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Here\u2019s the report on a French victory on the most fearsome climb of all.<\/strong><\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.32 EDT<\/p>\n Vingegaard on that prang with a snapper:<\/strong> \u201cSome photographer just ran out in front of me straight after the finish line. I don\u2019t know what he was doing. I went down. People in the finish area should use their eyes a bit more.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Geraint Thomas, the 2018 winner, was relieved to ride Ventoux for the last time:<\/strong> \u201cSuper loud. Yeah, enjoyed it, yeah. Yeah, can\u2019t wait. No, I just keep trying, like, I just feeling in my age a bit, to be honest with the old jumping around. It\u2019s it\u2019s hard work. Lucky, I don\u2019t feel it at the minute. But no. Yeah, we just got to keep trying. We got a time in there at the end. And yeah, just stay active, like obviously tomorrow, sprint stage on paper, but I think other teams are going to try again. Every day has been full gas, so I don\u2019t see it being any different, really. think just the whole peloton is just better condition, you know, it\u2019s just so many more guys can keep riding out and keep attacking and just keep going. It\u2019s just the depth, the depth of the peloton is just that\u2019s the biggest, like difference.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Ominously, Tadej Pogacar leads<\/strong> the polka on countback and in the green jersey standings, he\u2019s in with a big chance.<\/p>\n King of the Mountains<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates – XRG 60<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2. Lenny Martinez (FRA) Bahrain Victorious<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3. Thymen Arensman (NED) INEOS Grenadiers 48<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 4. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Team Visma – Lease a Bike 45<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 5. Michael Woods (CAN) Israel – Premier Tech 38<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Points leaders<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. Jonathan Milan (ITA) Lidl – Trek 251<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates – XRG 240<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3. Biniam Girmay (ERI) Intermarch\u00e9 – Wanty 169<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 4. Tim Merlier (BEL) Soudal Quick-Step 150<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 5. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Team Visma – Lease a Bike \u201c<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Share<\/a>GC standings<\/p>\n 1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates – XRG 58:24:46<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Team Visma – Lease a Bike +4:15<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3. Florian Lipowitz (GER) Red Bull – BORA – +9:03<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 4. Oscar Onley (GBR) Team Picnic PostNL +11:04<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 5. Primo* Roglic (SLO) Red Bull – BORA – +11:42<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 6. K\u00e9vin Vauquelin (FRA) Ark\u00e9a – B&B Hotels +13:20<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 7. Felix Gall (AUT) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale +14:50<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 8. Tobias Johannessen (NOR) Uno-X Mobility +17:01<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 9. Ben Healy (IRL) EF Education – EasyPost +17:52<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 10. Carlos Rodr\u00edguez (ESP) INEOS Grenadiers +20:45<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Martin Lowe gets in touch:<\/strong> \u201cWhen was the last time two hirsute faces went one two in any cycling race? Marginal gains? Leading from the front?\u201d<\/p>\n My colleague Beau Dure:<\/strong> \u201cCongratulations to Paret-Peintre for brilliantly …. letting Healy do all the work and then passing him at the end as if he actually did something. Alistair in Lyon:<\/strong> \u201cI holidayed at B\u00e9douin last summer, and contemplated doing the Ventoux. I have done it once, twenty years ago, with a mountain biking group. We took an unusual route, on forest tracks, which bring you to the road a bit above Chalet Renard. Most of the group took a right, to get a beer at the Chalet, and only three of us made it to the top.Last year, we drove up in the end…\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Adam Yates, teammate of Tadej Pogacar, speaks:<\/strong> \u201cYeah, it\u2019s always a big mess. I think after the rest day everyone wants to try and win, so it was hard going from the beginning.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know how, he is, he wants to win every stage. He\u2019s, TT whatever, so that\u2019s his character, that\u2019s his personality. And that\u2019s why we work towards, you know, we work hard all year to try and win, so. Yeah, it didn\u2019t work out today but after tonight we got two more good days in the mountains and we\u2019ll give it a charge.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Stage 16 result<\/p>\n 1. Valentin Paret-Peintre Soudal Quick-Step 4:03:19 2. Ben Healy (IRL) EF Education – EasyPost \u201c<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3. Santiago Buitrago (COL) Bahrain Victorious +4<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 4. Ilan Van Wilder (BEL) Soudal Quick-Step +14<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 5. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates – XRG +43<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 6. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Team Visma – Lease a Bike +45<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 7. Enric Mas (ESP) Movistar Team +53<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 8. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Tudor Pro Cycling<\/a> Team +1:17<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 9. Primoz Roglic (SLO) Red Bull – BORA – +1:51<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 10. Florian Lipowitz (GER) Red Bull – BORA – +1:53<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Jonas Vingegaard speaks:<\/strong> \u201cI didn\u2019t gain any time today, but I take a lot of motivation today today Yeah, we wanted to have somebody in the break and the team did really amazing today. Everybody worked with everything they had. So, I couldn\u2019t. Yeah, it was really commitment from everyone, and everyone was doing super great, so thank you to all my team.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, he followed me every time I attacked, and I followed him when he attacked, so yeah, I don\u2019t know if I could see any weaknesses today now, but at least, yeah, it gives me some motivation, how good I saw today and as I said earlier, I will keep trying.\u201d<\/p>\n He was not happy there, having crashed into a photographer who had got in the way after he cleared the finishing line.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Ireland\u2019s Healy denied, France and Soudal Quick-Step rider victorious.<\/strong> Roglic comes over the top, and he will displace Oscar Onley\u2019s in the GC.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.47 EDT<\/p>\n And Pogacar comes over the line<\/strong>, leading Vingegaard home. Vismas tried their best to crack Pogacar, but a tad off form, they can cannot break him.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Valentin Paret-Peintre wins stage 16 on Mont Ventoux<\/p>\n Pogacar and Vingegaard are within 45 seconds, and up at the front, Van Wilder, thought to be lost in the broken breakaway, joins a quartet who want this famous stage.<\/p>\n Healy goes, and leads round the hairpin but Paret-Peintre captures it for France. Healy had no answer.<\/p>\n Soudal Quick-Step’s Valentin Paret Peintre celebrates winning stage 16. Photograph: Beno\u00eet Tessier\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.45 EDT<\/p>\n Pogacar attacks<\/p>\n 1km to go:<\/strong> The terrain is desert-like, like Alderaan, as Healy and Paret-Peintre attempt to be tactical. Mas comes back, and now Buitrago is back, like a thief in the night. He couldn\u2019t, could he? Four men have their chance. Pogacar meanwhile, goes away, only for Vingegaard to catch him and then counter.<\/p>\n Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates XRG crosses the finish line ahead of Jonas Vingegaard of Team Visma. Photograph: Tim de Waele\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.00 EDT<\/p>\n 2km to go:<\/strong> Paret-Peintre and Healy realise they must race. Mas\u2019 great effort is lost. Both the leading duo have had a go at the shaking the other off.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 3km to go:<\/strong> Healy and Paret-Peintre pass Mas with ease. No Mas, as Roberto Duran had it. The gap to the yellow jersey is two minutes and it\u2019s between the Irishman and the Frenchman. But no, Mas gets back up as the other two quarrel.<\/p>\n Vingegaard takes on Pogacar, who stays in his saddle. The champion is asked to take his turn at the front.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 4km to go:<\/strong> The gap between Mas and Healy, followed by Paret-Peintre, has now closed to nine seconds. Mas is surely done. They can see him up the road.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.28 EDT<\/p>\n 5km to go:<\/strong> Chalet Reynard, and no shelter from the sun. Nowhere to hide for Vingegaard and Pogacar. Mas\u2019 chasers are arguing over whose turn it is. The gap to Mas tumbles to three minutes. Victor Campenaerts is up the hill, and waiting, and is here to help Vingegaard and Visma.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 6km to go:<\/strong> Visma try their best to crash Pogacar as Oscar Onley has to fight off contenders for GC. Vingegaard goes again, but cannot shake off Pogacar.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Vingegaard attacks<\/p>\n 7km to go:<\/strong> Here goes Vingegaard, and this is it. This is the moment when Vingegaard looks to crack Pogacar. Roglic is able to stay with them. It took 30 seconds from group in front. Tiesj Benoot, up the hill, is there to lead Vingo. Pogacar\u2019s lieutenant, Soler, was up the hill but burned up.<\/p>\n Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, and Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard. Photograph: Thibault Camus\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.00 EDT<\/p>\n 8km to go:<\/strong> We approach the section where the hills no longer provide shade. Simon Yates has been dropped from the group to support Vingegaard. Le Chalet Reynard awaits.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 9km to go:<\/strong> Sivakov, a vital domestique for Pogacar, has dropped off as soon as he is asked to carry Pogacar. Arensman drops Alaphilippe and the Healy group catches them.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 10km to go:<\/strong> Mas has a great victory within his grasp, as his chasers are 30 seconds down, gap that goes to almost 50 seconds. The real quiz is now down the hill. Pogacar has Yates and Wellens for company. Kuss is leading Vingegaard along though Visma have lost Simon Yates, who doesn\u2019t look at his best.<\/p>\n Spanish rider Enric Mas of Movistar Team goes up Mount Ventoux. Photograph: Christophe Petit-Tesson\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.59 EDT<\/p>\n 12km to go:<\/strong> Back in the peloton, UAE and Visma \u2013 the teams of Pogacar and Vingegaard \u2013 are cooking something, plotting against each other. Both have riders up ahead. Oscar Onley is up there, too, with Warren Barguil, a great lost talent, as his domestique.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 13km to go:<\/strong> Uh oh, the peloton is motoring up this hill like Hells Angels in the Peaks. They are gobbling up time. Can Mas et al hold them off? Mas has won a stage at the Vuelta. Arensman and Alaphilippe are dropped. Movistar are looking to end their drought. Their last winner was Nairo Quintana in 2019.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 14km to go:<\/strong> How will the peloton fit on these crowded roads? Geraint Thomas is one of those being spat out the back. The yellow jersey group is way behind but that doesn\u2019t preclude fireworks between them towards the summit. Enric Mas has a dig for victory, trying to shell Alaphilippe and Arsensman.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Mont Ventoux is here<\/p>\n 15km to go:<\/strong> The crowds are huge as the climb begins. Mas, Arensman and Alaphilippe are the leaders. The peloton starts to kick on and the field in thinning out on the \u201cBald Mountain\u201d. Incredible scenes, shades of Froome in 2016.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 16km to go:<\/strong> Arensman, Alaphilippe, Mas, Velasco and Abrahamsen, a group splintered, with Trentin\u2019s big haul coming to its end. Martinez has been kicked down the field, with a mechanical fault not helping. His polka is in danger should Pogacar actually attack.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 18km to go:<\/strong> Alaphilippe \u2013 radio on \u2013 decides he\u2019s having a go. No French stage winner this day. Arensman, a winner in the Pyrenees, is struggling. Abrahamsen wants to have a go, too.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 21km to go:<\/strong> Here is B\u00e9doin, and that means we are now climbing climbing climbing until the end of the day. The gap is 6\u2019 50\u201d, does this mean UAE and Pogacar have decided the break is clear? Will the winner come from the two lead groups? Alaphilippe, Martinez and Healy all with chances.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 25km to go:<\/strong> The breakaway brotherhood are beginning to climb out of their saddles. The Ventoux climb begins around 21km out, with 4.5km of relatively gentle climbing followed by 16.5km of sheer hell. Time to take on food and water, and hope the legs are working well. Behind, Team UAE loom, ready to go when the moment comes.<\/p>\n Neil Broderick is here: \u201cMichael Forbes: \u201cJust wondering about your thoughts on Vingegaard this year: is he physically finished, or is all the drama with his wife and the team responsible for his poor showing? \u201c<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a sad commentary on modern sport when being the second best cyclist in the world is equivalent to being \u201cphysically finished\u201d. Vingegaard is still minutes ahead of everyone else which is a major achievement.\u201d<\/p>\n He\u2019s still just 28, which used to be the time when riders were considered ripe to win the race.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.39 EDT<\/p>\n 30km to go:<\/strong> The foothills are here. Pogacar is 6\u2019 30\u201d back. He\u2019s given himself plenty to do. Though it still feels as if UAE are in control. The renegades at the front will surely be gobbled up.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 35km to go:<\/strong> John Westwell gets in touch: \u201cAlthough Gary Naylor makes a valid point about Pogacar being a true patron and allowing a break to contest today\u2019s stage, I don\u2019t think he\u2019s that sort of rider.<\/p>\n \u201dAs someone who encourages the comparison with Eddy Merckxx, Pogacar is only too aware that Merckxx won atop Ventoux in 1970. I\u2019d be amazed if he doesn\u2019t want to do the same today. And his team seems to be riding to keep three riders out front with a small gap which can be pulled back on or before the final climb.\u201d<\/p>\n William Preston: \u201cAlthough I mainly agree with Gary Naylor: Pogacar could refrain from getting a stomp on and leave the thrilling heroics to others; a philosopher once said \u201cthere are no gifts on the Ventoux\u201d. I genuinely look forward to seeing some brilliant climbing across the peloton, and a super party atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick Wayne: \u201cAs Pog said he\u2019s paid (handsomely) to race. Wouldn\u2019t put it past UAE to give him a humongous bonus for all three jerseys. But I\u2019m hoping Lenny det polka and Milan stays in green.\u201d<\/p>\n David Alderton: \u201cCampenaerts has had a stellar two weeks. A workhorse of a man. Ventoux is probably my favourite mountain after the Armstrong and Pantani duel many years ago. Such epic days have been witnessed here.\u201d<\/p>\n Michael Forbes: \u201cJust wondering about your thoughts on Vingegaard this year: is he physically finished, or is all the drama with his wife and the team responsible for his poor showing? \u201c<\/p>\n Yes, shades of Mrs Froome\u2019s involvement a few years back though I\u2019d say Vingo is a) against a peaking Pog and b) still hungover from last year\u2019s amazing effort after his Basque crash.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 40km to go:<\/strong> Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious), Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers), Julian Alaphilippe and Matteo Trentin (Tudor Pro Cycling), Enric Mas (Movistar), Simone Velasco (Astana) and Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) are the group leading Healy but nobody is really busting a gut. Bedoin, not so far up the road, awaits. And that\u2019s when it begins.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 50km to go:<\/strong> The games continue, and a crosswind approaches. Ben Healy is in a group a minute off the leaders. It\u2019s time to work out who has a chance can stay away on Ventoux. The answer, most probably, is nobody.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Ch\u00e2teauneuf-du-Pape sprint goes to Abrahamsem<\/p>\n 59km to go:<\/strong> Here comes that sprint, and the points do not go to Milan. His team have dropped the ball here. Girmay is nowhere near, either. Jonas Abrahamsen of Uno-X Mobility takes it, with few interested chasers. Simone Velasco of Astana has a half-hearted go.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.06 EDT<\/p>\n 65 km to go:<\/strong> Apologies for the use of X, but here\u2019s the personnel in the breakaway. It\u2019s splitting in half now, too.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 70km to go:<\/strong> The sprint draws clear, as they speed through beautiful countryside and then some more suburban scenery. The sprint is at Ch\u00e2teauneuf-du-Pape, who all you winos will recognise the name. Not cheap, usually.<\/p>\n Wiki: \u201cliterally translates to \u201cThe Pope\u2019s new castle\u201d and, indeed, the history of this appellation is firmly entwined with papal history. In 1309, Pope Clement V, former Archbishop of Bordeaux, relocated the papacy to the town of Avignon. Clement V and subsequent \u201cAvignon Popes\u201d were said to be great lovers of Burgundy wines and did much to promote them during the 70-year Avignon Papacy.\u201d<\/p>\n Does this mean they go sur le pont d\u2019Avignon?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 80km to go: <\/strong>A downhill section \u2013 welcome, no doubt \u2013 and Jonathan Milan\u2019s team has missed the break, and that could damage his chances of the green jersey. He\u2019s 2\u2019 25\u201d off the front of the course. In a group ahead, Biniam Girmay is looking to take points off the green holder. Soler and Sivakov of Team UAE are in the break, to do that police work.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90km to go:<\/strong> Here comes what Jim Davidson would call a big break. But it\u2019s too big to stay away in truth. Healy, Ireland\u2019s hero, is involved. Here\u2019s Alaphilippe, the \u201cwinner\u201d of Sunday\u2019s stage. This is chaotic stuff, really. There\u2019s 30 riders or so up there, and the gap is a minute or so. Food and bottles are taken on in the peloton.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 100 km to go:<\/strong> The sprint is 40km to go, and the break is being closed down. Feels like a phoney war for much of the day then blast off as the Ventoux beckons. Lots of trepidation for a climb that holds such portents of doom. As the 100km clock is reached, the break is closed by mostly Visma riders from Vingegaard\u2019s team. Wout van Aert is on manoeuvres.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 110 km to go:<\/strong> Comfort breaks are taken, but not in the breakaway who open up the gap. Such a long way to go for them. Anyone winning from that trio would be borderline miraculous. They are 1\u2019 45\u201d clear. But not for long, as Schmid and Plapp set of for Team Jayco.<\/p>\n Joseph gets in touch: \u201cWe\u2019re following your live commentary sat in Bedoin at the foot of Ventoux. The whole town is buzzing.\u201d<\/p>\n Presume not buzzing at my plodding prose, instead the key stage of Le Tour 2025.<\/p>\n Matteo Trentin in action during stage 16. Photograph: Sarah Meyssonnier\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.47 EDT<\/p>\n 120 km to go:<\/strong> Sally Ledger gets in touch: \u201cMorning John, I\u2019m in exactly the same position as Huw Morgan (without the 3pm board meeting) and am also a Pogacar superfan. I know where Huw\u2019s coming from but, unlike John [Huw?], I want Pogacar to absolutely crush it today. I know most want a close fought tussle but I just love watching him take flight. I\u2019m actually quite nervous on his behalf. Go Pogi!\u201d<\/p>\n Gary Naylor makes a fine point: \u201cI believe that Pogacar is growing into an old school patron and, as such, it\u2019s his responsibility to ensure that the race bestows its gifts generously. So I hope he just marks Visma today and lets a break go. The race needs a climber and a sprinter in the jerseys on Sunday and only he can ensure that.\u201d<\/p>\n The trio breakaway stay away but within easy reach.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 125km to go:<\/strong> Much chicanery, though the escapees will be allowed to stay away for now. Nils Pollitt, the domestique for UAE and Pogacar, is doing a policing job on the front, making sure nobody joins the trio 45 seconds clear, though the clock soon reverts to 33 seconds. UAE want this for their man. Milan wants to be up the front for his green jersey point. The sprint isn\u2019t until 59km left in the stage.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.37 EDT<\/p>\n 140 km to go:<\/strong> They\u2019re rattling along at 60 km\/h and the break loses its advantage. It looks like breaks will come and go until that final fateful climb.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 155km to go:<\/strong> Here go three men good and true in another attempt to establish a break. The gap is eight seconds but climbs to 25. Meurrise, Haller and Hirschi are those up in the vanguard. Marc Hirschi won on stage 11 in 2020, a hilly stage ending in Sarran.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 165km to go:<\/strong> Lenny Martinez is up the front, and will fancy another breakaway to land his polka points. The breaks aren\u2019t snagging just yet. Montpellier is left behind as the Med coast appears in view. It looks ridiculously beautiful.<\/p>\n Huw Morgan gets in touch: \u201cWork web filtering means I\u2019m on the live updates only. My colleague Libby has wisely chosen to WFH so she can watch it. I\u2019m not so lucky with a board meeting to attend at 3pm. I\u2019ve been following cycling for 3 years now and I\u2019ve never seen a stage like this. Flat, flat, flat, BANG. Absolutely buzzing to watch it with my wife when I get home from work! We\u2019re Pogacar super fans but hoping for a real tussle on Ventoux with Pog losing some time.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Off we go in Montpellier<\/p>\n 171.2 km to go:<\/strong> Christian Prudhomme waves them away, and off goes an immediate breakaway, with Wout van Aert among them. Ivan Romeo is there, too, as is Jonathan Milan, still fighting off Pogacar.<\/p>\n The peloton cycles across Place de Thessalie in central Montpellier. Photograph: Anne-Christine Poujoulat\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.50 EDT<\/p>\n Strava\u2019s read on the Ventoux climb.<\/a><\/strong> <\/a><\/p>\n Any segment where Tadej Poga\u010dar is No1 on the leaderboard is going to hurt \u2013 his time of exactly 1 hour for this 13.4 mile \/ 21.5km climb during the 2021 Tour is almost unfathomable. But put that time to one side and concentrate on the road in front of you, as this climb is known as the \u2018Beast of Provence\u2019 for a reason: the last 3.7 miles \/ 6km are painful, and mentally you should prepare yourself.<\/p>\n The views up to that point are largely forest-based, but once you exit the trees you\u2019re in a dusty, rock-strewn lunar landscape, exposed to potentially strong winds, low temperatures and hovering clouds. Look out for Tom Simpson\u2019s memorial, as that means you have just 1km left to the summit where your legs can rest.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a>Van der Poel pulls out with pneumonia<\/p>\n The Dutchman has been diagnosed with pneumonia and will not start Stage 16 on Tuesday, having been a leading light and worn yellow in Le Tour\u2019s opening week.<\/p>\n \u201cMathieu had been experiencing symptoms of a common cold over the past few days. Yesterday afternoon, his condition began to worsen significantly.\u201d his Alpecin-Deceuninck team said in a statement. He was third in the points classification for the green jersey at the time of his withdrawal, behind Jonathan Milan and Tadej Pogacar.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n There\u2019s 8km to go until the d\u00e9part r\u00e9el, when the attacks are expected from the get-go.<\/strong><\/p>\n Share<\/a>Tour de France, Stage 16 Illustration: ASO\/TourdeFranceShare<\/a><\/p>\n Nick Wayne gets in touch:<\/strong> \u201cI suppose it\u2019s a sign of maturity if he saves his energy for the Alps. It would also make for a cracking stage win if he blasts out of the pedals a few K before the line. \u201c<\/p>\n Pogacar has sat up the last two stages, allowed the breakaway to go.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Is the race for the yellow jersey over?<\/strong> Not according to Jonas Vingegaard, the two-time winner promising to go for broke.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to try to do something,\u201d he said, and insisted that he was willing to risk everything to win. \u201cThere needs to be a weakness somewhere on Tadej\u2019s part. For now, we haven\u2019t found it, but we\u2019ll keep trying. I\u2019m willing to sacrifice second place to go for first.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n William Fotheringham on the legend of Ventoux.<\/strong><\/p>\n Tempora mutantur, but not the Ventoux. That, partly, reflects one of the key features of the Tour; the way it constantly revisits and rewrites its past in places that have barely changed since the first visit. Go round the partly banked corner at Saint-Est\u00e8ve and on to the virtually straight haul through the oak-wooded lower slopes, and it\u2019s essentially the same brutal experience that the stars of the 50s, 60s and 70s might have undergone, perhaps with better tarmac as you go up with barely a hairpin to break the gradient until the final haul across the scree slopes to the top.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
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(Yeah, I know — easy for me to say. I probably couldn\u2019t walk up Mont Ventoux, let alone drag a bike up it.)\u201c<\/p>\n\n
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