Procession and sprint. Champagne and the Champs-Élysées. Corks and cobbles. Everyone knows the script.
In the early break – right from kilometre zero – Wout van Aert sprinted away with Pogacar in his wheel, so that Vingegaard in yellow had to chase them down. Smiles all round and the party had begun. In no time at all there were champagne flutes and Ambre Solaire being handed round, and low-speed photo opportunities.
There was a lot of sight-seeing and some late attacks by The Pog and Geraint, but no surprises with the regulation chaotic sprint, won comfortably by the Norseman Jasper P. There was to be no yellow jersey leading out the rainbow like 10 years ago (Wiggins and Cavendish) because Wout van Aert hung back to enjoy the moment with his teammates. Well deserved, on the day of one of the World’s great sporting spectacles. I love it.
Jumbo Rumour HQ
Dan Lloyd on GCN reckons that Primož Roglič may join Ineos Grenadiers next year?!
Team of the Tour
Stage 21 top score was It’s all downhill from here, but it was the lowest-scoring day in the GreenWightRed mini-league. There is no denying the mini-league team who stole the show this year – Thin Fat Boys finish with a monster score that puts David’s team at a brilliant 800th in the whole of Velogames. There was no resisting a squad with 1st, 3rd & 4th on GC plus of course Van Aert. Chapeau!
Stats du Tour
green-wight-red mini-league
So congratulations to David whose ThinFatBoys have staged a long-distance victory since Stage 7 (out front for about 2000 km!). And through the magic of those End-of-Tour points, Martin’s Le tour for sure regain 2nd place [Martin, I have heard that Linda has a cunning plan for next year…] while Philippa’s It’s all downhill from here complete their steady ascent through the mini-league to take 3rd place and household bragging rights!
trophy cabinet
Stephen’s Team Ciclominaccia have been as greedy as Jumbo-Visma on the road, and have amassed 69 jerseys and other prizes over the 3 weeks. Tied in second place with 60 each are Thin Fat Boys and Dale’s Autres Autruches Autrichiennes. All three teams included Pogacar and Van Aert, but Ciclominaccia benefitted from the the early successes of Magnus Cort too.
Did you have a good time?
It’s all downhill from here had an unbeatable time, as Philippa’s team included all three GC podium places (Vingegaard, Pogacar and Thomas). Paul’s Bad Knees picked Gaudu (4th) instead of Thomas. Tied in joint third place are Team Edge (Vingegaard, Pogacar and Bardet). I think Dr James’ Don’t lube your gears with porridge (with best placed three Martinez, Küng and Bauer) break some kind of record: a time delay very nearly equivalent to 2 whole stages… [that’s two porridge-accessorising experiments that haven’t gone well, I’m afraid]
First across the line
Thin Fat Boys also notch up the most top 10 finishers (40), ahead of It’s all downhill from here. Martin’s Le Tour for sure just edge 3rd place ahead of Dale’s Autres Autruches Autrichiennes by 17 podium finishes to 16. Special mensh to Mike’s Piles non comprises who scored most (18) podium stage finishes.
Postcard from Paris
dimanche 24 juillet Paris
Liberté, égalité, sororité
Le Tour de France is over. Vive le Tour de France Femmes! (avec Zwift). My goodness, how long has it taken the TDF organisers to finally put on a proper stage race for women riders? Since 2014 La Course has taken place as a one or two day event, and that only after a strong campaign headed up by a group including Marianne Vos and Emma Pooley, and a 100,000 strong petition. La Course was something, but it felt like a sop. How can it have been so hard for the Powers That Be to provide a proper multi-stage contest? After watching the inaugural Paris-Roubaix Femmes last year (won in fantastic style by Lizzie Deignan) surely no-one could deny that women’s cycling is as brilliant a spectacle as the men’s. Le Tour de France Femmes deserves the full support of the sponsors, TV coverage and many thousands of spectators who love their cycling. About time too.
