[ritchiebaby]

Just a couple of notes on today's stage - Marco4's love affair with Bryan Coquard has inspired the French rider to be prominent in the race so far, holding 2nd place in the Points Classification and my love affair with Peter Sagan as led him to be virtually anonymous.

Although Libourne's name derives from Leybourne in Kent, it is twinned with KEYNSHAM of Horace Batchelor fame - only today's pensioners (plus Snooty) will understand that comment. Limoges was the birthplace of Renoir, leading French Impressionist painter, and also Fred Sirieix, high-class waiter and TV personality.

[themaclad]

Mark Cavendish was left "bitterly disappointed" after a gear issue saw Jasper Philipsen pip him to victory on stage seven of the Tour de France.

Manxman Cavendish, 38, looked to be closing in on a record-breaking 35th stage win at the Tour.

However, Belgium's Philipsen surged past him near the line to secure his third stage win in this year's Tour.

Cavendish jointly holds the record for most Tour stage wins on 34 with Belgian legend Eddy Merckx.

"Once I kicked, I started, the gears jumped from the 11 to the 12, I had to sit down," Cavendish told Eurosport.

"The cadence just whacks up. Then it goes back to the 11th, I tried to stand up. I needed to sit down. There was nothing you could do except, kind of hope."

Denmark's defending champion Jonas Vingegaard retained the overall leader's yellow jersey on an uneventful day in the general classification. He leads two-time winner Tadej Pogacar by 25 seconds overall.

Simon Yates is the highest placed British rider over three minutes behind.

Stage seven - as it happened
So close but so far for Cavendish
Cavendish is riding his 14th and final Tour, and while he has yet to win a stage there have been a number of positive signs for the veteran sprinter.

He hit a faster top speed than Philipsen during one of the race's earlier sprints, albeit with the benefit of being out of the wind.

And, while he was not well enough placed to contend in either the Bayonne or Nogaro finishes, 13 years on from his last triumph in Bordeaux it looked as though, in the heart of a famed wine-growing region, he was going to have cause for celebration.

When he burst down the right-hand side to power into the lead with 200 metres to go it looked like Cavendish was going to move clear of five-time Tour champion Merckx to stand alone on 35 stage victories.

But, with the line in sight, Cavendish's gears jumped twice and as he dropped back into the saddle Philipsen raced past to win his fifth consecutive sprint stage across two editions of the Tour.

"He [Cavendish] was really strong. I would also have loved to see him win, I think everybody would, but I'm sure he will keep on trying. He's up there and in good condition," said Philipsen.

Stage seven result
1. Jasper Philipsen (Bel/Alpecin-Deceuninck) 3hrs 46mins 28secs

2. Mark Cavendish (GB/Astana-Qazaqstan) Same time

3. Biniam Girmay (Eri/Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert)

4. Luca Mozzato (Ita/Arkea-Samsic)

5. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned/Jayco-AlUla)

6. Jordi Meeus (Bel/Bora-hansgrohe)

7. Phil Bauhaus (Ger/Bahrain Victorious)

8. Bryan Coquard (Fra/Cofidis)

9. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/Uno-X Pro)

10. Mads Pedersen (Den/Lidl - Trek)

General classification after stage seven
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Jumbo-Visma) 29hrs 57mins 12secs

2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) +25secs

3. Jai Hindley (Aus/Bora-Hansgrohe) +1min 34secs

4. Simon Yates (GB/Team Jayco-AlUla) + 3mins 14secs

5. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa/Ineos Grenadiers) + 3mins 30secs

6. Adam Yates (GB/UAE Team Emirates) +3mins 40secs

7. David Gaudu (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) +4mins 03secs

8. Romain Bardet (Fra/DSM) +4mins 43secs

9. Thomas Pidcock (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) Same time

10. Sepp Kuss (US/Jumbo-Visma) +5mins 28secs


Did have it on whilst at work although thought had the first 100 kilometres on Discovery Plus which didn't have commentary which did make a tad difficult to watch. Eventually went back to Eurosport and hey presto, commentary, think Cav was more than gutted when they interviewed him personal view I think that was his chance

And did you know that Mike Yarwood, Britain's great impressionist was brn just outside Stockport

[themaclad]

Cavendish has just hit the deck, not pre empting anything looks like a broken collar bone

---

Cav abandons the race

[ritchiebaby]

The TdF has lost the allure of "Will he, won't he" after Mark Cavendish's accident and retiral. Themaclad summed it up with his comment that yesterday was Cavendish's big chance to be the solo record-holding stage winner on 35.

Tomorrow's 182.5km stage starts off in Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, home to randy French git Serge Gainsbourg for 6 months in 1944. The finish is atop Puy de Dôme, an active volcano - well, not for over 10,000 years - and is well known as a paragliding centre and for it's TV transmitters. Expect the usual rabble on all the 4 climbs, waving their bottles of local Volvic water near the finish.

Monday has the first rest day - a misnomer if ever there was one, as the riders will probably have more than 50kms to keep them toned up for the next stage on Tuesday.

[themaclad]

Mark Cavendish broke a collarbone as he crashed out of what is set to be his final Tour de France before retirement.

The Manxman, 38, was involved in an innocuous-looking crash about 60km from the finish of stage eight - a 200.7km run from Libourne to Limoges.

Cavendish had started this year's Tour on 34 stage victories - sharing the record with Belgian legend Eddy Merckx.

Jasper Philipsen denied him a 35th win during Friday's stage, then came second behind Mads Pedersen on Saturday.

Cavendish's race came to a premature end when he hit the deck after touching wheels with Pello Bilbao. With pain etched on his face, he was helped into the back of an ambulance and taken to hospital in Perigueux.

His Astana Qazaqstan team confirmed initial suspicions he had broken a collarbone, and said the break had also impacted on a previous shoulder injury.

"Everyone in the team is hurting," said Mark Renshaw, who was Cavendish's lead-out man from 2009-2011 and in 2016 and joined Astana as a sprint adviser prior to the Tour.

"It's hard because we know his shape's here, we know he has the legs. I won't lie, I cried."

Cavendish was the fifth rider to abandon this year's Tour, after Enric Mas, Richard Carapaz, Jacopo Guarnieri and Luis Leon Sanchez.

Steff Cras later became the sixth after a late pile-up involving Simon Yates and Mikel Landa. Belgium's Cras - a general classification contender - blamed a spectator for causing the crash.

Cavendish made his Tour debut in 2007 and has failed to finish seven of his 14 appearances.

He did not compete in last year's race, having won four stages in 2021 to move level with five-time Tour winner Merckx.

Mark Cavendish - a career in pictures
'Everybody here wanted him to win one stage' - reaction from the peloton
Two-time champion Tadej Pogacar: "When I heard he had crashed, it was a sad moment because he was in good shape. I think everybody here wanted him to win one stage and yesterday he was super close. It's a bad moment.

"He was one of my favourites when we were kids. Him sprinting on the Champs-Elysees.... we just wanted to have his style and his legs. They were good moments."

Race leader Jonas Vingegaard: "I spoke with him a few times in my first Tour de France and again this year.

"He is a super nice guy and I would have loved to have seen him take the 35th stage win. I still remember when I was a kid and I was watching him and all his celebrations. He was my big idol.

"It is really a shame for him and I hope he is OK."

Stage winner Mads Pedersen: "It was a pleasure to be able to ride with Mark Cavendish. I always had a good relationship with him in the peloton. It's so sad for a legend to finish the Tour like this.

"He still owes me a jersey, for a jersey swap. Hopefully I can do some of the last races he does."

Analysis
Matt Warwick, BBC Sport

There have been a few fairytale moments in the career of Mark Cavendish, and taking sole ownership of the Tour stage win record he shares with Belgian legend Eddy Merckx was looking more and more likely to be another.

He was pipped on the line the previous stage - his explosive, low-set style becoming more effective as the race went on.

But a low-profile shunt in the middle of the peloton at relatively low speed appears to have ended one of the most high-profile and glittering relationships ever with this famous three-week race.

The 38-year-old has terrified rivals in France since 2008 with a spirited, no-nonsense approach to the sport that complemented his 'Manx Missile' nickname.

Cavendish has said the record itself was of little importance to him - more so his ability to fight, and win, in the moment.

And you can't put a number on that.

What else happened on stage eight?
Pedersen, who won in Saint-Etienne last year, claimed his second stage win at a Tour after benefiting from the superb work of his Lidl-Trek team in the closing kilometres.

While Vingegaard retained the yellow jersey, the late crash meant Briton Yates lost 47 seconds and dropped from fourth to sixth in the general classification.

He slipped 21 seconds behind his twin brother Adam, who is fifth overall and now the highest-placed British rider.

On Sunday, the race will travel 182.4km from Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat to the the dormant volcano of Puy de Dome, where the steep final climb is expected to ignite another GC battle.

Stage eight results
1. Mads Pedersen (Den/Lidl-Trek) 4hrs 12mins 26secs

2. Jasper Philipsen (Bel/Alpecin-Deceuninck) Same time

3. Wout van Aert (Bel/Jumbo-Visma)

4. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned/Jayco-AlUla)

5. Nils Eekhoff (Ned/DSM)

6. Bryan Coquard (Fra/Cofidis)

7. Jasper De Buyst (Bel/Lotto-Dstny)

8. Rasmus Tiller (Nor/Uno-X)

9. Corbin Strong (NZ/Israel-Premier Tech)

10. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates)

General classification after stage eight
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Jumbo-Visma) 34hrs 09mins 38secs

2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) +25secs

3. Jai Hindley (Aus/Bora-Hansgrohe) +1min 34secs

4. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa/Ineos Grenadiers) +3mins 30secs

5. Adam Yates (GB/UAE Team Emirates) +3mins 40secs

6. Simon Yates (GB/Team Jayco-AlUla) +4mins 01secs

7. David Gaudu (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) +4mins 03secs

8. Romain Bardet (Fra/DSM) +4mins 43secs

9. Thomas Pidcock (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) Same time

10. Sepp Kuss (US/Jumbo-Visma) +5mins 28secs

[ritchiebaby]

According to Eurosport, Astana are offering a one-year contract for the 2024 TdF to Mark Cavendish, so the "Will he, won't he?" question is back to the top of the agenda already.

[themaclad]

Michael Woods claimed a breakaway victory on stage nine of the Tour de France as Tadej Pogacar took more time out of race leader Jonas Vingegaard.

Canadian climber Woods made up around two minutes on American Matteo Jorgenson on the steep final section of the dormant volcano, the Puy de Dome.

Jorgenson and Woods were among 14 escapees early on the 182.5km stage from Saint Leonard de Noblat.

Pogacar's late attack saw him make up eight seconds on Vingegaard.

Two-time winner Pogacar finished 13th on the day, a place ahead of Denmark's Vingegaard, more than eight minutes after the 36-year-old Woods.

The Slovenian now sits just 17 seconds behind his main rival for the yellow jersey.

"It would be nicer to have stayed with him and have lost no time but as I've said before the first week didn't suit me," said Vingegaard.

"In my opinion there are stages that suit me more, so being in yellow after that first block of racing is good for me. I'm looking forwards to the Alps."

Stage nine - as it happened
Cavendish breaks collarbone in Tour-ending crash on stage eight
Tour record possible with team to offer Cavendish place in 2024
British pair Simon Yates and Tom Pidcock were the next riders to reach the summit finish, with the Ineos Grenadiers man moving up two places to seventh of the general classification standings while Yates is sixth, now five seconds adrift of his twin brother and early race leader Adam, who is fifth.

Delight for Woods, despair for Jorgenson
Movistar rider Jorgenson, known for this time-trialling capabilities and ability to climb, went clear around 47km from the finish.

And he enjoyed a healthy advantage as he hit the most punishing section of the famous climb, making its first appearance in the Tour for 35 years.

At that point he was around 80 seconds clear of a group led by Matej Mohoric, with Israel-Premier Tech rider Woods a further 30 seconds adrift in a third group on the road.

But that lead was gradually reduced over the final four kilometres, where the gradients ramped up to 12%, and Woods, a pure climber, reeled in those in front of him before catching and passing the 24-year-old American in the final 500 metres.

It was an agonising conclusion to the stage for Jorgenson, who was denied a place on the podium altogether, as Pierre Latour and Matej Mohoric both passed him in the final 50 metres.

In contrast Woods, who has previously won two stages of the Vuelta a Espana, was able to celebrate a famous triumph.

"I'm still having a pinch-myself moment," he said.

"I can't believe I did it. I'm really proud of myself, I'm really proud of my team, it's special. I'm 36, turning 37 this year, I'm not getting any younger. I've always talked about winning a stage at the Tour de France and I've finally achieved it."

Stage nine results
1. Michael Woods (Can/Israel-Premier Tech) 4hrs 19mins 41secs

2. Pierre Latour (Fra/TotalEnergies) +28secs

3. Matej Mohoric (Slo/Bahrain Victorious) +35secs

4. Matteo Jorgenson (US/Movistar) Same time

5. Clement Berthet (Fra/AG2R-Citroen) +55secs

6. Neilson Powless (US/EF Education-EasyPost) +1min 23secs

7. Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz/Astana-Qazaqstan) +1min 39secs

8. Jonas Gregaard (Den/Uno-X) +1min 58secs

9. Mathieu Burgaudeau (Fra/TotalEnergies) +2mins 16secs

10 David de la Cruz (Spa/Astana-Qazaqstan) +2mins 34secs

General classification standings
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Jumbo-Visma) 38hrs 37mins 46secs

2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) +17secs

3. Jai Hindley (Aus/Bora-Hansgrohe) +2mins 40secs

4. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa/Ineos Grenadiers) +4mins 22secs

5. Adam Yates (GB/UAE Team Emirates) +4mins 39secs

6. Simon Yates (GB/Team Jayco-AlUla) +4mins 44secs

7. Thomas Pidcock (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) +5mins 26secs

8. David Gaudu (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) +6mins 07secs

9. Sepp Kuss (US/Jumbo-Visma) +6mins 45secs

10. Pello Bilbao (Spa/Bahrain Victorious) +7mins 37secs

What an impressive mound of earth to finish on, iconic shot when they were about 20 kilometres from home on a straight piece of road and in the distance looming larger than life, the Puy de Dome.
Fair play to Woods impressive bit of riding although you had to feel sorry for Jorgensn who as he said just ran out of energy
Tad takes 8 secons from Jonas in the GC, defintely a two horse race now, rest day tomorrow and I'm at cricket for the next two days so it's highlights only for me

[ritchiebaby]

Hopefully the riders won't have enjoyed today's excellent hospitality in Clermont-Ferrand, home of the Michelin brothers, founders of Michelin Tyres as well their name being given to the star system for posh restaurants. I'd much rather have the local potée, reminiscent of Betty's 'otpots in t' Rovers, to inflate my spare tyres.

Learning from last year's missed opportunity at Legoland, the TdF organisers are starting tomorrow's 167.5km stage at a theme park - Vulcania. It's a kind of lumpy ride all the way to Issoire, which seems to be pretty boring, except that tomorrow's temperature is forecast to be 38C, and along with the expected heavy thundery showers it might produce a few accidents on the 25km mainly downhill stretch to the finish.

[ritchiebaby]

No surprise that the weather forecasters got today's forecast wrong, making it a perfect day for Pello Bilbao who won the stage and shot up the GC rankings from 10th to 5th. He's still 4m34s behind Jonas Vingegaard, but as one of 4 riders on 4minutes something, he might have a chance to get on the podium in Paris.

Tomorrow's stage should be a bit of a dawdle for the sprinters, well until the last desperate surge for the line. The current 135th placed rider, Remi Cavagna was born in the start town of Clermont-Ferrand and the race ends 180kms later in Moulins. This town is possibly most famous because of it's association with Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel who aspired to become a singer at a local venue.

[themaclad]

Spanish rider Pello Bilbao dedicated his victory to his late Bahrain-Victorious team-mate Gino Mader after winning stage 10 of the Tour de France.

Mader died aged 26 in a crash at last month's Tour de Suisse.

"It was the only reason [for the win]," an emotional Bilbao said at the finish. "It was a special one, for Gino."

Jonas Vingegaard kept the overall lead but Bilbao moved up to fifth place, above the British trio of the Yates twins, Adam and Simon, and Tom Pidcock.

Bilbao's sprint for the line came at the end of a thrilling day of racing over a hilly 167km route that had started at the Vulcania theme park.

Vingegaard and his closest rival, two-time winner Tadej Pogacar, were involved in an early break as the race resumed at a frantic pace following Monday's rest day.

The stage only took shape when 14 riders went clear to form an escape group with 80km to go, with Bilbao among them.

Latvian rider Krists Neilands attacked his breakaway companions over the top of the final climb and opened up a 35-second gap, but he was caught with 3km to go, before Bilboa beat him and four other riders in the race for the line.

Bilbao's win was his first at any of the Grand Tours at the age of 33, and he paid tribute to Mader afterwards.

"It was hard to prepare the last two weeks with him in my mind, but my family helped me a lot to just keep calm and positive and put all my positive energy into doing something nice in the Tour," Bilbao said.

"I wanted to do it in the first few stages [in his native Basque country] as it was so special for me but it was not possible, so I just waited for my moment.

"I was maybe thinking my position in the overall was going to be a problem but I decided to a make an all-in move and in the end it was the right movement.

"My first victory in the Tour after 13 years as a professional is such a special moment for me."

Wednesday's stage 11 takes the Tour 179.8km from Clermont-Ferrand to Moulins and features three more categorised climbs, but is expected to end in a bunch sprint at the finish.

Stage 10 results
1. Pello Bilbao (Spa/Bahrain Victorious) 3hrs 52mins 34secs

2. Georg Zimmermann (Ger/Intermarche-Circus-Wanty) Same time

3. Ben O'Connor (Aus/AG2R-Citroen)

4. Krists Neilands (Lat/Israel-Premier Tech)

5. Jhoan Esteban Chaves (Col/EF Education-EasyPost)

6. Antonio Pedrero (Spa/Movistar) +3secs

7. Mattias Skjelmose (Den/Lidl-Trek) +27secs

8. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol/Ineos Grenadiers) Same time

9. Warren Barguil (Fra/Team Arkea) +30secs

10. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra/Soudal Quick-Step) +32secs

General classification after stage 10
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Jumbo-Visma) 42hrs 33mins 13secs

2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) +17secs

3. Jai Hindley (Aus/Bora-Hansgrohe) +2mins 40secs

4. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa/Ineos Grenadiers) +4mins 22secs

5. Pello Bilbao (Spa/Bahrain Victorious) +4mins 34secs

6. Adam Yates (GB/UAE Team Emirates) +4mins 39secs

7. Simon Yates (GB/Team Jayco-AlUla) +4mins 44secs

8. Thomas Pidcock (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) +5mins 26secs

9. David Gaudu (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) +6mins 01secs

10. Sepp Kuss (US/Jumbo-Visma) +6mins 45secs