58 minutes ago
Key events
Points classification standings
After shape four:
1. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek): 103
2. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG): 55
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike): 44
4. Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek): 42
5. Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 39
6. Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team): 39
7. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe): 33
8. Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility): 32
9. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech): 30
10. Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM): 28
General classification standings
After shape four:
1. Torstein Træen (Uno-X Mobility): 13hrs 02min 46secs
2. Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost): +28secs
3. Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek): +3mins 50secs
4. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG): +7min 53secs
5. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) +7min 53secs
6. Ramses Debruyne (Alpecin-Premier Tech): +8min 6secs
7. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe): +8min 16secs
8. Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG): +8min 17secs
9. Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek): +8min 20secs
10. Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM): +8min 41secs
Preamble
I’m not going to opportunity I could title this shape but nan first 20km are fundamentally downhill and past it is mostly a level tally from Lannemezan to Pau, pinch 1 class 3 incline up nan Côte de Baleix that comes wrong nan past 30km – truthful make of that what you will.
Pau is nan 3rd astir visited metropolis successful nan race’s history, trailing only Paris and Bordeaux. The beautiful commune has had 77 visits from nan Tour, including 64 shape finishes, and has its ain depository dedicated to nan title connected nan tract of its aged velodrome. Plenty of lore, then.
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin–Premier Tech) knows nan spot well. He won successful Pau 2 years agone and is among nan favourites again connected time that will almost surely reason pinch a bunch sprint. Yesterday’s winner, Mads Petersen (Lidl-Trek), is besides a contender if his efforts successful nan baking power of shape 4 did not return excessively overmuch retired of him. Other names worthy backing are Tim Merlier (Soudal–Quick-Step), Olav Kooij (Decathlon-CMA CGM), Birniam Girmay (NSN) and possibly moreover Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin–Premier Tech).
Our wide classification leader, Torstein Træen (Uno-X Pro), has each chance of staying successful yellowish coming and pinch a spot of luck tomorrow, connected nan moutain shape up to Gavarnie-Gèdre, he could still beryllium successful possesion of nan maillot jaune erstwhile Norway return connected England successful Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final. What momentous time that could beryllium for his country.
The UCI, nan sport’s governing body, and nan Tour organiser, ASO, initiated emergency measures yesterday to thief mitigate nan heatwave that beating down connected nan title this year. With nary signs of nan power relenting and Météo-France retaining its orangish upwind warning, nan softened provisions astir provender zones look to stay successful place.
After claiming nan yellowish jersey, Træen said: “With this heat, you don’t cognize really nan assemblage is going to react.” It whitethorn not beryllium arsenic basking arsenic nan 40C-plus conditions knowledgeable connected shape four, but nan tarmac will beryllium sticky and teams will surely wary of nan hydration levels of their riders. Expect much crystal packs wrong lyrca.
As we buildup towards nan emblem drop, fto maine cognize your predictions, thoughts and musings connected today’s shape via nan email nexus astatine nan apical of nan page.
