A little road stage, the shortest of the Tour (120 km). But it will no doubt be an apotheosis, with the traditional finish on the Champs-Élysées. Always the same, always magnificent since 1975. We already know more or less what will happen: a festive start in Rambouillet, two short hours before things really get going, and then a sudden, spectacular acceleration to mark the peloton’s arrival in the Parisian circuit. All of this before 1.5 billion TV viewers, nothing to sneeze at! For the rest, I do not think any brave riders will be able to slip under the radar of the sprinters’ teams. On paper, Mark Cavendish can dream of a fourth straight win.

Wiggins in yellow leads out Cavendish in world champs stripes. Paris is invaded by British people. I get something in my eye and need to be excused. British cycling is never the same again.

Fantastic pictures from Steephill.

http://www.steephill.tv/2012/tour-de-france/photos/stage-19/

I think Rorschach is just about to be knocked off his top place (finally) by Team Hoppy..

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/stw-tour-de-france

A few useful links

Live Cycling News Text Updates
Steephill
Official Tour Live Feed App
Velogames Fantasy League
Classifications
Withdrawals

I’m like a kid at Christmas right now. Gonna go ride my bike.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCUD0CPKJSM[/video]

I HAVE TO GO OUT TODAY WITH FAMILY STUFF!!!

I am not happy about this at all.

I’m working later……. 🙁

Anyone know the anticipated finish time of the stage?

Go Cav! I won’t name and shame all those who were so sure that he wouldn’t ride the whole Tour… 🙂

I HAVE to stay in today and look after the baby whilst the wife goes and gets pampered.
COME ON CAV!!!

Boxfish: stage timings are entry to Paris at about 4pm, finish about 5pm Paris time. So 4pm finish time UK.

Oh and COME ON CAV!!

Ta. Out for lunch with family so will make excuses at an appropriate time. 😈

ITV4 later?

Just live coverage is also on ITV1 and ITV HD so no need to put up with the pixellated mess that is ITV4.

no need to put up with the pixellated mess that is ITV4.

team sky proving there that marketing doesn’t work.. 😉

I need to change wheel cylinders on the motor ……. But ill tell you even if the system drains while im watching the manx missile itll be worth it 🙂

I get something in my eye and need to be excused.

I was watching the stage when Wiggins got the yellow jersey in the tent at 24/12. Every cheered. I couldn’t. Suddenly got very dusty despite all the rain.

Wiggins leading Cav out for the sprint today would be a fairytale ending. Not sure he will though. Probably better to stay safe at the back. It’s all a bit weird though. Every time you turn on the news, pick up a newspaper, cycling is all over it. Even as I type radio 5 is talking in detail about a cyclist’s nutrition. Bizarre. Wonder if all this attention will translate into more respect for cyclists on UK roads?

Wonder if all this attention will translate into more respect for cyclists on UK roads?

Perhaps in an alternate universe. White van man will just shout ‘**** off wiggo’ rather than just ‘**** off’.

sadly I will be at work. Happily discovered that my work computers, which block all sorts of content, will accept eurosportplayer 😀

5 Live chatting about it at the mo and reporter observed that the first spectator arrived on the Champs at about 4am. And they were British.

Can someone explain the route through Paris? Looks like they come through the circuit, then then go off somewhere else for a lap before doing the circuit another 5 times, or is the elevation diagram not drawn well, basically i can’t see the hill where the 2nd lap should be?

Perhaps in an alternate universe. White van man will just shout ‘**** off wiggo’ rather than just ‘**** off’.

There’s usually a few weeks of niceties as the MAMILS fill up the roads and drivers expect to see cyclists, then normal service will be resumed. Might last a bit longer this year as there’s the Olympics.

having spotted some GoPros mounted on the front of the Sky jags, can we expect a Sky equivalent of Chasing Legends?

Can someone explain the route through Paris?

Pootle to Paris drinking champagne, chatting and probably passing a video camera round each other.
8 laps of the champs d’elleyse [ like i will have got that right] 54 km iirc where they will probably race and end up with a sprint finish with the manx missile pwning everyone

Ctm id love that !

I missed chasing legends in the cinema at the time( was working abroad) – watched it on telly and i was suitably moved but it still wasnt the cinema

Pootle to Paris drinking champagne, chatting and probably passing a video camera round each other.
8 laps of the champs d’elleyse [ like i will have got that right] 54 km iirc where they will probably race and end up with a sprint finish with the manx missile pwning everyone

That’s what I assumed, but the graphic show’s something different in the 2nd/3rd lap.

Wiggins leading Cav out for the sprint today would be a fairytale ending. Not sure he will though. Probably better to stay safe at the back.

On the contrary – far safer at the front. Normally the reason he wouldn’t be riding on the front is to save his energy, but that’s not really an issue today. As I commented in a thread yesterday, expect to see the MJ doing his motorbike impression on the front from about 2km out, but more likely for EBH to be the final leadout man. It would be nice to see the rainbow jersey on the wheel of the MJ in the final straight, but Sky aren’t the sort of team to do sentimentality.

Yes but the Big Wig is 😉
The stage before the TT they [Sky and Wiggo] led him out when they did not need to for team reasons

think they might as a sort of Olympics try out.
he will be at the front for the reason you mention

boxfish – Member
Anyone know the anticipated finish time of the stage?

Depending on speed between 4:30 and 5pm according to the TDF website.

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/stage-20.html#t22

scroll up to map and click on time.

this is whats powering mark to victory… last nights tea

I’m gonna have to find something to do for the next couple of hours. I’ve been a gibbering wreck for 3 days now. If Cav wins today I don’t think I will be able to blame dust.

dont forget france is an hour ahead

i will be wearing yellow (and baggies) and riding to the pub for about 1530, to watch the last laps.

cmon cav

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFkjPgccHto[/video]

liking the Sky cars redecorated in yellow 🙂

Not wishing to tempt fate but has it ever been lost on the last day? If Wiggo crashed I guess they’d go slow as usual until he’d caught up and he’s got a hefty margin anyway, but has anyone ever crashed and been unable to finish?

lemond fignon? But normally it is considered bad form to attack the leader on the last day I believe

He could crash out today, but he is a professional rider, he should be able to stay on for 50km of pootling and 50km of smashing it.

Looking for something to read while waiting for Paris? My wife put me on to this Cows at the tour de france

And of course this one

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0pv7rPrFSo[/video]

From around 31:40.

has it ever been lost on the last day?

NEVER
I suspect if he did crash they would just wait for him tbh
Cav has never lost this stage when has raced it.

My first thought when I woke up this morning was “I hope Bradley doesn’t fall off today” and I’ve been willing him on to Paris all day (even before he was even on his bike!).

It’s amazing, I think I will cry when he goes over the line in Paris.

has it ever been lost on the last day?

NEVER

Nope – 1989. Most exciting last day ever

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGiObsRh8C4[/video]

Mleh that was a TT so it is not the same as this stage.
I get what you are saying but no one has lost it in the last stage without a TT as it largely a procession with a sprint.

I had forgotten that to be fair and the fastest TT over 10 km

Nope – 1989. Most exciting last day ever

That was a TT though, not a normal stage. So it’s never been won/lost on the last day with a normal road race stage into Paris?

[Edit]

I had forgotten that to be fair and the fastest TT over 10 km

The fact that Wiggins was 10% slower yesterday probably proves they’re riding clean now.

How could you ever forget that stage? 😉 The sight of Fignon fighting but still visibly dropping seconds is one of the classic images of the Tour. Haunting stuff