Stage 20: Lacapelle-Marival to Rocamadour (ITT)

World Time Trial champion Filipo Ganna in the rainbow jersey. — Rainbow man Filippo Ganna – who could best him on the time trial? You know who…

A good day

A World Champion flowing round the 40.2 km. Could it be yet another victory in the rainbow jersey? The Pog had broken Jumbo hearts on the final ITT in Stage 20 in 2020 – surely it was too much to do it again or at least take the stage in white?

Or could Jonas the Flying Dane make it the first yellow jersey TT win since Lord Bradley of Wiggo in 2012? He started so fast and pushed so hard he was collecting gravel at the side of one of the beautiful roads through the gorgeous gorges to Rocamadour.

Would it be a Wout Rout? A Work of Aert? He’s the New Cannibal – there hadn’t been a green jersey ITT winner since Bernard Hinault in 1979. So many riders flirted with his time at the intermediate checkpoints. And the end result was 1st Green; 2nd Yellow; 3rd White; 4th G; 5th Rainbow. I will NEVER say that time trials are boring again…

Jonas Vingegaard kisses his wife after finishing Stage 20 and effectively winning the Tour de France. — “In France they kiss on Main Street / Amour, Mama, not cheap display…” (Joni Mitchell)

A bad day

Poor Stefan Bissegger fell off twice on the Stage 1 ITT and today had a mechanical issue, bike change, no water bottle & his team radio on the blink so no guide through the corners and – in the words of Robbie McEwan – “his head fell off”.

Nathan van Hooydonck of Jumbo-Visma was a “Did Not Start” on the penultimate stage, while his teammates were celebrating the stage & GC triumphs. What a shame to have completed over 95% of the Tour and not to be able to join in tomorrow’s procession.

French cycling fans share a drink at a café table while a cyclist rolls past the window. — The view from the Café (Credit: ASO / Charly Lopez)

Team of the Day

A glance at the table below confirms that Stage 20 was bossed by Thin Fat Boys with 4 riders in the top 5, achieving another huge daily score (746), but such has been the TFB‘s dominance in this game that this was only their 4th highest daily total. David’s squad are nearly 1300 points clear at the top of the minileague, whereas just over 300 velopoints cover 2nd to 5th.

Stat du Jour

I don’t think this has happened before: all 16 teams had at least one rider in the top 5 finishers on Stage 20, and none in places 6-10!

Table of the top 5 finishers on Stage 20

Postage stamp of Poland showing a caped cyclist. — Look out for unconventional streamlined kit for the TT

Postcard from Rocamadour

samedi 23 juillet 2022 Rocamadour

Every year the Tour de France features the most beautiful and historic places along the route, but I don’t recall many places that appear as beautiful and intriguing as old Rocamadour, which has inspired religious devotion, literature and music. It appears to grow Petra-like out of the side of the limestone gorge. I personally have seen very little of France in person, but here is a place I could lose myself: there is a black madonna said to have been carved by Saint Amadour to which pilgrims have streamed over the ages; and, buried in a cleft of rock, is a sword said to be Durandal, the sword of the legendary Roland, Charlemagne’s Frankish hero. It’s like having Excalibur in the town square.