Morning all. So, what the hell am I going to do on Monday morning instead of putting these together? Either way, lets see what fun and games the final day will bring.
There’s one last stage remaining. It’s probably the most prestigious with the Arc de Triomphe as a backdrop and the Champs-Elysées to welcome the 167 finishers of the Tour de France, eight less than last year. This year’s Parisian finale with Chris Froome in the yellow jersey for the fourth time after 2013, 2015 and 2016 includes the promotion of the French bid for the 2014 Olympic Games. Therefore, the peloton will ride through the Grand Palais, the venue set to host fencing and taekwondo. The grand finale is a parade but also the sprinters’ queen stage. Exceptions to a bunch gallop go as far back as in 1994 when Eddy Seigneur rode away from a 5-man breakaway to precede Frankie Andreu by three seconds. In 2005, Alexandre Vinokourov overtook Bradley McGee who had escaped the peloton before the flamme rouge. André Greipel is the defending champion of that stage since he won it back to back in the past two years. Just like one year ago, he hasn’t won any stage in the Tour de France yet. The pressure is on the German. Since he started riding Grand Tours in 2008, he has claimed at least one success in each of them. The Champs-Elysées is a reward for the sprinters who have overcome all the difficulties of the 3-week long race. Marcel Kittel, Arnaud Démare, Mark Cavendish and Peter Sagan are no longer in contention but the list of candidates is long. Besides Greipel, Alexander Kristoff is another very hungry former stage winner [last time in 2014]. Sonny Colbrelli, John Degenkolb, Nacer Bouhanni and Dylan Groenewegen are on the hunt for their first ever stage victory at the Tour de France. But the winner might as well be someone who is used to go on stage this July. Michael Matthews is eager to crown the beautiful Tour of his Sunweb team and stage 19 winner Edvald Boasson Hagen can sprint to victory as much as he rode solo to find success in Salon-de-Provence.
The Route: a morning flight from Marseille to Paris and Orly airport, then the stage starts in nearby Montgeron just where the inaugural Tour de France started in 1903. There’s a 48km procession around the dormitory towns outside Paris and time for the ritual photo opportunities before they ride into Paris and 58km around the now usual Champs Elysées-Tuileries circuit. As ever there’s a slight rise to the Champs Elysées and it’s cobbled, the urban variety of pavé but enough to make it that bit harder. After weeks touring rural France here is the capital’s seal of approval, a finish fit for a visiting head of state.
With a lot of the big sprinters gone, it feels a bit more open than years gone by, lets have a look at the ever wonderful Inrng to see who’s in the mix.
The Contenders: a lot of sprinters and none of them have won a sprint so far. André Greipel won last year and could pop up again but is without his trusted leadout rider Marcel Sieberg now. Michael Matthews (Team Subweb) can win and his leadout Nikias Arndt is in roaring form. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) must be extra confident now.
Next there’s a second wave of contenders, a list of riders capable of winning but but they have had problems in this Tour. Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) has been ill and on antibiotics but over that and getting faster, on his day he can beat the best in the World Tour. Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) is sore from a crash and hasn’t shown us what he’s capable of this Tour. Dylan Groenewegen (Lotto-Jumbo) is 24 years old and on the up but yet to win a sprint in the World Tour. John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) is the wildcard pick, often out of the sprint but equally capable of the win.
FAQ: Can Mikel Landa pip Romain Bardet? Yes, for all the antics this is still a race and there are time bonuses. In 2005 Alexander Vinokourov attacked, won the stage and moved up to fifth overall, an example that it can be done. But Landa has his work cut out to win a time bonus, he and his team can hope Bardet is caught on the wrong side of a split but even that is hard to do and unlikely.
So, yesterday, a quick look back. Thanks to Cycling Tips for providing a lot of these pics.
Le Stade Velodrome
Bondar, early into the hot seat and stayed there.
Martin, TTing is a painful game
Uran, out of the darkness.
Froome, smashing it up.
But agony for Bardet, the weight of a nation hung upon him.