Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott) will line up as the defending champion at La Course by Le Tour de France on Friday in Pau, less than a week after celebrating her second consecutive victory at the Giro Rosa last Sunday.
It has been a long 10 days before the first rest day of the 2019 Tour de France, and the riders enjoyed a leisurely day in Albi, aside from the usual media obligations.
It’s not every day the Mayor calls (ok, the Mayor has never called me). But on July 2nd, District of North Vancouver Mayor Mike Little’s name popped up on my cell phone. In case you missed the hullabaloo, let’s go back in time a bit and see how we got here.
Entering the first rest day of the Tour de France, Romain Bardet had cause for celebration, or at least relief, having been among the GC contenders to avoid time losses on Monday's unexpected 'trap' stage to Albi.
Tim de Waele/Getty Images
Albi to Toulouse (167 km)
I said it in PdC’s stage draft and I think it’s been borne out by the first 10 stages-- it feels like the Giro and the Tour have swapped places this year.