Welcome to Friday’s live blog, with Jack Sexty, Alex Bowden and the rest of the team.
Tour drama: Tomorrow’s stage shortened after landslide shortens Stg 19; Bernal take lead – reaction; Tour slammed for 15m plastic-wrapped freebies; Dual carriageway leads to National TT boycott; the TdF Beefeaters; No Pinot but there is Wiggo + LOADS more
All today’s news from the site and beyond…
Fri, Jul 26, 2019 18:58
SUMMARY
26 July 2019, 18:58
Just another day at the Tour de France
The only Links Rechts video you’ll ever need. Beefeaters, Bananaman, kids forced to where our hats whether they like it or not……oh and a T’Rex on his way to the shops . Peak Beefeater Bend! #TDF #TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/iTlvZUnVWH
— Beefeater Bend (@tdfbeefeaters) July 25, 2019
It’s Friday, so here are some Beefeaters, a banana, a T-Rex and various others dancing to really bad europop.
26 July 2019, 18:58
The other Nairo...
Yes its true. I moonlight as a Colombian racing cyclist and I just won the Tour de France pic.twitter.com/ZyOkatoKYj
— NRG Nairo (@NairoMK) July 25, 2019
This one is apparently a professional Super Smash Bros player, not a Colombian bike racer…
26 July 2019, 18:58
'Tour de Plastic': more must be done about 15 million plastic freebies handed out to spectators, say environmentalists
Reuters report that environmentalists are urging Tour de France organisers to rethink the handing out of freebies to spectators from corporate trucks on route, due to the amount of plastic waste it generates.
The crowd are thrown essentials like bottles of water, but also keyrings, t-shirts and various other objects that amounts to over 15 million plastic-wrapped objects over the Tour. A few years ago, that number was as high as 18 million.
Christian Prudhomme, the Tour de France director, responded to the demand for action with a letter in L’Equipe saying that sponsors now had to pledge to reduce plastic, and that items such as caps and t-shirts were no longer distributed in plastic wrapping.
The Tour’s main caterer is now handing out cutlery made out of bamboo instead of plastic, ahead of the EU’s ban on many single-use plastic items in 2021.
26 July 2019, 18:58
How to apply suncream to a giant
Teamwork makes the dream work https://t.co/i9rmKJCTzL
— Conor Dunne (@conordunnealot) July 26, 2019
Israel Cycling Academy is taking teamwork to a new level here…
26 July 2019, 18:58
Riders to boycott national 25-mile time trial, urging move away from dual carriageway courses
Team Ribble riders Dan Bigham, John Archibald and Si Wilson will boycott this weekend’s RTTC National 25 mile time trial.
The event is due to be held on the A25/11 course near Derby which runs along the A50.
The riders say that the A50 is unsafe for cyclists and have urged governing body Cycling Time Trials to move away from using dual carriageways.
.@Cycling_T_T Nat 25 this weekend. Myself, @jjzarchibald & @Si_Wilson won’t be lining up on the start line. We discussed this with @TeamRibble & they’ve supported our decision. As a local road I drive on many times a week, it’s not one I’m willing to ride on #MoreCircuitTTsPlease https://t.co/Uvj4Wkc63q
— Dan Bigham (@DanBiggles22) July 24, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
A day for the sprinters?
Me looking at today’s stage of the #TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/BFUdG8iUno
— Caleb Ewan (@CalebEwan) July 26, 2019
No, it is not a day for the sprinters.
26 July 2019, 18:58
This is what's in store for them today
Stage 19 / Étape 19
Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne – Tignes
Discover the 3D route of Stage 19.
Découvrez le parcours 3D de l’Étape 19.#TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/MuZLcobpV7— Tour de France (@LeTour) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Alaphilippe hands over the yellow jersey...sort of
By now you have probably all seen this video of Julian Alaphilippe being the gentlemen his moustache implies him to be and handing the yellow jersey to a kid who was a bit cold at the end of yesterdays stage.
El vídeo más emotivo de este Tour de Francia 2019
La historia entera aquí https://t.co/E23XizRWX6 pic.twitter.com/Iz5qau1jd2— Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) July 25, 2019
But there’s always one person who has to make the inevitable joke…
26 July 2019, 18:58
Stage 19 is underway, will there be a frenchman in yellow at the end of the day?
The peloton is twitching as the short stage kicks off with lots of riders trying to get into the breakaway
Before Julian Alaphilippe, only 7 French riders had worn the Maillot Jaune for at least 14 days on a single Tour de France. They all won the race except for René Vietto in 1947.#TDF2019 #TDFdata pic.twitter.com/kX0sVtmqYB
— letourdata (@letourdata) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
There's only one Bradley Wiggins
26 July 2019, 18:58
Pinot looks to be out of the race after receiving medical attention
There are rumours it was a bee sting, but whatever it was it looks like the Frenchman’s Tour de France GC hopes are over after he loses over 2 minutes to the peloton. Notable that none of his team mates have waited for him. It’s all down to Alaphilippe now.
@ThibautPinot has already fallen 2 minutes behind the peloton.
⏱️ Thibaut Pinot est déjà à deux minutes du peloton.#TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/EFwKy2gJyS— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Thibaut Pinot's knee goes
Pinot’s problem!@ThibautPinot appears to be struggling with what looks like an injury to his left leg.#TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/xe3H0MQ9gl
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Pinot has abandoned the Tour!
Pinot abandons in tears after losing over 3minutes in a few short kilometres.
Abandon de Thibaut Pinot ! Le coureur de la Groupama-FDJ renonce à continuer en pleurs dans les bras de William Bonnet. #TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/cJ9NSmuIIg
— Le Gruppetto (@LeGruppetto) July 26, 2019
For the riders left, a long hard day is only just beginning as a strong breakaway has finally formed.
A very hard battle in the first lumpy 35 km has seen a strong group of attackers emerge, featuring two riders inside the GC top 10: Rigoberto Uran and Alejandro Valverde.
Team Ineos are now driving a 56-man bunch.#TDF2019 #TDFdata pic.twitter.com/7N6ykkBzNe
— letourdata (@letourdata) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Groupama-FDJ give statement on Pinot abandon
Thibaut suffers from a muscular lesion on his left thigh. Yesterday, he finished stage 18 with a sharp pain and had troubles walking in the evening. His condition didn’t improve today, he just withdrew from the #TDF2019.
— Équipe Cycliste Groupama-FDJ (@GroupamaFDJ) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
At least Pinot's support team are looking out for him...
As Pinot steps into the car in tears, one of the pool photographers pushes it too far and gets a kick in the nuts and a firm push backwards from his clearly-furious support team. pic.twitter.com/kOcp1sAMb6
— Joe Soap (@JoeSoap76) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Dr Hutch makes his prediction; Bernal for the stage?
Riders today spending the entire last two hours of the stage about 1500m, i.e. higher than Boulder, Colorado. That’s the key to the stage, and it points towards Egan Bernal. #tdf2019
— Michael Hutchinson (@Doctor_Hutch) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
The Col d'Iseran is here, is this where the Tour will be decided?
The Col d’Iseran, in 1938 pic.twitter.com/DN5AZ8FXq9
— Feargal McKay (@fmk_RoI) July 26, 2019
The riders are facing the first slopes up Col de l’Iseran, #TDF2019‘s highest summit.
Only 20 riders left in the #MaillotJaune group.#TDFdata pic.twitter.com/tpw4cg9t0y
— letourdata (@letourdata) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Alaphilippe dropped as Ineos attack
Thomas attacks on stage 19!
Watch live now!
@ITV4
https://t.co/mYOWLS1AvM pic.twitter.com/3IKa9E2V2d— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Bernal attacks on the back of Thomas attack - he is now the virtual yellow jersey
@Eganbernal joins @WarrenBarguil at the front of the race.
Egan Bernal rejoint Warren Barguil, qui état seul en tête de la course.#TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/kQO2TIJDge— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 26, 2019
The yellow jersey is currently 1’30 behind Bernal and Simon Yates and 1’00 behind Thomas.
26 July 2019, 18:58
Number of people killed on London’s roads falls to lowest level on record
But the number of serious injuries rose.
26 July 2019, 18:58
Bernal solo in the lead as he begins the descent of the Iseran
What a race. What a day not to be french. Alaphilippe has two minutes to make up to Egan Bernal on this descent.
Oh and its hailing. This should be good.
Jonathan Vaughters sums this up best;
Old skool bike racin.
— Jonathan Vaughters (@Vaughters) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
The stage has been cancelled! Descent of Iseran not rideable due to ice!
Stage 19 is cancelled. Time taken from the top of the Iseran.
— Orla Chennaoui (@SportsOrla) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Pictures of the state of the road on the descent
The day’s course has been called due to adverse weather conditions, rider times have been taken at Col de l’Iseran.
La course est arrêtée à cause des conditions climatiques. Les temps sont pris en haut du Col de l’Iseran.#TDF2019— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 26, 2019
#TDF2019
This is why the stage to Tignes has been neutralised. As soon as we will know more what will happen we’ll let you know. pic.twitter.com/8ZOJMsANv9— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Landslide and flood block the road causing stage cancellation
Landslide at Tour de France pic.twitter.com/bxDi6dpF5w
— Richard Moore (@richardmoore73) July 26, 2019
This looks to be the reason why the race was stopped#TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/cbF3NHHEUH
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Fair to say the riders are not happy...
@vincenzonibali reacting to that news in the most Italian way possible pic.twitter.com/JvIqYE2X42
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Confusion as to what happens next for this years Tour
So we’ve been robbed of a stage of racing.
If only there was an extra day of this Tour which is usually set aside for faffing about that they could use now instead to actually do some racing.
— Cillian Kelly (@irishpeloton) July 26, 2019
More confusion now. Some at finish suggesting there’s no tissot timing at the top of the Iseran, so questions asked as to where any official times may be taken.
— Rob Hatch (@robhatchtv) July 26, 2019
Live from the Tour de France commissaire office pic.twitter.com/n6YYdqJBwJ
— Andy McGrath (@Andymcgra) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
More pictures coming out from spectators on the road
Might be hard for the riders to even drive to the finish. https://t.co/7YrHnh8izj
— Race Radio (@TheRaceRadio) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
"These things happen and they happen so quickly in the mountains you have to react to the conditions" - Bradley Wiggins
Here’s a provisional result from stage 19. We are still waiting for an official GC confirmation.#TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/OQ1a6vBVdP
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Live scenes from the Tour...
Nothing to see here… pic.twitter.com/PrLMRCrI40
— Rex Chapman (@RexChapman) July 2, 2019
Luckily they called it off before it ended up like this…
26 July 2019, 18:58
Sean Kelly ignores everyone else and pushes on to the finish line
Sean Kelly seems to have just kept on riding to the finish in Tignes! #TDF19 pic.twitter.com/gfk6N7Hf9c
— Bas Tietema (@BasTietema) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
No stage winner as Egan Bernal is announced as the new race leader
Official word from @LeTour organizers: no stage winner, no most aggressive on today’s weather-neutralized stage. Egan Bernal (INS) is the new race leader: “For the overall classification, the times at Col d’Iseran will apply.”#TDF2019
— EF Education First Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Was the cancellation a blessing in disguise for Julian Alaphilippe?
Would Alaphilippe have lost more time on the final climb to Tignes? Would Thomas have attacked again? And most importantly, did a group of crafty Frenchmen cause those landslides?
Julian Alaphilippe, after today’s cancelled stage pic.twitter.com/ya5iW10Ptl
— The Cycling Podcast (@cycling_podcast) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
First look at provisional GC standings after chaotic stage
#TDF2019
With the times been taken at the top of the Iseran. This is the new GC going into tomorrow’s decisive stage.1. Egan Bernal
2. Julian Alaphilippe, at 45’’
3. Geraint Thomas, at 1’03’’
4. @s_kruijswijk, at 1’15’’
5. Emanuel Buchmann, at 1’42’’Still all to play for pic.twitter.com/GPZtR8Lq1s
— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Bernal becomes the third Colombian to wear the Yellow Jersey - can he be the first to win it?
Egan Bernal is the third Colombian rider to wear the Tour de France yellow jersey, after Victor Hugo Pena and Fernando Gaviria.
— CafeRoubaix (@CafeRoubaix) July 26, 2019
We absolutely love this@Eganbernal shows exactly how much it means to wear the yellow jersey of @LeTour #TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/SI8BtQEeoc
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
"I fully support him (Bernal) now... we all said last year he'll win the tour one day, maybe we didn't quite expect it to be this year..."
“Egan is in yellow now so the main thing is that he finishes the job.”@GeraintThomas86 is putting his full support behind @Eganbernal for the remainder of @LeTour#TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/ln0ew7DLFE
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Yep. That is exactly how we felt.
When you first find out the stage is cancelled
NOTE: We 100% agree with the decision of the race, but nothing beats a initial shock reaction #TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/9IdOZJ3XC7
— Mitchelton-SCOTT (@MitcheltonSCOTT) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Alaphilippe finally relinquishes Yellow Jersey - but what a 14 days that was
He shocked the “GC contenders” on La Planche de Belles Filles, he put everything on the line in the ITT in Pau, and then he survived the Pyrenees again and again. Who knows how today might have ended.
Thank you Julian Alaphilippe, you have made this Tour de France.
And don’t worry, he’s still smiling.
Alaphilippe still having fun at the finish despite the chaos and losing yellow ( Bettini) #TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/n2m46cO05o
— Daniel Ostanek (@LVCKV) July 26, 2019
26 July 2019, 18:58
Tomorrow's route is going to be altered due to weather conditions
Due to the difficult weather conditions expected tomorrow and land slides noticed, the course of the 20th stage of the Tour de France will be modified.
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 26, 2019
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Jack is group editor across road.cc, off.road.cc and ebiketips, overseeing all three sites in the F-At Digital group to make sure everything’s up to scratch. He’s been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of road.cc including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town, and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master’s degree in print journalism, and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it’s a long story).
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Latest Comments
Astralstroll 2 hours ago
So ' Priority of Road Users' and 1.5 metre clearance at 30mph has been been reduced to 'sharing'? NCN route 2 here in South Hams is an absolute scream with white vans, tractors and total idiots who refuse,or are totally incapable,to reverse on high Devon banked lanes ...means you have to get off and pedal back to a passing place....could be at that all day...so I don't bother...
Mr Anderson 3 hours ago
@MaxiMinimalist Agreed. The big problem I see now is today's parents grew up being driven to their schools, and therefore, see private motor vehicles as the only viable form of transport. The vast majority of UK infant and primary schools have a catchment area that is within easy walking distance from home to school. Yet, the traffic caused by pupils being driven to/from school is astonishing. Banishing the "School Run" should be a priority for all schools.
MaxiMinimalist 3 hours ago
When I was a kid (that was during the previous millenium when phones were connected to a plug in the wall), I rode my bicycle to school, music academy, sport grounds, parties even during the winter. The government didn't have to spend, correct that, didn't have to think of spending massive amounts of money to build cycling specific infrastructures. Over the past 3 or 4 decades, cars have grown bigger, taller, safer (for their drivers) and faster. Meanwhile, motorists have become abusive, aggressive, hypersensitive to people moving on two wheels, aka cyclists. Spending billions upon billions on new infrastructure won't address the crux of the matter. Sadly.
Paul J 3 hours ago
Obree had some actual talent in his legs though, in addition to his bike/aero engineering talent.
Maruis Kalchev 4 hours ago
Малко като опит за доказване е излязло... Никой няма нужда от толкова голям въртящ момент и мощност на шосеен велосипед с тънки гуми, които дори трудно ще предават тази мощност върху пътя. А ако има и ограничение от 25 км/час е още по-безмислено.
mdavidford 4 hours ago
Not sure how informative that is. I imagine for all most of us know it could be Europe's only 'volumetric modular building'. 🤷♂️
chrisonabike 4 hours ago
Yes, but they're copying the adults of today...
chrisonabike 4 hours ago
Indeed - but alas I think this is an effective argument for very few folks indeed. As for push-back, what else could we expect *? I think there are ways of selling this but we're far more likely to see headlines about the problems, while the successes are relegated to footnotes, because at that point it just works and there's nothing to see... * Given that this time there aren't politicians being persuaded to overlook thousands of deaths and the demolition of property by the billions from the motoring trades (and the excitement of being able to drive out with the bright things for a party at a roadhouse). Nor are we as tolerant of "accidents". (And noting that publicity about the cases of a handful of people killed by cyclists continues to reach the media; deaths related to motor vehicles not so much).
mdavidford 4 hours ago
That rather ignores that the children of today are the adults of tomorrow.
fwhite181 4 hours ago
@belugabob Arguably it's easier this way - we don't actually need to do anything to the streets except stop drivers driving down every scrap of tarmac. Where I live, a few well-placed bollards would make walking/cycling/scooting the quicker option and safer, while maintaining 100% vehicular access - just not allowing through routes in every direction.
15 thoughts on “Tour drama: Tomorrow’s stage shortened after landslide shortens Stg 19; Bernal take lead – reaction; Tour slammed for 15m plastic-wrapped freebies; Dual carriageway leads to National TT boycott; the TdF Beefeaters; No Pinot but there is Wiggo + LOADS more”
That beefeater video is
That beefeater video is smiletastic! Then.. dinosaur! 🙂
Companies obsession with
Companies obsession with plastic is ridiculous.
I ordered a box of Lucho Dillitos because it was cheaper than buying several individual packs and I love that they come wrapped in a biodegradable leaf.
Open the box and its 27 squares individually wrapped in plastic.
Was at the tour the other year and everything thrown from the caravan was wrapped in plastic. All low grade toot as well.
Oversize packing pisses me
Oversize packing pisses me off. Getting a sd card in something that won’t fit through the letterbox….aaarrrhgghhhh. Amazon are worst for this.
Rick_Rude wrote:
Try ordering from John Lewis. They are completely over the top with their packaging. I recently ordered a pair of scissors. They came wrapped in bubble wrap in a box 18″ by 12″, completely full of bubble wrap.
Send these products back and
Send these products back and make sure they know why you are doing so.
Plastic is so cheap and useful that the only way companies will change is if their bottom lines are impacted.
As for the tour I’ve been a spectator a couple of times and was pretty disgusted at the amount of tat that was given away. These demands to end this are spot on.
I bet it won’t be snowing on
I bet it won’t be snowing on the L’Iseran today, this was two of our group on 12th August just a scant 17 days later in the year, was snowing virtually from the bottom from Val D’Isere, shame because that really would have caused carnage! They did it the opposite way with C.d.Cenis after L’iseran so coming the way the TdF is means 1306m altitude gain over 30km from Lanslevillard @1458m to top of CdL @2764m, in old money that’s 228ft/mile!
it’s going to be brutal this deep into the race, no wonder Dowsett was out the back after only a few km, it’s going to be a long, long day for him!
Shame about Pinot.
Shame about Pinot.
Good job that photographer was wearing a helmet – there was a car dooring as well as a kick and a shove.
Even God doesn’t want to see
Even God doesn’t want to see a French winner. Praise be to God!
Race STOPPED due to inclement
Race STOPPED due to inclement weather/road conditions. Race radio is saying result is as per the top of the L’Iseran!!
Bernal in yellow!
Seems that the typical of the French they couldn’t actually sweep a light covering of snow from the road.lol
Well Peter Sagan has got his way, extreme weather condition protocol and the race/stage has been cancelled … well done son, none of the riders wanted to stop!
BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
I take it you’ve never tried to take a train, tube, aeroplane, bus or car journey when it’s snowed in England…
If they wanted to ride
If they wanted to ride through what I’m watching, they are daft as a brush.
Ok, later video shows it’s a
Ok, later video shows it’s a lot, lot worse than the initial light dusting, apologies to the French local authorities and my slight to sagan, this was correct.
Wow, TdF stage stopped and a
Wow, TdF stage stopped and a retraction and apology from BTBS, what a day!
Yates yelling at Prudhomme =
Yates yelling at Prudhomme = every single british commuter cyclist “discussing” a close pass
The middle of Saturday’s
The middle of Saturday’s stage has some tight and twisty descending with sketchy road surfaces.
Cross fingers and hope it stays dry for these guys …