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TOUR DE FRANCE

Tour de France stage 19: Job done for Froome

Portugal's Costa grabbed his stage second win of the 100th edition of the Tour de France on Friday after leading a solo charge to the line during the 204 km race. Yellow jersey leader Chris Froome survived the relatively smooth stage with his lead in tact.

Published: 19 July 2013 17:30 CEST
Tour de France stage 19: Job done for Froome
Photo: www.letour.fr

Portugal's Rui Costa claimed his second win of the 100th Tour de France on Friday after soloing to victory in the 204.5km 19th stage.

Movistar rider Costa shot out of a chasing peloton on the fifth and final climb to catch stage leader Pierre Rolland (Europcar) and went on to cross the finish line 47secs ahead of German veteran Andreas Kloden (RadioShack).

Chris Froome finished 25th after a relatively smooth ride in which his rivals showed little sign of wanting to attack him. 

Team Sky leader Froome came over the finish line just under nine minutes in arrears but with his 5min 11sec overall lead over Spanish rival Albeto Contador intact.

On the penltimate day of climbing on the race, Contador's Saxo team tried several times to test Team Sky and Froome by upping the pace on the last two of the stage's five climbs.

But while their efforts helped drop several of Froome's teammates, the Kenyan-born Briton finished on the wheel of Australian teammate Richie Porte, who had been briefly left trailing on the final climb.

Ahead of Saturday's final day in the Alps, the 125 km 19th stage from Annecy to the summit of Annecy-Semnoz, Froome looks virtually assured of succeeding compatriot and teammate Bradley Wiggins as the race champion.

Contador's biggest worry may now be protecting his runner's up place from Colombian climbing specialist Nairo Quintana, who is third overall at 5:32.

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SPORT

Inaugural Women’s Tour de France to start at Eiffel Tower

The route for the inaugural women's Tour de France was unveiled on Thursday with eight stages, embarking from the Eiffel Tower on July 24th next year.

Published: 14 October 2021 16:04 CEST
French cyclist Marion Rousse delivers a speech next to Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme during the presentation of the first edition of the Women's Tour de France cycling race.
French cyclist Marion Rousse delivers a speech next to Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme during the presentation of the first edition of the Women's Tour de France cycling race. Photo: Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP.

The first complete edition of the women’s version of cycling’s iconic race starts on the day the 109th edition of the men’s Tour ends.

After a route that winds through northern France, the race culminates in the Planche des Belles Filles climb in the Vosges mountains.

Danish cyclist Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig said she was over the moon to be taking part.

“I want it to be July now so we can get stared,” she said actually jumping up and down.

“The Tour de France is a reference and when you say you are a cyclist people ask about that. Now I can say I race the Tour de France,” she said after the presentation.

MAP: Details of 2022 Tour de France (and Denmark) revealed

Race director Marion Rousse, a former French cycling champion and now a TV commentator, told AFP it would be a varied course that would maintain suspense over the eight days.

“It is coherent in a sporting sense, and we wanted to start from Paris,” she said of the 1,029km run.

“With only eight stages we couldn’t go down to the Alps or the Pyrenees, the transfers would be too long.

“The stages obviously are shorter for the women than for the men’s races. The men can go 225 kilometres. For the women the longest race on our roster is 175km and we even needed special dispensation for that,” she said. “But it’s a course I love.”

Christian Prudhomme, the president of the Tour de France organisers, was equally enthusiastic.

“The fact it sets off from Paris the day the men’s race ends gives the new race a boost because it sets the media up to follow it more easily.

“It also means that with the Tour de France starting on July 1st and the women’s race ending on the 31st, there will be cycling on television every day of July.”

The men’s race is broadcast in around 190 countries.

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