Lucky break @letour ?

Yesterday's stage of le Tour was a superb spectacle again. Watching Froomdog (there, I've said it) extend his lead means there is only one option for Contador and co: attack! Today's stage to Alpe d'Huez should be a genuine epic.

But the battle at the top is not going to be the only story remembered for yesterday's stage. Enter Jean-Cristophe Peraud who has just written himself into tour history. For those who may have missed it, Jean managed to fracture his collar bone while out practicing on the course.
In massive discomfort, he made it to the start line - superbly observing rule 5 in the process - and proceeded to race.
He was in the process of posting a very good time too, right up until he hit the deck again with 3km to go. Landing on the same, already broken, collar bone and in front of his family who'd selected that very place to cheer him on, Jean's tour was now over. Bugger.

Oui, it hurts there to

But in the process Jean has now become a household name and will forever be remembered as the guy who rode on only to crash again.
Rather like Johnny Hoogerland's appointment with a barbed wire fence a couple of years ago, Jean has embodied the spirit of le tour, demonstrated what a hard sport it is and secured himself a good few after dinner speaking slots in the process.

Grim...

So, is it actually a lucky break for Jean? Well, I bet he doesn't feel like it is at the moment but I'm sure he'll eventually see the benefit. Chapeau.

2013, Froome's year?

Chris Froome has been talking up Team Sky's chances for next season and he thinks it could be a magnificent year for the team.
By his reckoning, Sky could nail the Giro and Tour with Wiggins and himself respectively.
Much has been said about the Giro route being suited to Wiggo - time trials etc, but does the 100th Tour route suite Froome?

France, in yellow

Well, it's hilly and we all saw his superb form in the Tour's mountains last year.
If it pans out this way - Froome being given a shot at Le Tour - then next year's event will provide mouthwatering dual between Froome and Bertie on some memorable stages.
There are hills, hills and more hills on next year's parcours right up until the penultimate day.  The double ascent of Alpe d'Huez on the same day should be spectacular too.
I'm already looking forward to it. A bit sad? Possibly but we need something to keep us going throughout the winter!

Superb racing in Spain

The racing in this year's Vuelta has been absolutely superb.
Despite Chris Froome inability to make an impression on the GC, the duel between Bertie and Joaquim Rodriguez has been fascinating.
Regardless of what you think of Bertie, you have to admire his racing style.  Yesterday's stage was a faultless  example of cycling strategy bearing fruit.
Battering over the 180km course at an average of 48kph, he not only managed to get the jump on his rivals, he swatted them aside to take the leader's red jersey.
Rodriguez's view that he expected Contador to beat him turned out to be prophetic.  He must be wondering how it happened after not allowing Contador any breathing space in the high mountains, he goes and blows it  on a stage with Cat 3 climbs.

Expecting the worse

There may still be more twists and turns to come but it'd be a brave person to bet against Bertie now.
This year's Tour was superb to watch with Bradley dominating proceedings, but it lacked the excitement that's been shown in the Vuelta.

27 reasons to be cheerful

The track cycling at the London Paralympics finished yesterday with another flurry of medals for the British team which is based at the Manchester velodrome.
The final tally of five golds, seven silvers and three bronze medals was enough to place Team GB atop the medals table and with a bit more luck, it could have been more.
Mechanical issues aside, the overall performance has built on the achievements of Beijing four years ago but increased competition, particularly from China, has led to serious competition for medals - and the sport is all the better for it.

Paralympics 2012 track cycling medal table

Add these medals to the nine track and three road race medals won at the Olympic games, and Team GB's total haul of 27 medals represents a superb return.  
It's quite fitting that the team is based at the aesthetically functional Manchester track rather than the beautiful London version, after all churning out medals which inspire people to ride is what it's all about.
Less good news in Northern Spain for British riders where Chris Froome is being put to the sword in the Vuelta. 
Despite last week's Cycling Weekly claiming that Froome basically had the ride in the bag, under the baking Spanish sun Froome looks tired and just cant live with the bursts of acceleration from the Spanish trio of Bertie, Joaquim Rodriguez and Alejandro Valverde.
It looks like Froome has left too much of himself on French tarmac and that we'll have to wait until next year's Tour form Britain's next stab and a GC winner.
Still, we have the World Championships to look forward to in a couple of weeks.
Ride safe

Broadening the appeal

Back in March 2011, the outspoken president of the Association International des Groupes Cyclistes Professionels (AIGCP) and Garmin Sharp general manager Jonathan Vaughters threw a gauntlet down to cycling claiming that the sport should be as big as Premiership football or Formula 1.
To achieve this, he argued that a ten point plan be implemented which would launch the sport into the global stratosphere.
Leaving aside any power grab which he may be manoeuvring the pro teams to make against the UCI, Vaughters' plan - such as it was - had, in my view, a coherence and energy that would broaden the appeal of the sport; particularly as a TV event.
Don't get me wrong, I'd be happy watching an entire day's racing from signing on to the broom wagon making it home, but not everyone is the same.
But why does this matter now?

Looking good: AG2R in 2009

Well, the 5th idea of Vaughters' ten point plan was to introduce more team time trials.  Although he doesn't really expand on the idea, you can understand that the team time trial is a photogenic and dramatic looking event and ideal for TV.
And so it will be later today when the teams line up in Pamplona for the start of the Vuelta. 
In the last couple of years the Vuelta and Giro have started with team time trials but the Tour de France hasn't. It should be interesting to see how it goes and the response from the media the race receives in the UK.
With Froome leading the Sky team and Bertie back in the saddle, it should provide a fascinating glimpse into next year's Tour de France.