TdF 2026

[Rene Artois]

With five racing days to go, it looks to be Pogacar who will win Le Tour.

After 15 stages and 2,471.5 km he has a five minute lead over Remco Evenepoel.

Monday (20/07) was a rest day.
Individual TT today (Tuesday 21/07)
Then a flat day.
Followed by 3 days in the mountains.
Stage 21 is the processional ride in to Paris.

We did Stage 8 on Saturday 11th July:
PÉRIGUEUX to BERGERAC

We pitched up at MOULEYDIER (15km from the finish) about 2 hours before the race leaders were due to go by.

The atmosphere was phenomenal. Eating, drinking, singing, more drinking, music booming out over PA system, dancing, more eating, did I mention the drinking?

The pre-race (arrival) sees each teams (22 teams) & sponsors promo cars / vans / floats / motorbikes etc go past with music blaring, (tied on) dancers gyrating, horns honking and promo items being thrown to the crowd from the multiple vehicles on each team.
I’d say that each team had between 10 to 20 vehicles, depending on the size / stature of the team.

Each fleet (team) of vehicles drove past with intervals of approximately 3 minutes between each ‘caravan’.

Then, we had the calm before the storm. A period of about 20 minutes where we waited, watching our phones and checking the latest info.

3 riders, Liam Slock (Lotto Intermarché), Jakub Otruba, and Thibault Guernalec made a break and rode for most of the day with a lead averaging between 2 mins & 2 mins 30 seconds over the Peleton.

With 40km to go, Slock attacked the two other breakaway riders and rode solo for the remainder of the stage.

When he went passed us (15km to go), he had a lead of 1 minute 45 seconds.

The speed at which the Peleton passed within inches of us was phenomenal.

Slock almost pulled off a sensational victory; the Peleton catching and passing him with just 1.3km (0.8 of a mile) to go to the finishing line.

A brave attempt by Slock for a stage win – a good day’s advertising for his team and their sponsors.

Loved it. Can’t wait to do it again next year!

[Rene Artois]

Slock with a 1 min 45 sec lead but 15km to go.

Here comes the Peleton:

Up close with the Peleton:

[alcazar]

We went to Brantome about ten years ago.
Found it dull.
Hours of sitting in the sun, then the peleton passed in under 30 seconds.

[Northumbiron]

Aye, not my cup of tea. If I want to see lycra clad blokes on bikes all I need to do is walk to the end of our road.

[Rene Artois]

I’ve being watching it since C4 first started broadcasting it in 1986.

Prior to that, the Milk Race frequently passed along the bottom of our road in the 70s & 80s.

As a small kid in the early 70s… it hooked me.

[Rene Artois]

Evenepoel won yesterday’s TT – taking 28 seconds out of Pogacar’s lead.

Still a huge gap at 4 min 32 secs.

[64]

I’ll be working on the 2027 version

[Rene Artois]

Stage 21
The last day.
The procession.
Pogacar & Mathieu Van der Poel hadn’t read the script!
Van der Poel… greatest finish ever?

[Rene Artois]

Talk to yourself Rene :-)

La Vuelta starts today.

[Iron-awe]

Fair play to you Rene but there does appear to be a general lack of interest on here about one of your obvious passions. You enjoy it mate and if it’s any consolation I do admire greatly the fitness levels and tenacity from these guys competing in such a gruelling energy sapping sport.

[Rene Artois]

[Author]

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