Welcome to Monday's live blog, with Jack Sexty, Simon MacMichael and the rest of the team.
08/07/2019, 18:17
Can you win the Tour de France? Take a look at this AMAZING Twitter game
We've been wasting a lot of time at road.cc towers today on this AMAZING Twitter thread that starts with the question, Can you win the Tour de France?
Follow the thread, make your choices, click on the blue arrow button wherever it pops up, and have fun!
******* Can you win the Tour de France ? *******
A JANKY BIKE RACE ADVENTURE THREAD#TDF2019pic.twitter.com/HziObLuFBP— Jonathan Rowe (@ronnyjowe) July 7, 2019
08/07/2019, 17:15
It'll buff out...
Kasper Asgreen's bike #TDF19#Epernay@k_asgreen@deceuninck_qstpic.twitter.com/awvZn9hizp
— Brecht Decaluwé (@caluweski) July 8, 2019
The latest we've heard is that Kasper Asgreen is in far better shape than his bike after falling hard on stage 3. The Dane put in a shift before his team mate rode away from the peloton to take the stage win, and rolled across the line on a spare bike as Alaphilippe was been presented with the yellow jersey on the podium.
08/07/2019, 16:01
He's done it
Victory for Julian Alaphilippe!
Victoire en solitaire de Julian Alaphilippe ! @alafpolak1#TDF2019pic.twitter.com/PjRq59tbNN— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 8, 2019
Julian Alaphilippe stayed well clear of the peloton to take the stage 3 victory and the yellow jersey - full story to follow.
08/07/2019, 15:49
Tour latest - Wellens suffers mechanical and loses lead
.@Tim_Wellens is on top at the Côte de Mutigny despite strong competition from @alafpolak1!
Tim Wellens passe en tête de la Côte de Mutigny mais Julian Alaphilippe est sorti en force du peloton ! #TDF2019pic.twitter.com/Iuo35FqJI7
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 8, 2019
Wellens has been passed by Julian Alaphilippe, who is motoring towards the finish with about 5km to go. Will this put the Quick Step man in yellow or will the peloton catch him?
08/07/2019, 15:45
Brad on a bike proving popular with the riders and fans
"I love you, man. You are my hero!" - @SirWiggo feeling the love out on Stage 3 with @BOUETMAXIME! #BradOnABike#TDF2019pic.twitter.com/HDjdVUifaX
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) July 8, 2019
Eurosport have certainly upped their game by sticking Bradley Wiggins on the back of a motorbike to provide live updates at this year's race. Here he is having a friendly chat with an Arkea-Samsic rider mid-race.
08/07/2019, 12:11
Top Gear break out the Brompton (not for the first time)
"Now THAT is British engineering!"
Thanks, @BBC_TopGear - They cost less on fuel too! pic.twitter.com/dgk8SuxCCW— Brompton Bicycle (@BromptonBicycle) July 7, 2019
Some top notch British engineering popped up on Top Gear last night. No, not that £276,00 Rolls Royce Cullinan SUV (though we’re sure it’s very good mind if you like that sort of thing… and you don’t look at the front end), it was of course the Brompton emerging from the Cullinan’s capacious boot.
British engineering at it’s best, and it folds, and it’s a lot, lot prettier than the Roller. Brompton's marketing department must LOVE Top Gear.
08/07/2019, 13:59
Want to wear the Maillot Jaune? Tandem
On Saturday, Mike Teunissen surprised the entire world by taking the opening stage of the 2019 Tour de France; winning the Netherlands' first yellow jersey in 30 years.
Here he is in 2005—at the age of 12—training with legendary cyclist Peter Winnen in the village of Ysselsteyn. pic.twitter.com/bjjqwU8uGF
— Dutch Cycling Embassy (@Cycling_Embassy) July 8, 2019
According to the Dutch Cycle Embassy this is stage 1 (and 2 with his teammates) winner Mike Teunissen training in his homeland with Peter Winnen on a battered old tandem, aged 12.
08/07/2019, 13:24
The Tour de France in gluten
Baker Gregory Piraux was inspired to create the Tour de France map in bread after a meeting with Tour director Christian Prudhomme - after 30 hours of work, here is the result...
A French baker has created a map of the Tour de France – out of bread!https://t.co/WFqEq6Oh0f#France#TourdeFrance#breadpic.twitter.com/xDqqAvpqh8
— Living France mag (@LivingFrance) July 8, 2019
Looks pretty hefty, I'm guessing you'd have to eat it in stages...
08/07/2019, 14:17
Lucy Kennedy guilty of premature celebration as Marianne Vos steams past her to take Giro Rosa stage 3 victory
Did @marianne_vos teleport in the last 10 meters? That was just insane! (via @wcsbike ) #GiroRosapic.twitter.com/z2XyPr11Sm
— Mihai Cazacu (@faustocoppi60) July 7, 2019
Australian rider Lucy Kennedy is the latest to learn her lesson from an early celebration, as Marianne Vos put down a phenomenal sprint to beat her on the uphill finish to stage 3 of the Giro Rosa...
Lesson most definitely learnt: always sprint beyond the line and never celebrate early. It hurts to come so close to my first #WWT win at #girorosa today, but I can be very happy with my form and how @MitcheltonSCOTT executed our plan perfectly (until 3m to go ) pic.twitter.com/xDyFZ7rM4G
— Lucy Kennedy (@lucyjkenn) July 7, 2019
08/07/2019, 13:30
Giant launch Cadex, a new high-end whees and components brand
All the details here on the revival of the Cadex name, transformed into a high-end carbon wheel and component manufacturer.
08/07/2019, 13:16
You can't accuse the UCI of not being thorough ...
.@UCI_cycling sock-height-measuring device at @LeTourpic.twitter.com/6IgH1OYakc
— Jakub Zimoch (@kubawinter) July 7, 2019
08/07/2019, 13:28
Tour de France tech highlights
08/07/2019, 11:15
08/07/2019, 11:14
Dumbest question of the Tour...so far...
Prize for most ludicrous interview question of the day
“Chris Froome crashed whilst riding a tt bike, do you agree that tt bikes are dangerous and should be banned?”
My reply;
“Ever seen anyone crash a road bike?”They continued....
— Alex Dowsett (@alexdowsett) July 8, 2019
What else could we blanket ban to improve safety? Pop your stupidest ideas in the comments.
08/07/2019, 10:19
Tech randoms from the Tour de France
We were out in Brussels ahead of the Tour de France nosing around the team trucks. Here's a gallery of bikes and equipment we spotted Trek, Pinarello, Specialized, Canyon and more, plus lots of interesting new products and top hacks.
08/07/2019, 09:37
Congratulations Dr Ian Walker! Europe Cycle Record smashed
16 days, 20 hours, 59 minutes.
The new world record for crossing Europe by bike.
I did it solo and unsupported.
It feels great. pic.twitter.com/Srf2eRHTgD— Ian Walker (@ianwalker) 8 July 2019
Ian has completed the 6,350km top to bottom route in just 16 days, 20 hours and 59 minutes - more on this later.
08/07/2019, 09:08
Guardian journalist Pete Walker gets early preview of Channel 5's "Cyclists: Scourge of the streets?" documentary... and it's even worse than it sounds
New, on the Bike Blog: why Channel 5's programme this week, "Cyclists: Scourge of the Roads?" is irresponsible, inaccurate and generally awful, and will make me, my loved ones and others on two wheels less safe.
I've watched it so you don't have to.https://t.co/CNscMBuOsx
— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) July 8, 2019
The documentary has caused much controversy before even airing (on tomorrow night at 9:15pm if you really want to put yourself through it), and Guardian journalist Pete Walker has got an early preview. Walker goes as far as to say the documentary may put cyclists at risk: "On Wednesday morning, I’ll be a little bit more wary when I cycle into work. I’m always hugely careful, anyway – the trip involves sharing space with tonne-plus lumps of speeding metal – but this time I’ll be particularly on my guard. Why? Because Channel 5 are putting me, and others, at risk."
Walker quotes numerous false statements presented as fact in the program, such as the idea that Britain has gone 'bike mad' when in fact journeys made by bike in the UK are stuck on around 2%, and using the lack of helmet-wearing by cyclists as an indication that people who ride bikes are more likely to flout laws; when in fact there is no law in the UK that says cyclists must wear helmets.
The program also features a man driving a 4x4 down narrow country lanes, bemoaning the capacity of Britain's roads and complaining that he is unable to overtake them on blind bends.
Numerous people are voicing their concerns on social media about riding the day after the documentary airs; although others are relieved that it's only on Channel 5...
Cue thousands of letters to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission. If it's that bad the Police should be informed as well - because this type of programming may incite violence by impressionable drivers of below average IQ. Watch out for a surge in road crime.
— Richard Lewis #FBPE (@cyclisethecity) July 7, 2019
The only saving grace might be that because it's on @channel5_tv it will only be seen by the viewing figures of the occupants of a tandem.
— OstendGudgeon (@OstendGudgeon) July 7, 2019
08/07/2019, 09:03
Jumbo Visma's win from the team car
“'We are all happy, we are all proud'
The TTT win through the eyes of the teamWhole video#samenwinnen
— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) July 7, 2019
They've been the surprise package of the opening stages so far, bagging stage 1 via Mike Tiernessen and dominating the TTT - here's that second stage from the team car.
08/07/2019, 08:58
Nothing changes...
From our friends at Angry People in Local Newspapers, here's a gloriously retro photo of a girl pointing at a pothole which, judging by her facial injury, was presumably responsible for flinging her off her super cool Raleigh Chopper. Wonder if the council have got round to sorting it yet?
08/07/2019, 08:53
Want the best Tour insights? Follow the Tour de France helicopter on Twitter
TOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOCOTOTO #TDF2019
— Helicóptero del Tour (@HelicopteroTour) July 6, 2019
Every July since 2015, the mysterious 'Helicóptero del Tour' has popped up with a daily update from the Tour de France, and every single one looking like the above. Who needs live coverage and race reports when you've got in-depth info like this?
08/07/2019, 08:39
Weekend catch-up
Here are some of our top stories from the weekend as the 2019 Tour de France kicked off with a surprise stage 1 victory for Lotto Jumbo's Mike Teunissen...
RideLondon admits photoshopping picture of black woman
Local paper runs front page story on cyclists flouting Hull city centre ban – which doesn’t exist
Tour de France Stage 1: Mike Teunissen springs a surprise to win in Brussels and take yellow
Tour de France Stage 2: Mike Teunissen stays in yellow as Jumbo-Visma win team time trial
Exclusive: Team Ineos riding Lightweight wheels at Tour de France.