1 hour ago
Key events
Preamble
You could opportunity this Tour de France was astir 2 questions for astir of nan peloton: How do we woody pinch nan utmost heat, and really does anyone hit Tadej Pogacar?
The 2nd mobility was emphatically answered connected nan Tourmalet yesterday, astatine slightest successful nan consciousness that nary 1 is tin of remotely threatening nan ascendant Slovenian successful nan GC. His astonishingly powerful attack near Jonas Vingegaard, and everyone else, fighting for 2nd place.
If nan relentless, seemingly ever-improving Pogacar stays upright and free of wounded and illness, a 5th Tour title is nailed on. Vingegaard and co are again near to wonderment really he does it, successful this modern era of hyper-marginal gains.
That leaves america pinch different points of interest, possibly astir notably nan conflict for nan greenish jersey. Today’s level shape to Bordeaux is simply a 2nd chance for nan axenic sprinters: Debutant Olaj Kooij capitalised connected a reduced bunch gallop to people a first Tour shape triumph on shape five, while a resurgent Mads Pedersen sped to triumph from nan break on shape 4 successful 40C heat.
The sprinters’ teams will beryllium wished to power and group it up for nan likes of Jasper Philipsen and Tim Merlier, while Pedersen will doubtless beryllium aiming to further his tilt astatine nan greenish jersey.
Neutralised start: 1.15pm CET/12.15pm BST
