountains or time trials.

There is also one intermediate sprint each day which also gains points towards the classification.

So for a stage like today 45 points are awarded to the first man across the line with the rest getting 35, 30, 26, 22, 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 and 2 respectively.
 
For medium mountain stages the winner gets 30 points with 20 points going to the winner of a high mountain stage or time trial.

Intermediate sprints also awarded 20 points to the first across the line.

Last years winner Peter Sagan looks on course to retain his title. He currently holds a fairly substantial lead in this competition, a full 93 points clear of Andre Greipel in second and 106 points ahead of Mark Cavendish in third.

Sagan owes this lead predominantly to his ability to get over mountains and hills better than his rivals and in particular to stage seven. Here he was able to hoover up a full 65 points while his main competitors struggled to get over the climbs and picked up nothing.

It is worth noting that you don't have to win the most stages to get this jersey. Cav won six stages in the 2009 tour and five in 2010 yet finished second in this classification.

And I would expect Greipel and Cavendish to both rack up more wins than Sagan this time around. But nothing, other than a crash and abandonment,  will stop the Slovakian from taking the title again.

Tour de France 2013 : Stage 7 Preview

MARK Cavendish was expected to roar into Montpellier to take his second successive stage win. However Andre Greipel timed his run perfectly to take the win. Stage seven will provide him with another chance to prove he is better than the Manxman.

It's a bit more of a rolling profile than previously and in fact shares some similarities with stage two. It takes the riders 205km from Montpellier to Albi and crosses four categorised climbs. One cat 2, two cat 3's and a cat 4.

However whereas on stage 2 the sprinters who were dropped early on the 2nd category Col de Vizzavona only had 60km to recover, here they will have plenty of time to rejoin the peleton.  The 2nd cat climb here is the 6.7km long Col de la Croix de Mounis but it's summit is 111km from the finish. The final climb of the day, the cat 4 Cote de Teillet comes 36km from the end.

The run in itself is straight and flat for the last km and with only a few kinks in the final 5km should be tailor-made for a sprint finish.

Can Cav make amends or will Greipel repeat? Cav is clearly over his recent illness but got he and OPQS got their timings all wrong. A hard chase to get back into contention after a slight tumble also did him no favours.

Greipel however took advantage on a perfect leadout by his Lotto-Belisol team

Cannondale will be out to try and make it hard for them both tomorrow in the hills. If they can put enough of distance into the sprinters it will mean a very hard chase just to get back to the bunch, which could nullify the sprint trains somewhat.

Peter Sagan still hasn't won a stage yet despite some close run things. He will be desperate to win and really cement his lead in the green jersey.

Again those people who have dominated the top 10 in recent days will be there or thereabouts. This means Marcel Kittel, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Alexander Kristoff, et al. I can't see anyone outside of these top quick men getting anywhere near if it ends as expected in a sprint.

With the exception of Juan Jose Lobato del Valle. The Euskatel rider has finished 7th and 5th in the last two days and could well make the top 10 again.

But I still think Cav will do it. He will be fuming after missing out today so expect a reaction and win number 25.

However for that to happen it has to actually finish in a bunch sprint. This could be well be a day that the breakaway makes it although a lot will depend on what happens during the stage. Those who are looking for an early lead in the King of the Mountains jersey will mix with the have-a-go heroes and if they can get a strong group together they will have a good chance of making it all the way to the line.

Riders who will go for the breakaway are interchangeable but expect teams such as Europcar (Pierre Rolland?), Vaconsoleil (Westra, De Gendt, Flecha?), Saur Sojasun, Euskatel, Cofidis and AG2R to all try and infiltrate the escape.

Don't expect to see any of the big favourites though today, other than trying to stay out of trouble at the front of the bunch. Saturday and Sunday sees the race enter the Pyrenees which is guaranteed to be huge in terms of the overall. Fireworks will be expected from the likes of Chris Froome, Alberto Contador and Cadel Evans then.

As they will be from the Manx Missile today!

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Sprint Trains

These are a fairly new phenomenon and owe Mark Cavendish really for their creation.

In days gone by there was no real structure to a bunch sprint. The fast men gathered near the front, the rest got out of their way and the bun fight began!

And in some cases actual fights broke out. Headbuts, punches were all common place. I even remember Belgian sprinter Tom Steels hurling a water bottle at a rival he felt had impeded him, all at speeds of 50+ kph!

However it was while Cav was at Team HighRoad that a plan of attack was brought in. His team realised that if they could navigate through the carnage and keep him towards the front, there was very few people who were going to beat him for speed.

And so this is what they did. They would put three or four riders ahead of Cav with about 5km to go, move to the front and keep the pace so high that nobody could launch off the front or come past them.

The last man in the line would, in theory, take him all the way to about 200-300m to go and then the 'missile' would be launched.

It proved so effective that now everybody does it to the point that there is often three sprint trains leading the peloton in a strange trident formation.

Because it has been proved that riding in somebody's slipstream saves you around 20% in terms of energy then sprinters themselves almost get an armchair ride till the very last moments of the stage. It is why after every win Mark will thank his team profusely, saying something along the lines of 'I couldn't have done it without my team' and 'They rode so hard'.

You can still win a bunch sprint without a team helping you. But it involves knowing which wheel to be on and at what time, as well as an amazing amount of bravery and luck!

And while the sprint trains remain effective they will rule the roost in any massed finish.

Tour de France 2013 : Stage 5 Preview

LISTEN to the experts, talk to the race organisers, they will say the same thing. Stage Five should finish in a bunch sprint.

And to be fair they would have a point. Stage Five should indeed finish with the field arriving en masse.

The route heads from Cagnes-sur-Mer to Marseilles, roughly following the Mediterranean coast for the entirety of it's 228km length. Just four categorised climbs are included, one Cat 3 and three Cat 4's and none of these should cause the big sprinters a great deal of problem. The last one, the Cat 4 Cote des Bastides,  has it's summit 30km from the finish.

However with just 12km to go there is a little lump on the profile which may have a significant amount to say in what happens with the stage result.

The Col de la Gineste is uncategorised. 7.3km long it's average gradient from the west side is a mere 3.1% and for 3 km in the middle it is pretty flat. But the ramps at the start and finish of the climb will be enough, if the pace is high enough, to stretch the peleton out.

And it will be almost guaranteed that someone will try their luck with a big attack.

The reason is the descent. Steep and with a couple of tight corners, if someone who is fearless and can descend well gets clear over the top, they may have a good chance on getting to the finish alone.

Slyvain Chavanel (yes, him again)  could be one as could the likes of Lieuwe Westra of Vaconsoleil.

Cannondale will almost certainly be on the front for the ascent as they attempt to shake Mark Cavendish loose and give their man Peter Sagan a chance at the win that has eluded him so far.

Cav can descend well but he has been suffering from bronchitis recently so may not be at full fitness. But he will be smarting from missing out on the yellow jersey on Saturday so will want a modicum of revenge. And this would have been one stage he would have had circled in his racebook very early on.

Sagan himself has been pipped by one or two to the line so far, including the new Malliot Jaune Simon Gerrans on stage three, a man he would have expected to beat. And I think he may come up short again. Remember he is not a pure sprinter but will be in the mix, simply to pick up some more points in the race for the Green Jersey.

Favourite for me is Alexander Kristoff. Beaten into second place by Marcel Kittel on stage one but he picked up some good results just prior to the Tour and the Gineste will not be a problem for him. He has the speed and with Cav suffering may just have the edge.

For an outsider look to Jose Rojas of Movistar. He was 9th on stage one and 3rd on stage three. He has a good chance of another top 10 finish at this one.

Other than the Gineste there is one more obstacle for the peleton to navigate before the line. The road swings through a 90 degree left hand turn just 450m from the line. Position here will be paramount and only those in the first five positions out of this corner will have a realistic chance of success.

Also don't be surprised if there is a tumble at some point. This is the first opportunity for a sprint since day one and I can't see the sprinters teams wanting to miss out. So the pace will be high and nerves will too.

It will make for an exciting finish, buses permitting of course!


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Categorised Climbs:

I talk a lot about the number of 'categorised climbs' along the route but for those new to cycling it probably seems like insane rambling.

A bit like trying to explain to a Premier League referee that you ARE allowed to give a penalty against Manchester United at Old Trafford. It just won't compute!

So I've put together a little guide here:

There are five different levels of categorisation for climbs ranging from Cat 4 through to Cat 1 and finally the HC 'Hors Categorie' or 'Beyond Category' climb.

The way the organisation decides on a climbs category has changed over the years. Folklore states that back in the 50's Tour climbs were categorised by the gear needed to propel a Citroen 2CV up them! HC climbs? Yep, there the ones where you got out and pushed!

Nowadays the length of the climb, average gradient, height in metres as well the position in the stage are all taken into account to give the final category. This is all decided by the race organisers and it has been known for certain climbs to change category.

Basically Cat 4 is not bad, but HC, it's going to be a tough day at the office!

Tour de France 2013: Stage 3 Preview

STAGE three waves goodbye to Corsica with a short but tough ride along the coast to Calvi. It is only 145km long but most of the route is rolling and includes four categorised climbs.

 

Like stage two a breakaway will go away early and the likes of Blei Kadri and Lars Boom will probably appear in it as they attempt to take an early lead in the King of the Mountains competition.

 

However their hopes of success are limited.

 

Again a climb towards the end of the stage will make the difference. The 2nd Category Col de Marsolino comes 13km from the finish and will severely thin the peleton out.

 

It is 3.3km long and has an average gradient of 8.1%. That will be enough to shell the majority of the big sprinters out and will undoubtedly provide a springboard for somebody to launch an attack for the stage win.

 

Once over the top the road descends all the way to the finish and could give someone like Slyvain Chavanel a big opportunity. He tried his luck on stage two and will definitely see this as an opportunity for himself. He has the explosive power to get up the climb and can descend with the best of them.

 

Europcar were very animated on stage two and will definitely be so again. Thomas Voeckler will definitely have a go at some point as will Pierre Rolland.

 

FDJ were also very animated during stage two as they looked to get French champion Arthur Vichot into position. Expected the same again this time around.

 

It was also great to see World Champion Philippe Gilbert at the front end of the race. BMC did a lot of work on the front yesterday, predominantly to keep Cadel Evans and Tejay Van Garderen safe but that could also work in his favour.

 

However it is a big ask for escapees to evade the clutches of a peleton who will be at full tilt and determined not to let a breakaway make it this time. So if it does all come back together it will be a very reduced field that enters Calvi.

 

Peter Sagan will be there again as will people like Francesco Gavazzi, Edvald Boassen-Hagen and Tony Gallopin, if he can avoid team duties defending the yellow jersey.

 

Jan Bakelants shocked everybody with his attack and won a completely deserving stage. He has a great chance to retain that jersey as well. RadioShack will work their socks off to pull back any break and with no time bonuses on offer at the finish line all he has to do is finish with the leaders.

 

For an outsider go for Daryl Impey. He finished well on stage two and could well be up there again.

 

Well it's not as if Orica Green Edge have been mentioned much so far this Tour is it so they could do with some publicity!

Tour de France 2013 : Stage Two Preview

I WAS going to start this piece with the following sentence: "IF stage one was fairly easy to predict then stage two is anything but."

However stage one was as unpredictable and crazy as they come!

Orica Green Edge stamped their mark on the Tour early but not in the way they would have wanted as they jammed their bus under the finish gantry.

This caused the finish line to be moved to the 3km point as the riders hit the 10km to go mark.

As they wound up for the new sprint the inevitable crash happened, claiming Peter Sagan and Alberto Contador as it's highest profile victims. Mark Cavendish managed to avoid it and stay upright but couldn't help but get caught up behind it.

Then the bus was moved and the finish line reinstated to it's original position.

Andre Greipel never made it as a mechanical issue put pay to his chances but his fellow countryman Marcel Kittel was the big winner, picking his way through the carnage to beat Alexander Kristoff.

The ramifications will go on all night but as far as times go everybody has been awarded the same time as Kittel, which is absolutely the right thing to do. Green Edge will face some sanctions as well as a lot of animosity from the rest of the peloton and watching public.

So after that absolutely bizarre day stage two might not be as unpredictable as we first thought.

It will be though!

The profile suggests that the pure sprinters won't be around come the finish. Two cat 2 climbs and two cat 3 should thin out the field enough to see off the likes of yellow jersey Kittel, Griepel and Nacer Bouhanni.

However that's where the certainty ends.

The last climb is the Cat 3 Cote du Salario, the summit of which comes 12 km from the finish. It is only 1 km in length but has an average gradient of 8.9%.

It is the type of climb which could provide a springboard for anyone with a stage victory in mind. And with time gaps from today being none existent a stage victory should bring with it the next yellow jersey.

It is a finish which seems a little similar to Milan San-Remo which means it could be a day for the puncheurs. Slyvain Chavanel, Thomas Voeckler, Fabian Cancellara, Phillipe Gilbert are just some of the names that could be in the mix come the finish.

Pure sprinters should be jettisoned before the finish but don't rule out Mark Cavendish though. He is a previous winner in San Remo and is in good form. Stage one will have been a bitter disappointment and I can imagine a fired up Manxman.

If he can get to the top of the final climb in contact he will be a big favourite.

For an outsider Johnny Hoogerland may be the one for you, that is if riding into a barrier on stage one hasn't affected him much! But he is no stranger to adversity, who can forget his coming together with barbed wire two years ago, and in February this year he was involved in a car accident while out training which left him with five broken ribs, a bruised liver and bone fractures to his spine.

But to everybody's surprise he returned to action in May (some footballers should take note) and just last weekend he shocked everybody by winning the Dutch national championship.

He will want to show off that jersey and before tiredness creeps in later in the Tour expect him on the attack at some point this week.

My big favourite was Sagan but a lot will depend on his condition in the morning. Stage one wasn't ideal for him, even before his tumble, but stage two could be. He has the ability to handle the climb, can descend well and we all know about his sprinting qualities.

So he is my favourite....if things go as planned.... which they probably won't!

All of the above could be blown out of the water if one of the favourites decides to take the bull by the horns and attack.

Joaquin Rodriguez and Alejandro Valverde are two that love this type of parcours. They might also think they can gain some time over the likes of Froome and Contador.

It is more likely they will keep their powder dry though. It's a long way to Paris and it's a big ask to take the jersey so early and hold it all the way.

But don't quote me on that!

Tour de France 2013 : Stage One Preview

THREE things are certain when you look at this year's opening stage of the Tour de France.

One, it will end in a sprint finish. 
Two, the winner will walk away with the first yellow jersey of the race, and 
Three, there will be an almighty crash in the closing stages!

Always happens, absolute guarantee! The first week of any Grand Tour is a frenetic, nervous and dangerous affair, never mind the biggest of them all. Every one of the 198 strong field wants to be in those first few places on the road and obviously the maths just doesn't fit!

So if you factor that in it's incredibly difficult to pick a winner. So imagine that this year, for the first time in a very long time, the peleton arrives at the finish unscathed. Could we see the British National champion swap the iconic blue and red bands for a yellow jersey?

All things considered yes. Mark Cavendish is undoubtedly the fastest man on two wheels and in a clean fight he should win more often than not. By his own admission he normally takes a few days to get into a three week tour but this year he has tailored his training specifically with this stage in mind.

And it looks to have worked. His form in winning the nationals in Glasgow last weekend was impressive, getting into the winning move early and even putting a little attack in up the short but steep climb of Montrose Street.

His leadout train has misfired a few times this year but there is no doubting the strength he has at his disposal for this one. Gert Steegmans will be his final leadout man but with the likes of Sylvain Chavanel, Tony Martin & Peter Velits as well OPQS should be a the front of affairs heading into the last km.

His big rival for the green jersey is last years winner Peter Sagan but this is not the best type of stage for him. He is fearless and a great bike handler so if there is a pile-up there's a good chance he can navigate through it safely. However he doesn't have the basic straight line speed of his rivals so yellow might elude him this time around. His time will come though.

Like Cavendish, Andre Greipel heads into the Tour as the new national champion of Germany and on paper he will be the big rival to take yellow. His results earlier in the year were very good but went through a quiet spell until the recent Ster ZLM Toer and the nationals. Make no bones about it though the 'Gorilla' is one of the favourites for the win.

Outside of these look to the likes of Alexander Kristoff, John Degenkolb and Nacer Bouhanni. All are in good form and in the case of the first two they are capable of getting to the finish with the lead group over a bit more of the lumpy stuff. So even if they fail to win here they will be in with a shout on other days.

As well as the sprinters expect to see some have-a-go heroes try their luck before the finish. The likes of a Jens Voigt or a Fabian Cancellara may try and upset the sprinters (and stay clear of any problems) in the final few kilometres.

In other words anything could happen! But as I stated earlier if you want a sure thing, then back the crash!