Key events
Adam Yates is not far off Luke Plapp’s time. At 7.6km in, he’s only 4secs behind the current ITT leader. His brother, Simon Yates, is now on the course too.
Away from the Tour, the Guardian Sport team have launched an account on the Bluesky social media platform. You can find and follow it here.
Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) has started, Quinn Simmons (Lid-Trek) has been high-fiving spectators on the final ramp to the finish and Harry Sweeny (EF Education-Easypost) finishes 55sec slower than the leading time (24mins 58secs).
Julian Alaphillipe (Tudor Pro Cycling) finished in the third fastest time so far today, completing the ITT in 26mins 3secs. It’s a good day for the French cyclists as Bruno Armirail (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) finishes in the top five with a time of 1min 14secs slower than leader Luke Plapp (Jayco-Alula). With so many strong riders coming through, the rankings in the top five keep switching (not the lead yet!).
Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) has completed his final Tour time trial!
Neil wants to know what the steepest angle is on the final ramp of this course. There’s a 16% gradient in the final kilometre. This profile from official Tour de France website shows how tough this ITT route is.
If you’re wondering how long the gaps are between the riders being set off, here is how it works from what I’ve gleaned from the Tour website:
From the first rider today (Mattéo Vercher) there will be a rider set off at one minute intervals up to the 51st rider (Robert Stannard). After that, the rider will be set off at 1min 30sec intervals until the 161st rider (Ben Healy). From Healy, there will then be two minute gaps for the remaining ten riders to tackle the ITT.
Hannah Walker has been speaking to Matt Stephens on TNT Sports again about bike set ups. She says that the “variations are endless”, even within the same team. She said that while a number of riders have gone for a road bike for the mountain time trial, some have chosen their most aero road bike while others have selected their climbing road bikes.
According to Walker, Jonas Vingegaard is going for a matte black time trial bike with shallow wheels. Tadej Pogačar, she says, is going for a black aero road bike with a 53/39 gear ratio – the same as he rode on his recon. Walker adds that a lot of the riders, including Oscar Onley, have relied on their team’s data analysts about what would be their best option.
Stephens also makes a good point abut the bike brands that each team are partnered with. Some brands have heavier TT bikes than others and the reverse, he says.
On an unrelated note, the Lidl-Trek team bus has a slushy dispenser and some of the riders are having the iced drink in their bidons as they warm up.
Half of the riders have finished now. Notable finishes: Clément Champoussin (third placed currently, with a time of 1min 22secs slower than Plapp), Alexey Lutsenko (fourth and 2mins 18 secs slower than Plapp) and Tobias Foss (fifth and 2mins 26secs slower than Plapp).
I’ve had a lot of emails about Pogačar’s dominance – look what you started Roland.
Brian makes a good point:
On ‘where’s the interest now?’ given Pog’s very likely dominance of this year’s GC, perhaps it will allow the teams, and us, to focus on each individual stage as a race in itself, like a selection box of summer classics to be gorged one after another.
You’re making me crave chocolate now.
Jeremy asks via email:
I’m just back from work and just started watching the coverage on French TV (I live in France).
I see most of the riders are on regular handlebars for this one, understandably given the profile, but have they put those on their TT frames, or is it the regular race bike entirely?
Anyway, great idea, an uphill TT for once.
Well, it would seem that most riders we’ve seen so far are on road bikes, but as Sean Kelly put it earlier: “road bike all the way. Adapted and lightweight.” There are some other variations, as we saw with Jayco-Alula’s Luke Plapp who had a rear disc wheel on his road bike.
Given today’s parcours, there doesn’t seem to be much point in a traditional TT bike as the flat section is so short, but let’s see if any of the remaining 59 riders go for it. Also, as mentioned earlier (see 2.17pm BST), there are rumours that Pogačar will be riding a specially modified Colnago V5RS, complete with the TT extensions from his TT1 time trial bike.
Wout Van Aert is off! Luke Plapp remains in top spot with a time of 24mins 58secs.
Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling) is the latest rider to roll down the ramp and start the mountain time trial. His team mate, Julian Alaphilippe, is up next.
Luke Plapp (Jayco Alula), who is in the hot seat, has spoken about his effort and his prediction for today’s winning time. He said:
I just wanted to go for my best-ever 20 minutes on Trainingpeaks, to be honest. That was sort of my motivation today. The last minute, though, was painful. But all in all I enjoyed the race, nevertheless.
I think the winning time will be 1min or 1min 30secs faster than mine, as the GC guys can push 20 watts more than I do. On the eve, the prediction was 23mins 45secs.
I’ve missed the break these last few stages, and that has enabled me to take it easy in the grupetto. I’ll definitely be feeling today’s effort in my legs tomorrow … But anyway, I wanted to represent the colours [of the Australian flag] well and I’m happy.
Liam Cahill on Road.cc has been doing some investigative work on the bike set ups that Pogačar and Vingegaard may favour today. Cahill writes:
Both Pogačar’s UAE Team Emirates and Jonas Vingegaard’s Visma-Lease a Bike were coy about their riders’ planned setups for this mountain TT. Spotted by BikeRadar (link is external), Pogacar seems to have the option of a specially modified Colnago V5RS, complete with the TT extensions from his TT1 time trial bike.
Vingegaard, meanwhile, may use a stripped-down version of his Cervelo P5 time trial bike. When I asked the team about his setup for the mountain TT, I was told that a decision was yet to be made.
We’re two hours in to today’s mountain time trial. So far 78 riders have completed the course, 98 riders have started and 73 riders are yet to have a go.
Paul has a question about Pogačar’s cranks:
Rewatching Pogacar on the Hautacam yesterday I was struck by his very smooth pedalling action when climbing. I read somewhere that he uses short cranks (165mm rather than 172mm). Is this true??
Well Paul, I have read the same. There are multiple reports on it, but Tyler Boucher’s piece for Cycling Weekly earlier this year shares a bit more on Pogačar’s “new, even more powerful position”. He writes:
In recent seasons, he has moved forward on the bike, utilizing a straight seatpost with a more forward saddle position and a longer and higher front end. This position, very likely developed with the help of a wind tunnel, rotates his body forward around the bottom bracket and shares similarities with his TT setup. One key to it is Pogačar’s use of shorter crank arms-165 mm, to be precise.
Well, as soon as I said that Fred Wright had the second best time of the day so far, his team mate Lenny Martinez crossed the line and took that title. He finished with a time 23secs slower than Plapp’s despite giving it his all.
British rider Fred Wright (Bahrain-Victorious) has recorded the second best time of today, with 27mins 40secs. That’s 2mins 42secs behind Plapp’s leading time. Not a bad effort from Wright given some punchy rides from him over the last few stages.
Lenny Martinez is 1.7km from the finish of this ITT route. Spectators on the side of the road are roaring at him. Will he beat Luke Plapp’s time?
Jeremy has messaged in from France in response to Roland’s message (see 1.16pm BST). He says of Tadej Pogačar’s domination:
Roland has a bit of a point about Pog. But the same has been said of others in the past (Froome, Induráin, Merckx, Anquetil, Hinault), yet we now look back on them as greats and to have been privileged to see it happen.
So all I’d say to Roland is to stay calm, live in the moment, enjoy the combats that there are and appreciate the greats when you’re lucky enough to live them. Spoken as a 68-year-old bike rider who grew up with the Beatles and Tom Simpson (RIP).
Clad in polka dots, Lenny Martinez has set off. A couple of interesting stats for you:
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Luke Plapp, with the fastest ITT so far, completed the time trial at 26.2 km/h.
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Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quick Step) and Luka Mezgec (Jayco-Alula) have the slowest times so far, with 31mins 27secs and 31mins and 28secs respectively.
On the latter fact, the Tour race centre says:
Given the 40% margin established for the time cut, the hypothetical winner of today’s stage would eliminate them if he crossed the finish line with a time more than 9mins faster than theirs: 22mins 27secs.
Here are some pictures from out on today’s route:
Luke Plapp sets best time of 24mins 58secs
Sorry Van Eetvelt, you’ve been booted out of the hot seat by Luke Plapp who just finished his ITT in 24mins 58secs, 2mins and 51secs faster than the Lotto-Caps rider. Jayco-Alula’s Plapp is an Australian ITT champion.
Roland has emailed in with his prediction for today’s stage win, but also some thoughts on the GC competition:
Predictions? The Pog, the Pog and more Pog. Even if this might be a stage suited for Vingo, after yesterday’s demonstration, I can’t see any further than a certain Slovenian. And just for fun, he’ll probably catch Vingegaard on the road and then finish the whole of the altiport climb pulling a wheelie.
On a more serious note, I’m actually feeling a bit deflated about the race following the Pog’s domination yesterday. I was hoping for a good scrap in the mountain stages, but, with only the first ITT and first high mountain stage gone and Vingo already three and a half minutes in arrears, it could well be a procession like last year’s Giro … or the Pog could simply control his lead now, which would be even more dull.
Where’s the interest now? The fight for second? KOM (though Pogačar will probably get that too)? The green jersey? Probably the white jersey, between Evenpoel, Vauquelin and Onley …
Sprinter Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) is undertaking today’s 10.9km ITT. Coquard has started now. Here’s a bit more information on his injury, per the Tour race centre:
Examinations carried after yesterday’s stage showed that Bryan Coquard has a fracture of the first phalanx of the fourth finger on his right hand. The French sprinter survived en route to Hautacam and he’s willing to start today but he already said he won’t be there tomorrow as his injury affects his ability to safely navigate, especially on downhills. He says he will be operated at the beginning of the week. And then he will get married right after the Tour. Luckily, his wedding ring will be on his left hand, the one that didn’t get injured.
“This is my last bib on this Tour and I want to make the most of this climb”, he said before the start. “I can’t brake with my right hand, so I can only use the front brake. I’d be a public danger if I stayed. It’s for the safety of others and for my own, as it’s a fracture that hasn’t displaced, but there’s a risk of displacement.”
This will be the second time in eight appearances that Coquard leaves the Tour before the end, after his withdrawal in 2021.
Green jersey leader Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) finished the ITT in 29min 13secs. Lotto-Cap’s Lennert Van Eetvelt is in the hot seat now with a leading time of 27mins 49secs. Luke Plapp (Jayco-Alula) could pip that soon, he’s going pretty well on the course.
I’m hearing that Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) sustained an injury on his hand and will have surgery on it later today. Apparently though, he’s still going to take part in today’s ITT first.
On the topic of the bikes that the riders opt for on this stage, TNT Sports’ Hannah Walker earlier spoke about the different types that riders are rumoured to be going for, from aero time trial bikes, adapted road bikes and hybrids.
Sean Kelly thinks that, for the majority, it will be “road bike all the way. Adapted and lightweight”.
According to the ever updating graphic on the Tour de France race centre, there were 26 riders out on the course the last time I counted. Romain Bardet out on the moto for TNT Sports, says he’s heard that Plapp is going to go “full out” today. He shares that Plapp is on an aero bike with a full disc. He also says that the riders have to face a headwind in the first part.
The best time for today’s individual time trial has been beaten a few times already. Right now, Belgian rider Sébastien Grignard (Lotto-Caps) is in the hotseat, with a time of 28mins 47secs. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) is out on the course and Luke Plapp (Jayco-Alula) has recently set off.
Matteo Vercher has crossed the line with a time of 30:01:67. He did a wheelie to the crowd’s delight.
Also, you might have spotted that the preamble had some strange time gaps and GC rankings mentioned. This has been fixed now! Apologies. All I can say is that it was written before I’d had a cup of tea and an almond croissant.
Riders to watch on today’s stage
According to the official Tour de France Instagram account, here are the riders to follow on today’s stage:
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1.49pm CEST/12.49pm BST – Luke Plapp (Jayco-Alula)
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2.18pm CEST/1.18pm BST – Ivan Romeo (Movistar)
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2.28pm CEST/1.28pm BST – Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious)
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3.22pm CEST/2.22pm BST – Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike)
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4.47pm CEST/3.47pm BST – Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike)
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4.49pm CEST3.49pm BST – Felix Gall (Decathlon-Ag2R La Mondiale)
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4.51pm CEST/3.51pm BST – Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility)
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4.53pm CEST/3.53pm BST – Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
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4.55pm CEST/3.55pm BST – Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL)
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4.57pm CEST/3.57pm BST – Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels)
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4.59pm CEST/3.59pm BST – Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
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5.01pm CEST/4.01pm BST – Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick-Step)
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5.03pm CEST/4.03pm BST – Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)
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5.05pm CEST/4.05pm BST – Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG)
Vercher has 1.6km to go. As first rider out, he’ll set the marker for the others behind him to beat.
There’s also an official stage 13 briefing by Continental and French former professional cyclist, François Lemarchand. He said:
So, it will be Friday, 18 July, stage 13, Loudenvielle to Peyragudes, a 10.9km individual time trial with a direct ascent. You’ll need really, really good legs right from the start. Riders will have to warm up carefully and smartly to be in the rhythm right from the beginning.
The first part heads toward the base of the Peyresourde climb, about 4km in. That section is a series of gently rising false flats. Riders will probably know in those 4km whether they’re having a good day or a bad one.
Then comes the base of the Peyresourde, a manageable climb. It’s a pass where the gradients aren’t too steep – but 2km from the finish, we’ll leave the Peyresourde and head for the altiport. That section is really tough, especially the steep slopes at the finish, which are brutally steep on the final ramp to the top.
Riders will really need to manage themselves to approach this stage in the best possible condition. Yes, I think the riders who want to win the Tour de France will feel the pressure from the day before right up to the start line.
This is what general director of the Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme, had to say about stage 13:
The Peyragudes climb has developed quite a reputation, particularly the final few hundred metres that give access to the altiport, where the Tour favourites have been scattered as they make their very last effort up to the line. Always formidable, there won’t be the slightest opportunity for any respite in this time trial up this steep ascent. The riders will have barely two kilometres to gain momentum before they’re on to the climb of the Peyresourde.
Since Vercher started his ITT, nine riders have been set off, including Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Roel Van Sintmaartensdijk (Intermarché-Wanty). There’s a good crowd of spectators cheering and encouraging the riders on.
Here is the stage route and profile of stage 13:
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Mountain individual time trial starts with Mattéo Vercher
The first rider, Mattéo Vercher (TotalEnergies), has rolled down the ramp in Loudenvielle to kick of today’s time trial stage. On TNT Sports, they’re excited about the “first true mountain time trial in 21 years”.
Stage 13: Loudenvielle to Peyragudes individual time trial, 11km
Here’s a look at today’s stage, Friday 18 July: Loudenvielle to Peyragudes individual time trial, 11km, with William Fotheringham’s preview:
Three kilometres of flat, eight straight uphill against the watch, culminating in a final kilometre at 16%. This is a day for the GC men, with absolutely no hiding or bluffing. Whoever wins here will have a very good chance of winning overall in Paris, so it’s a day for Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard to show exactly what they’ve got in the tank. For everyone else, it’s damage limitation.
Preamble
After an absolutely brutal day in the mountains yesterday, the Tour de France riders are in for a 10.9km individual time trial (ITT), complete with an 8km, category one climb with an average gradient of 7.9%. So, not your usual flat ITT.
Of course, all eyes will be on the GC contenders, namely Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) who is leading in the yellow jersey with a 3min 31sec gap on second placed Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike).
It could all go as expected – Pogačar gained substantial time on Vingegaard during stage five’s flat ITT – but today could also throw up some suprises. Away from the duelling duo, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick-Step) is 1min 14secs behind Vingegaard, Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) is in fourth place and Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) is in fifth place.
Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL), Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility), Felix Gall (Decathlon-Ag2R La Mondiale) and Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) round out the top 10 on GC.
Today’s stage will start at 1.10pm CEST (12.10pm BST) with the first rider, last placed Mattéo Vercher (TotalEnergies) rolling down the ramp, and is scheduled to wrap up after Pogačar takes his turn at about 5.05pm CEST (4.05pm BST). As always, get in touch with your predictions, questions and thoughts on today’s stage via the email linked above.
Here’s a recap of yesterday’s stage:
