You know its July when you see the polka dot jersey. Hes a look at the riders who might be sporting it soon.The mathsPoints are awarded as follows:hors catgorie (6 in total): 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-2 pointsCategory 1 climbs (13): 10-8-6-4-2-1 pointsCategory 2 (11) 5-3-2-1 pointsCategory 3 (21): 2-1 pointsCategory 4 (18): 1 pointThis is different to recent years where the highest climb of the race got double points, eg the Galibier or Loze saw 40-30-24 points etc to the first over. Before that the final HC climb of the day got double points. None of this happens in 2026, all HC climbs are equal.The routeThe competition should be lively from the start as the first week is a high-scoring one compared to the norm as there are plenty of climbs, including the Category 1 climb of the Collada de Toses on Stage 3 and the HC-rated Tourmalet on Stage 6 and this way whoever has the jersey at the end of the first week wont have it accidentally because of a breakaway.Stage 20 will settle things and is illustrative of several stages where the breakaway can go clear and score points even if they face being reeled in before the finish.How to win?There are two routes to the polka dot jersey. One is accidental where the GC contenders pick it up by virtue of being on the attack in the mountains for stage wins and time without really making it a priority, weve seen Tadej Pogaar (2020, 2021, 2025) and Jonas Vingegaard win the competition this way (2022), typically winning a mountain stage late in the third week to take over the lead.The other is the deliberate mountain raid from a climber who will go in the breakaway in the mountains and score on the first climbs and hope the move sticks to contest the stage but if not they can try a raid again and rack up points. Weve seen Giulio Ciccone (2023) and Richard Carapaz (2024) win the competition this way.The points system for 2026 tilts things more towards the latter scenario, including as many HC-rated climbs en route as there are at the stage finish. So score big on HC climbs early in a stage and here and there elsewhere in the race and a rider could have a cushion on Pogaar. Note tilt and the conditional tense, if Pogaar wakes up wanting to win a stage and mow down the breakaway itll happen.ContendersLenny Martinez (Bahrain) wore the jersey last year and has improved since. This year the goal has been to try riding for GC in week-long stage races but more in dull terms of process, of steadiness and practicing the logistics required. But now at the Tour hes got more freedom to ride for himself, he wants a stage win or the polka dots and can probably manage both. Hes been an erratic rider in the past but hes still a few days short of turning 23 but is now rounding out.Richard Carapaz (EF Education-Easypost) won in 2024 and says he is in great shape now. His pre-Tour quote adds the general classification will depend heavily on how the race circumstances unfold. I want to go after stage wins and could try to repeat winning the mountains jersey which is probably code for saying he knows he cant match Pogaar and Vingegaard so unless he infiltrates a move and takes time, itll be stage wins and polka dots like in 2024. Hell like the third week especially. Carapaz is illustrative because a rider of his stature still has to pick goals.You never know what youll get with Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) and hed probably like a stage win and some good finish on GC but these goals risk being in opposition. Hes well-suited to the task of fetching the polka dots, punchy atop a mountain and crafty but does he want it?Imagine Mikel Landa in the drops as he crests a high mountain pass. Only the cult of landismo is banished for July as hes not been selected by Soudal-Quickstep. Instead his apprentice can try. One reason Valentin Paret-Peintre left Decathlon was he was getting tired of the teams focus on sports science and he wanted more freedom to train as he wants and also to learn from Landa. VPP is a contender for the jersey and a canny rider but his ultralight build makes sprinting for points harder against beefier rivals.Netcompany-Ineos dont come with any obvious GC leaders. If theyre after other forms of success then this competition ought to interest them. Thymen Arensman won two stages last and was fourth in the competition but how to improve, as we saw at the Giro he can climb well but not make darting accelerations. Kvin Vauquelin is faster and suited to this competition but will he try for GC first and so not score on some of the earlier days in the mountains?If the Aura Tour was practice for the Tour then Clment Braz Afonso (Groupama-FDJ) gets a mention for winning the mountains competition there but makes his Tour debut and this time winning means scaling higher mountains more often, its hard to see him getting the better of Martinez and Carapaz. Tenth in the Tour last year, Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies) has missed out on a lot with a knee injury at times unable to pedal on one leg, once reduced to walking uphill to his home because he could not pedal but now looks fully recovered and beginning to look consistent too. Hell have space to move but winning the jersey is a tough ask. Einer Rubio (Movistar) is in the pure climber bracket and has a Lenny Martinez-like craftiness. Michael Storer (Tudor) can climb well at the best of times and maybe needs some stars to align but if they do on the right day hes a contender too. Harald Tejada (XDS-Astana) is having a good season.Tadej Pogaar (UAE) especially, and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-LAB) get mentions. The central case is that as GC contenders they stand collect the jersey on the way to something bigger; but theres also the consolation angle where if one is sapped from the Giro or the other is short of form then stage wins and the mountains competition can compensate although its hard to see Pogaar folding and settling for polka dots.Richard Carapaz, Lenny MartinezTadej PogaarVP-P, Pidcock, Storer, VingegaardFinally as much we can identify contenders, the thing to hope for is a contest that comes alive in the mountains and is sustained to the end.The post Tour de France Mountains Competition Contenders first appeared on The Inner Ring.

The Tour de France gets a new climb, the Col du Haag. A dilapidated forest road has been repurposed into a cycle path and now awaits Tadej Pogaar and company as the final climb on Stage 14. Whats it like on a quiet day?The RouteThe climb starts in the town of Saint-Amarin in the Haut-Rhin department of eastern France. It is 11.1km long with an average slope of 7.3%.The FeelThe valley road is the Nationale 66 and its busy, although it never felt hectic. There are side roads if you want a quieter ride but linking these up is something locals know better than mapping software. Similarly there are cycle paths but theyre often disjointed, hop onto a side-route and you risk being pointed perpendicularly back onto the N66 moments later.Starting in Saint-Amarin its gentle for half a kilometre to the church but Discover the Tours route is stencilled in yellow on the tarmac, a clue to whats coming. Soon the slope kicks up to 11-12% as you pass houses where parked cars sit with wooden chocks under the wheels. Dont be tempted to clear the first this ramp with a burst on the pedals because it only eases briefly and then you face a kilometre of over 10%.Once you get to the woodland you can shift up a couple of gears. Follow the first hairpin round and ignore the turning for Meerbaechel. From here youre back in low gears for two kilometres at 10-12%.Its steep but pleasantly shaded. When you see the leafy canopy ending its a clue the slope will too. Theres a brief descent to eat and drink but not easy on as the road is bumpy here. Youll pass a fountain on the right if you want water.Leaving Geishouse is where the route gets novel. From here the road to the pass is on a dedicated pedestrian and cycle path. Look for the green signage and the turning should be obvious as it heads uphill.This is strictly closed to vehicles, barring a few locals with a pass. Swerve the gate to find three lanes like an athletics track: left for cyclists coming down, middle for you climbing and right for pedestrians. Its like this all the way for 5.5km to the top.On a weekend morning in summer there were no hikers so youre better off in the pedestrian lane on the right to leave space for those bombing down on a bike. The whole road cycle path is little more than four metres wide.Its a steep 9-12% for long sections. But without any abrupt changes and a smooth surface it rolls by well. Despite the Tour de France novelty this path isnt new and the bitumen has faded grey and already beginning to suffer some gentle frost damage. You can notice these details when its 12% for a long while.Tall pines provide horizontal cover to block views but not always the sun above. After 9km the slope eases long enough to get in the big chainring.You can speed to the virage hibou (owl bend) but shift gears before the strigine carving as the hairpin pivots you into a 12% slope, you can imagine many chains being dropped here. It eases briefly and then the last ramp up begins.When you spot the farm buildings ahead youre nearing the top but the final sting is yet to come with a final kick to the top.The VerdictA peaceful climb, this is a commendable initiative to give cyclists a reserved route up to the Route des Crtes. If they had just repaired the road itd be a nice ride but the real win comes from creating a dedicated cycle and pedestrian route. You get to the Vosges almost all to yourself.Only its not all bucolic forests. This is probably the hardest climb in the Vosges in terms of slope and distance combined, the %2 x km formula. The only negative is the lack of views on the way up but youll get plenty from the top.AdviceIts better to climb than descend. This is a cycle path and its not wide, you cant carve a hairpin bend and if you come around a corner to find two cyclists side-by-side on their way up, you only have a small space to pass. Its doable but it just works better going up.It is steep with long sections at 10-12%. Go equipped with gearing to suit.Its reminiscent of the Col de la Loze as a cycle path in the mountains. Only if it has steep moments its way more regular and predictable, you wont be shifting gears and standing on the pedals from one minute to the next.The farm at the top serves local food. If you want to stop anywhere for a bite or drink, try this place. The better the inn does from cyclists, the more it justifies the cycle path investment and future resurfacing. Theres fleischschnacka and Munster cheese and blueberry tart.Ride moreGet to the top and youre on the Route des Crtes. You can turn right to complete the Col du Grand Ballon, only only about a kilometre away and about 100m more of climbing. It offers even better views, although with the vibe of a busy car park. Go left and you soon reach the Markstein ski area with several junctions giving you plenty of Vosgian variety.The Vosges are great. This years Tour stage can give you ideas: start in Saint-Amarin to climb the Col du Haag, then go left to the Markstein and follow the Tour route via Kruth to Bussang and then do the Ballon dAlsace and the Col de Hundsrucken to reach Saint-Amarin again after 110km. This route has a mix of major roads and minor ones.The Alps are near enough to see on a good day, a massive draw with boss-level ascents and breathtaking scenery. Only the Vosges complement the Alps well, a place to try longer climbs and descents if youre new to riding in mountains but all on a confidence-boosting scale; and if youve had your fill of the high mountains theres plenty of charm too and the ability to construct routes with plenty of climbs and descents in a day instead of just a handful.Haag HistoryA haag is a old German word meaning an enclosed or fenced area and there has been a farm here for centuries.The Tour de France has done the Col du Haag many times but dont worry if youve never heard of it. Its because the Tour has ridden along the Route des Crtes, the touristy road than runs roughly east-west along the ridge line. The pass sits near the Grand Ballon and isnt remarkable when ridden in this direction, just as you may not have heard of the nearby Col du Moorfeld or the Col dAmic either.For visiting cyclists, walkers and motorbikers the farm at the Haag has been a stopping point for snacks and a view. It belongs to the village of Geishouse below and there had long been a path up. In 1960 this trail was tarmacked and but gradually fell into ruin. It ended up the preserve of local hunters in 4x4s, motorcyclists with adventure bikes, and gravel bikers.The mayor of Geishouse wanted to repair it but at 400,000 the cost was exorbitant for the locals. So he hit on the idea of making others pay. In another story of Frances layercake local government, he pitched a cycle path tourist attraction. In came funding from central government, the region, the dpartment and several nearby towns totalling 600,000.Some locals objected saying the road would be closed to them at the expense of visiting cyclists, itd be a long detour to get to the farm. The solution was gates where some locals get pass to operate them so if you spot a car its probably legit. The road was fully resurfaced in 2023.When to visit?People living within half a days travel the area is popular with Dutch and Belgians could spot a warm weekend in March or April to tackle some climbs but otherwise mid-May to October is ideal, its busy in July and August with holidaymakers.Travel and accessBasel in Switzerland probably has the best travel connections with air, road and rail, its a hub sitting between France and Germany but itd be too far to ride out from each day. In France Mulhouse and Colmar are the nearest cities but sit on the plains and require a ride.For the Col du Haag towns in the Thur valley like Fellering, Saint-Amarin and Thann make for a good base and are served by rail.More roads to ride at inrng.com/roadsThe post Roads to Ride: Col du Haag first appeared on The Inner Ring.

Want to know when every Tour de France stage is on, even need to plan daily life around them for the next month? Heres the calendar to view or download to your phone.The stages of the mens and womens Tours are included together.The stages come with the days timing from KM0 (and not the start of the neutral parade) to the finish so you can plan any meetings around them although right now the womens timings are not published so the stages are just listed as all day events. These have been entered in the local time (CEST / GMT+2) for the race and normally they adjust to your devices time zone.Obviously the finish time will vary according to the racing, the weather, the times used here are the central forecast from the organisers. This should be useful as the timing of the finish does vary significantly across the three weeks, excluding the final stage in Paris other days have finishes between 4pm and 6pm CEST.Theres a subjective * star rating from 1-3 to suggest the most important or exciting days but stay tuned, what looks a processional flat stage where nobody might attack can could become a summer classic if theres wind.Download to your phone or diary iCalAn iCal is a calendar file that you can store on your phone or electronic diary like Outlook or Calendar. There are several ways to get this on to your computer or phone.Subscribe and get automatic updates for any changes: The recommended option is to subscribe by copying the iCal URL:https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/fe74a42056e9e65980cf76848978db7cdfcdffc9a0aed19f4f927aa4542312c5%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.icsThe descriptions below should help but with device and software updates they might not always be the exact path.If you use MacOS copy the URL and open the Calendar app. Then got to File > New Calendar Subscription) and paste in the link and youre doneiPhone/iPad users should push and hold down a finger here , wait for the pop up message and select Copy Link. Then on your device go to settings > calendar > accounts > add account > other > add subscribed calendar > paste in the URL in the server fieldIf you use Microsoft Outlook on the web copy the URL and then go to Calendar/Calendar icon > Open Calendar > From Internet > and paste the URL to subscribe > OK > YesGoogle Calendar: If you use Google Calendar then click on the + icon on the bottom-right of the calendar window above. Note this method can work with Android phones when the iCal file might not although you might need the Google Sync calendar appYou can also download the tiny iCal file and import this manually too, right-click here and save.Hopefully you can figure it out. In case anyone worries about downloading files from a sports blog, these these files are generated, hosted and delivered by Google.If youd like something similar for the whole cycling season then youll find this at inrng.com/calendar.The post Tour de France iCal first appeared on The Inner Ring.

Many national championships take place this week but often a countrys best rider is not taking part. Tadej Pogaar wont race in Slovenia, Jonas Vingegaard wont race in Denmark, nor Paul Seixas in France, Mathieu van der Poel in the Netherlands, Remco Evenepoel in Belgium and so on. This is causing a headache for national federations.Riders skipping the nationals isnt a new thing. Alberto Contador did it regularly. Chris Froome road the GB champs in 2010 before he was famous, and never again. But it does feel more pronounced. When Paul Seixas unveiled his plans to ride the Tour de France last April, this explicitly included skipping the nationals.Outwardly the national championships are a day, or rather several days with time trials and age categories, to award a title but theyre also an event promoted by national federations and one of the rare moments where the public gets to see the federation in action. Its a shop window and sometimes a money spinner if they can sell the TV rights and bank hosting fees. But this is diminished if the star power isnt there.The course can play a role, Vingegaard wont find terrain to suit in the Danish championships but then Mads Pedersen isnt riding either. Many riders dont live in their home country either. The explanation for the absence is that several riders with an eye on the Tour de France tend to skip the nationals because it gets in the way of their plans. Riders must leave altitude camps, the race itself is often gruelling meaning they have to rest after when theyd rather finish a couple of dedicated training sessions this weekend and early next week. Theres always the crash risk too. In short because the best riders are going to the Tour de France theyre by extension sitting out the nationals.The championships can still count, a rider who is on the long list for the Tour de France and wins their road race title this weekend might get the nod because of this. But this holds for riders well outside the superstar bracket who would draw audiences to the champs.Some federations are thinking about a date change. But what to do? One idea is to hold the championships around the time of the world championships, so riders could race nationals one week and the worlds the next, or vice versa. But not easy, other parts of the calendar might have to be moved to fit this, eg no Vuelta or Lombardia overlap. Plus come the worlds plenty of riders have effectively ended their season already and so a September slot is no guarantee of participation. Pick any slot on the calender and it clashes with other races and objectives. A post-Tour slot? Sure but how many tired riders would prefer to take a break.Another option is compulsion. In Belgium pro cyclists are obliged to take part. Only several high profile riders are not, like Remco Evenepoel and Tim Wellens. They risk being suspended by the Belgian federation for nine days which means being ineligible for the Tour de France start. But a doctors note can absolve them. Only if theyre in peak form ahead of the Tour de France, what does the doctor do? Is it ethical to fake a problem, or to exaggerate a niggle as sufficient to exclude them? Its happened before and itll happen again and risks making the federation look powerless.For Red Bull theres an added challenge because they lied about Evenepoel taking part in the Tour of Flanders, denying he would race it only to reveal in the build-up that he would take part, including releasing videos of him riding the route filmed during the Christmas holidays to show it was always part of the plan. Their media stunt grabbed attention but comes with a price and so whatever excuse they say about him now, nobody will believe them. This is not a huge deal, but does count.Different teams have different priorities. Some love them as a source of UCI points. Some sponsors crave a national champion, others are indifferent or even slightly averse. Many companies today have brand manuals that run to many pages detailing the corporate typeface, the exact design of their logo, the precise colour tones and so on in part predicted on a unique international corporate identity so merging this with a national flag can give marketing departments sponsoring cycling teams a cold sweat.ConclusionThe Tour de France dominates the calendar and now it is even casting a shadow over the national championships. It feels more pronounced and routine now to skip the championships this week. Theres no obvious solution to remedy this, a date change has consequences and as Belgian shows even compulsion doesnt work.Napoleon is reported to have said a soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of coloured ribbon and the same holds for a national jersey. For those on the startline its a special race with a year-long reward.The post National No-Shows first appeared on The Inner Ring.

The Tour de France guide with all the stage profiles on one page along with a summary of each stageat inrng.com/tour and from here to July available via the menu at the top of the page.Once the race rulebook is published there will be details on the points and mountains competitions, time cuts and more for easy reference during July.Route Summary54,450m of vertical gain in total, the third most mountainous route in the last 20 years (average is 50,400m) but a lot of this climbing is away from the set-piece mountain stages and reserved for battles stages in the mid-mountains. There are seven summit finishes but some are mild like Les Angles and Gavarnie. One solo time trial with 26km makes it the third lightest for TT distance in the last 20 years (average 50km). The sprinters get five clear chances, the same as last year but those with range have a shot at more wins.The start in Barcelona obliges an early visit to the Pyrenees and so these are more hors-duvre than main course. Indeed the route seems designed to leave the reveal of the winner for as late as possible with mid-mountain stages that look promising for frantic breakaway days, although even better if the big names want to try too.Theres no realistic course that could trouble Pogaar a blend of 21 sprints and time trials could thwart him but its not a realistic prospect and so even if we think we know the winner already, plenty of stages along the way offer amusement before the Alpe dHuez finale.Stage 1 Saturday 4 JulyA team time trial in Barcelona. Held in the evening, the time of each team is taken on their first rider across the line and all riders get credited with the time it takes them to complete the course. Its on big boulevards at first where strong riders can propel their teams before two climbs in Montjuc where team leaders will make their bids for the first yellow jersey.Stage 2 Sunday 5 JulyA spin up the Mediterranean coast then turning inland to add some climbing in the hills before a finishing circuit in Barcelona with the finish again in Montjuc. The finish line is in the same place as the first stage but the preceding climb is different, its steeper and was used when the Vuelta a Espaa finished here in 2023. If it helps imagine the Volta a Catalunya finish, just harder.Stage 3 Monday 6 JulyA mountain stage? It goes into the Pyrenees, there are 3,850m of vertical gain and the finish is just short of 1,800m above sea level so yes. The finish isnt savage but has some hairpins and should give us a glimpse of form. Stage 4 Tuesday 7 July2,700m of vertical gain and this looks like an ideal mid-mountain stage for the breakaway, especially if the yellow jersey after Barcelona and Les Angles wants to give it away to better reclaim it later. Its all on scenic roads of the Aude and Arige.Stage 5 Wednesday 8 JulyThe stage goes to Pau for the 77th time. Its not totally flat but this is a day for the sprinters.Stage 6 Thursday 9 JulyThe Tourmalet awaits after the classic route out of Pau via Lourdes to the Col dAspin. So far, so dj vu but the finish is novel with the climb to the village of Gavarnie. Its a spectacular location inside a national park which explains why the race hasnt been here before and if it works it opens up more routes thats exciting as same road goes on to the Col de Tentes at over 2,200m but next time as that would be too much for the first Thursday.Stage 7 Friday 10 JulyA sprint finish in Bordeaux. Well see if anyone attacks at all given the move is certain to be reeled in.Stage 8 Saturday 11 JulyA sprint stage, this time arguably more scenic as it follows the Dordogne valley to Bergerac.Stage 9 Sunday 12 JulyA day for the breakaway on hilly terrain with sapping rural roads that offer little rest. Its likely more teams have spent more time analysing this stage than the Alpe dHuez days as so many will want to go for the win on a day with plenty of uncategorised climbs. Expect a raucous first hour and more.Stage 10 Tuesday 14 JulyBastille day and its back to Le Lioran for the third time this decade after 2020 and 2024. Visitors to the ski station could be forgiven for thinking theres only one road there as the same roads are used again: the steep Pas de Peyrol and the Col de Pertus leading to the Font de Cre. Its no bad thing, a photofinish was needed to separate Tadej Pogaar and Jonas Vingegaard last time.Stage 11 Wednesday 15 JulyA flat stage to Nevers. When Paris-Nice came here in 2024 the team time trial found a steep hill to spice up the finish but this time its a day pledged to the sprinters.Stage 12 Thursday 16 JulyHillier than the previous stage, the sprinters will be desperate to take this as afterwards their opportunities vanish.Stage 13 Friday 17 JulyThe first two editions of the Tour de France did cross some small mountain passes and hills but in 1905 the Ballon dAlsace was the first big mountain tackled by the race. Today it takes 150km to reach it which is a problem for the eventual stage winner as theyll have to cope with pushing a big gear for hours before finding their climbing legs to make their winning move. Will the GC riders attack? Dont bet on it given the next stage.Stage 14 Saturday 18 JulyOnly 155km and 3,800m of vertical gain but this is a crucial stage. The race has crossed the Col du Haag many times but in passing along the ridge of the Grand Ballon. Now it takes a new route up, a forest track thats been paved to use as a cycle path and its steep and cycle-path wide in places, think an Alsatian version of the Col de Loze.Stage 15 Sunday 19 JulyWith luck we could have two races for the price of one as the breakaway goes clear to contest the stage win and the GC contenders battle it out. The stage opens in the Jura mountains and some gentle but persistent climbs. The new climb is Mont Salve, climbed via the direct route on the north-west flank and while the profile says its 4.7km at 11%, it climbs to the start making it 9km at 9% and the upper half has sustained sections at 15% so plenty will be dropped here. Theres still about a third of the stage left before the final climb to the Plateau de Solaison, 11km at 9% where Isaac del Toro just wrapped up the Aura Tour.Stage 16 Tuesday 21 JulyA time trial on the shores of Lake Geneva. The hilly climb out of Evian is gradual, it climbs at 3% most of the time on a regular road before a trickier descent. What looks flat for the final 8km is twisty in Thonon.Stage 17 Wednesday 22 JulyPlenty of jagged peaks and cliffs on the horizon but the route avoids the mountain roads. It still crosses the Massif des Bauges and climbs to the Col du Frne before dropping back to skirt the start town of Chambry and then take the Col de Couz before the route reaches the plains for Voiron which hosted the Vueltas French arrival last year. Sold as a sprint stage when presented last autumn, many will be tired now and this is a great day for a breakaway battle.Stage 18 Thursday 23 JulyA ski station summit finish that avoids the high passes, the Col de la Festinire comes after Monteynard and no surprises before the finish in Orcire-Merlette, 7km at 6.5%. It featured in the 2020 Tours first week and the low gradient saw teams ride up in train formation and anyone who struck out was mown down. Coming in the third week means it should be different and a breakaway should be clear for the stage win.Stage 19 Friday 24 JulyJust 130km. The Bayard and then Noyer climbs will sting early on as a move tries to go clear for the day. The Col dOrnon is a gentle climb before a spectacular descent to Le Bourg dOisans. Then come the 21 hairpins 23 if you actually count them to the finish line in Alpe dHuez, back after a four year hiatus. Its famous for being famous but with 13km at over 8% its a decisive climb.Stage 20 Saturday 26 JulyAfter the pelotons had a rough nights sleep at 1900m in Alpe dHuez here comes the Queen Stage with 5,600m of vertical gain. The Croix de Fer is a big start and then comes the mighty Galibier, the high point of the Tour. The plot twist is rather than the descent all the way to Le Bourg dOisans at the foot of Alpe dHuez, a right turn instead to tackle the Col de Sarenne which leads onto Alpe dHuez via a backroad. The Sarenne has been used before but as a descent and the climb is tougher than the stats suggest.Stage 21 Sunday 26 JulyIts back to Paris with the Rue Le Pic and Montmartre making an encore after the thrills they supplied the last time. The Paris match will be slightly different this time with a longer passage along the Champs-Elyses in between to lengthen the laps and give some riders more chance to chase in between the ascents of Montmartre.The Unmissable StagesDo you really want to miss anything? Every stage is live from start to finish and with most of the best riders present and in peak form theres an intensity and pressure only felt at the Tour.The easy advice is to say watch almost everything but on the sprint stages tune in for the finish; but if you did that last year youd have missed Jonas Rickaert and Mathieu van der Poels thrilling move.Stage 1 should look the part amid the landmarks of Barcelona and the team time trial is now a televisual event thanks to the rule timing riders individuallyStage 2 should offer lively sport in the finishStage 6 for the Tourmalet and Gavarnie finishStage 9 for the breakaway battle, the first hour could be more thrilling than the lastStage 14 for the Vosges mountains and the Haag summit finishStage 15 for the Plateau de Solaison finishStage 19 for the Alpe dHuez summit finishStage 20 and the Alpe dHuez encore, hopefully theres some suspense leftStage 21 for the Paris match in MontmartreThe post Tour de France Stage Guide first appeared on The Inner Ring.

The Tour de Suisse starts in Italy today and there are only five stages. What was once the fourth biggest stage race on the World Tour calendar has now become the joint-shortest.If Pogaar wins on Sunday hell add the Tour de Suisse to his palmars where hes got little else to win beyond the Vuelta and Olympics. If Primo Rogli wins hell add the only missing stage race, alongside the Tour of course. Missing because the Tour de Suisse has been held up as a week-long race to go alongside the Dauphin, the Tour of the Basque Country, Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico and other pillars of the calendar. Now at five days nobody will put an asterisk next to the Tour de Suisse but it is not what it was.The Tour de Suisse started in 1933. Despite the French name, it was organised by the Schweizerischer Radfahrer Bund, one of two cycling federations Switzerland at the time and as the name hints, held in the German-speaking cantons. Rather than being called the Schweizer Rundfahrt, French was for long the international language of cycling and the Tour de Suisse label was used.The race has shrunk over time. It used to have a mid-week start and finish. In 1986 it started on a Tuesday and after 12 days of racing finished on a Friday. In 2004 it settled on the weekend-to-weekend format, nine days of racing from Saturday to Sunday. In 2021 it went to eight days, Sunday to Sunday.Now at five days the race is shorter than the Tour Down Under and the Tour de Romandie and only matched by the Renewi Tour which is five days too. Anything less probably wouldnt be allowed as a World Tour stage race.Embed from Getty ImagesWhy the shrinkage? Theres some spin around this. The womens Tour de Suisse is growing from three days to five so the mens reduction has been presented as equalisation. Its great that the women get five days. But what is also happening is the womens race happens in the morning, the men in the afternoon and on the same course which allows for savings as the organisers have the same finish arch in place, the same staff on the ground. Putting the womens race in the morning gives them low audiences compared to the mens race in the late afternoon.In an interview with newspaper HLN (paywall), Thomas Spiegel of race shareholder Flanders Classics (it bought in 2023) call it a facelift and say the race has been condensed to better accommodate riders wishing to dip and in out of pre-Tour altitude training camps.Read the Swiss press and there is less spin, the race has been shortened because it has had financial and logistical difficulties. New website Watson.ch says the Tour de Suisse budget last year was eight million Swiss francs (8.7m), of which the womens race was one million and it lost several hundred thousand francs. Now the budget is cut to six million and putting on both races together saves money. But a shrinking race is less valuable, five days of content rather than eight.Similarly the concept of having the start and finish in the same place each day has its merits, the idea is to create an event for the day rather than seeing the buses park, riders assemble then then ride away. But again this is not always by choice, other reports suggest the race was struggling to find routes with locals and business frustrated by road closures.Embed from Getty ImagesWhat happens in here though can happen elsewhere. The Tour of California came and went because it was financially unviable. The Volta Catalunya has needed emergency loans in the past. The Tour de Romandie has financial troubles today. If wealthy Switzerland has problems running bike races, look at its neighbouring countries with high debts that are looking for savings and sports are an easy cut. But countries like the UK and Germany only have small races.Embed from Getty ImagesNone of this criticism is meant to be against the race. Theres the famous joke told by Woody Allen at the start of his film Annie Hall where he cites two women at a resort and one says Boy the food at this place is really terrible and the other says Yeah, I know, and such small portions. Today the only complaint is that the serving has shrunk, the dish remains mouthwatering. Give me more racing, give me the Sustenpass, the Furka, the Grosse Scheidegg, the Albula, the Gotthard and its Tremola cobbles, glacial lakes and landscapes that evoke the Sound of Music and Heidi, the Shangri-La for Alpine cycling, and all in the sublime June sunshine.ConclusionA diminished Tour de Suisse goes from eight to five days. Once heralded as the fourth stage race of the season, now its ranks alongside the Renewi Tour, although with far better scenery. Contrary to some reports, the shrinkage is because of financial losses.The dual format of men and women will be interesting to watch, as will the circuits format but less from a sports viewpoint and more the insider perspective of logistics and event management. Theres plenty to enjoy, the wish is there was more.The post The Shrinking Tour de Suisse first appeared on The Inner Ring.

A mid-summer look at the team standings now the Tour de France looms large.UAE lead the rankings but the surprise is theyre not that far ahead. Its easily explained by Tadej Pogaar not racing as much this season as before and their Giro being reduced to stage hunting but the result is theyre less than two thousand points clear when this time last year they were ahead by over six thousand.A year ago too Lidl-Trek were in second place but now sit in sixth place, the result of their modest start to the season which has seen a management shake-up take place. Lidl now owns the team and so is able to directly hold managers accountable. But just as in football its easy but expensive to rotate management but this rarely guarantees change as a successful manager on a team is often the product of a system rather than a lone genius.Visma-LAB sit third and a reminder that theres still no replacement sponsor for the Norwegian IT firm. Ahead of the Giro Jonas Vingegaard said he was relaxed as if theres no title sponsorship deal then the team will still be underwritten by Dutch billionaire Robert van der Wallen something the team was quick to tackle as the we dont really need a sponsor message was not helpful and presupposes the generosity of Van der Wallen. As rich as he might be and with Visma keen to remain a smaller sponsor, there are millions to backfill quickly so its a concern theres no news. Fingers crossed for a Tour rest day press conference with some good news.Relegation candidates last time, Jayco are clear this time so something to cheer but their best scorer Mauro Schmid is off to Q36.5 next year and theres no visibility for the team in terms of ongoing sponsorship. Having points is necessary to avoid relegation but not sufficient if the funding has dried up.The grey line on the chart represents the border between 18th and 19th place. Notionally this is the relegation point at the end of the 2026-2027-2028 cycle. Its far away, and also conditional on there being 18 teams in the World Tour. Still we can see a cluster of teams around this point. With Q36.5 and Tudor expanding and hiring more riders points machine Arnaud De Lie is set to join Tudor and Cofidis just doing alright its putting pressure on other teams. Romain Grgoire has extended his deal with Groupama-FDJ, something the team really needed as hes been their best points scorer but as they unload other riders well see who they sign.20th placed EF have twin problems of few points and a sponsor search with no news. Officially the idea is to find a new sponsor to pour more money on top to expand the team budget but its also signalling EF is stepping off the team budget inflation train and in the absence of a new title sponsor budgets will be tight. All this goes together as the results so far may not be enticing new backers given as things stand they face relegation, although the Dauphin helped for publicity and so will a good Tour de Suisse and Tour de France for points if Richard Carapaz thrives and the quality of the roster should help them score once injured riders find form. For now Alex Baudin is their top scorer on 933 points. A regular reminder that for this team and all others new sponsorship contracts needs to filed for the UCIs soft deadline of October and so a deal ought to be signed already.Poor Picnic-PostNL sit in 28th place. The lack of results is obvious, just one win this season but its so much worse than that with few placings thanks to a series of injuries, all on a squad with few stars beyond Fabio Jakobsen who alas seems to be heading for retirement. Beyond the results, doing daily previews here means downloading the official results sheets every evening and this technical document lists the results, standings in all the points competitions, any commissaire decisions for fines and yellow cards and more, including the order of team vehicles for the following day which is ordered by the position of the first rider from each team on the overall classification. Often the Dutch team is last pictured and it must weigh on staff as they sit so far from the action each day. Theres no end in sight with their best scorer Pavel Bittner nursing an ankle injury and uncertain for the Tour; their most talented rider Max Poole is still struck by post-viral fatigue and hoping to ride the Vuelta.Theres the three year promotion and relegation cycle far away on the horizon but also the one year rankings. Bardiani-CSF now sit in 30th place and so are eligible, just, for an invite to the Giro next year because of the rule that says only teams in the top-30 can ride a grand tour. Note Modern Adventure Cycling have impressed by winning the Tour de Wallonie against World Tour opposition but the US team only has 906 points and 32nd place so far.Kern Pharma are due to stop at the end of the season; plus theres no news on a replacement sponsor for TotalEnergies but note if these teams vanish it does not advantage the remaining squads for next year. The rule is written such that the top-30 is based on the end of year rankings rather than the start of next season among ongoing teams; it ought to be revised.ConclusionCount the points today but watch the sponsors. Picnic-PostNL are into the relegation battle already thanks to a dire score but while they and several other teams aim to score, their survival is conditional on financial backing. Will Picnic renew, would another company be interested in taking over?Its early in the three year cycle to assess the other teams for the relegation contest due in 2028 but any crystal ball is clouded further by question of which teams are still around by then. The upcoming Tour de France will play its outsized role here, both in terms of results and VIP moments with potential backers.The post UCI Team Rankings first appeared on The Inner Ring.

Isaac del Toro rides solo to the Plateau de Solaison. Third overall in the morning, he overtook Luke Tuckwell and Matteo Jorgenson to take the stage and the race overall, all with a comfortable margin.Hurrah for the breakaways. Alex Baudin won Stage 1. Having gone clear in a breakaway, the move looked likely to be reeled in only for Baudin to strike out and profit from a stand-off among the GC contenders but no fluke, he held off the field. A big win for EF that is the lowest-ranked World Tour team. The second lowest is Groupama-FDJ and Clment Braz Afonso was in the move too and if caught, he started to collect points for the mountains competition which hed win, some cheer for his team.Anthon Charmig won Stage 2 and the strongest rider in a lively final hour as the breakaway riders kept attacking each other. It was close for Henri-Franois Haquin in second place, for a team thats only had one win this second place probably counts (NB he is listed everywhere as Henri-Franois Renard-Haquin but his real name is Henri-Franois Haquin).Stage 3 was the team time trial and further proof the Paris-Nice rules format works as a televisual spectacle. Seeing Stefan Bissegger and Wout van Aert dropped prematurely was live drama rather than the team adjusting its speed in order to allow them to sit on the back. Visma-LAB won the stage and we can probably say Netcompany-Ineos lost it thanks to two unshipped chains and when Oscar Onley dropped his they all waited costing them the nine seconds that saw them finish second. UAE were ninth at one minute but with hindsight this was alright defensively given the poor form of Joo Almeida and this was not their Tour team minus Pogaar. EF did well to keep Baudin in yellow.There was more breakaway action on Stage 4 with Quinn Simmons winning the stage. Most interestingly this was not the early breakaway stays away surprie see Frederik Dverness Giro stage win in Milan for a recent example instead it was a tussle between the break and the bunch with a group of strong riders going clear knowing there were few sprint teams in the race and the battle went all the way to the final kilometre.With Stage 5 finishing in a bunch sprint and a win for Wout van Aert you wonder if one or two teams missed a trick in not bringing their sprinter and a couple of workhorse riders as while this was a mountain race, having a shot at two World Tour sprints was an opportunity, especially for teams who knew they had little chance in the mountains. Seventh on the day helped Nadav Raisberg of NSN win 10 points on his way to taking the points competition at the end.Stage 6 saw a 60-rider breakaway get away early. We didnt get to see this as the TV coverage was typically for the final 90 minutes of each day. In the past the race clashed with the Roland-Garros tennis meaning FranceTV had few resources and schedule availability for the Dauphin; this time there was no overlap with the tennis but the French state broadcaster is being asked to make big savings and many of the cuts are falling on its sports output so while wed all want more, the worry is we might have less next year and if you watch Eurosport, Flo or whatever note this includes you as they rely on the host broadcaster. We did get to see Maxim Van Gils taking his second ever World Tour win, fully recovered from his tangle with Tom Pidcock in Februarys Clsica Jan to out-sprint Tobias Halland Johannessen. Behind Paul Seixas started to make up for lost time and only Isaac del Toro could match him but on the short climb to Crest-Volland the time gaps were small. Third on the day was Luke Tuckwell who took yellow to add to the cheer for Red Bull.If Seixas was on the up, he was down the next day with a crash early on Stage 7 that saw him slide along the ground. It took him almost four minutes to get going but hed chase and despite other teams paying him the compliment of riding to keep him clear he made it back, but with the injuries and effort he blew on the final climb. Juan Ayuso launched a move on the steep early slopes of the Grand Colombier only for the panache to turn to ache as he paid for the move and was overtaken by Del Toro.The final day saw a strong breakaway of climbers but they were overhauled on the final climb. Del Toro struck out solo and finished a minute clear to take the stage and the overall win.The VerdictRegularly a highlight of the year, this vintage is unlikely to be a top pick, it was enjoyable for the breakaways but the overall race didnt offer surprise.This was an emphatic win for Del Toro, his biggest triumph so far. He might have lost the Giro a year ago but he now has an Alpine stage win to his name and he did this patiently and methodically, making moves that always delivered and overcoming his teams weak time trial.Extrapolating from the week to the Tour de France is often a fraught exercise. It works best or is just easier when taking incontrovertible evidence rather than a flash moment, for example last years podium here was also the Tour podium in Paris. So Del Toros consistency across the three mountain stages will be reassuring for him and depressing for rivals at the Tour de France as he could accompany Tadej Pogaar far, not just on a summit finish but to the podium in Paris.Plenty leave the race with work to do but theres only three weeks to fix things, very little. Remco Evenepoel showed it can be done, visibly losing a lot of weight in short space of time between the 2024 Dauphin and the Tour. Still Juan Ayuso was good but not sparking, but still ahead of Mattias Skjelmose who was more conservative but had less to show for it. Tobias Halland Johannessen was very good for Uno-X but he was fifth last year before finishing sixth in the Tour, would Uno-X sign today for this again? Matteo Jorgenson was good but when riding high on GC it always looked like the high mountains would be a challenge, does he settle for being a contender in week-long stage races and then folding in behind Vingegaard in grand tours? Cian Uitdebroeks was solid for Movistar but unspectacular.All these riders fared better than those that left it earlier. Seixas crashed out, his injuries on Stage 7 saw him leave on Stage 8, if he only had abrasions it means rather than cruising for the next few days hell be swapping bandages and sleeping badly but he can take something positive from the race with his climbing to Crest-Volland.With hindsight Netcompany-Ineos waiting for Onley in the time trial proved wrong as they missed out on the stage win and the yellow jersey. Of course they werent to know at the time. But they had a rough time in a race which theyve used as a platform before the Tour de France, wins by the likes of Wiggins, Froome and Thomas here set them up for July. Only Onley crashed out, as did Josh Tarling and his start in the Tour is uncertain especially as hes needed most on the first day for the team time trial, while Vauquelin underwhelmed and Carlos Rodriguez was the second best Rodriguez in the race to Christian of XDS-Astana.Was Luke Tuckwell the revelation of the race? No, because he was the revelation of the Tour de Romandie, especially by out-climbing rivals to finish sixth overall. Going in the breakaway and holding out for third place this time is encouraging he then lost two minutes a day which shows the gap to close. Either way well see more of him and he helped make this the youngest ever podium at the race.Next up the diminished Tour de Suisse. With no overlap few riders from last week go to Switzerland. But it helps teams logistics as before they had to send separate crews of support staff and a fleet of vehicles to each race, this time many teams left France last night for Italy where the Swiss tour opens on Wednesday.The post The Moment The Aura Tour Was Won first appeared on The Inner Ring.

The final stage with a hectic dash across the Alps and all to play for on GC.The Route: 120km and 3,860m of vertical gain. Its uphill right from the start with the Col du Pr, one of the most scenic climbs in the Alps and a hard one too with a gentle start but soon come steep ramps between the hairpins in the second half. The descent is more regular and down a bigger road.The Bisanne climb is a backroad version of the Col des Saisies, a small road and irregular in places.The Aravis is one of those climbs with a climb to get to the start that is so long and steep it would feature in most other races. The top has an Alpine-style descent that then eases as it heads through a long valley or gorge section all the way to the Faucigny area and the Arve valley floor. This is a tactical point where cards can be played.The Finish: 11.2km at 9.2% and thats with a flat section midway that doesnt show on the profile. Its got lots of 10-12% slopes and is up there with the likes of the Mortirolo but needs more visits to make it infamous.The Contenders: Isaac del Toro (UAE) won yesterday and he has every chance of repeating, todays stage ends with another selective climb with steep ramps and hes got double the incentive now with Luke Tuckwells yellow jersey only 49 seconds ahead, the Australian having lost two and a half minutes yesterday; plus needing only a handful of seconds to leapfrog Matteo Jorgenson on GC.Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) said he rode like an idiot yesterday. It was audacious but came with a cost, well see if he can be more measured today as he could just aim to snipe the stage even if he is close on GC too. Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X) is having a great race but getting ahead for the win is going to be hard.With Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) well see, first if he starts today. Its the plan he said yesterday. He will be sore and probably lacking sleep and he had a hard ride chasing back from his crash but all the same if hes able to be in contention by the final climb he showed on Friday he was climbing the fastest.The breakaway has a chance because UAE just need to make life hard for Tuckwell. Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-Quickstep) is looking better each day and gets to race on a climb he can reach from his home.Del ToroAyusoParet-Peintre, THJ, SeixasWeather: sunny and 27C.TV: KM0 is at 1.30pm and the finish is forecast for 5.00pm. During the week weve got the last 90 minutes live but here the final two hours so tune in around 3.00pm and see the action as the race starts the Col des Aravis.Postcard from the Signal de BisanneMont Bisanne is the second climb today, the Signal sounds like a TV aerial or suchlike but its the name given to one peak.This road has been in the Tour de France before and your blogger went to recon it in June 2016 only to find it was being resurfaced in time for the race. The road was fully closed for the works and a crew had just rolled fresh bitumen on the road. This is quite a common experience in June.The workers had done a few hundred metres that morning and they helpfully explained that the only way around was to walk on the narrow parapet by the road. Heres the view from Google Earth above, you can see the wall on the left and the tarmac across the whole road done in one go. Walking on the wall wasnt obvious, one slip in plastic cleats and it was a long day down one side and the other had tarmac that would more than cook an egg. But it was the only way through.Just then a Tour contender and a couple of team mates arrived on the scene, they were doing their recon as well, complete with two following vehicles which quickly turned around as there was just no way through and they had a long detour, leaving the riders to find a way past. Taking the wall was ruled out, too risky so the team leader decided to walk on the road and wheel his BMC bike. Moments later the Doron valley echoed to the cry of an anglo-saxon word beginning with F as he sunk new white Sidis into the bitumen, then struggled to lift his feet clear from the sticky mess.As the race passes today its quite possible the imprint of small shoes and Shimano cleats, like the handprints on Hollywood Boulevard, are still set in the road.The post Aura Tour Stage 8 Preview first appeared on The Inner Ring.

More mountains, this time with a much longer finish on the flanks of the Grand Colombier.The Route: 133km and 3,820m of vertical gain, a lot in a short course. Its uphill at the start on some fun foothill roads to help a breakaway go clear, in land where Mandrin used to roam, think of a French Robin Hood without the Hollywood and Disney treatment and the terrain here probably suited his smuggling activities.After a flat ride to Culoz its time to tackle the Grand Colombier but not to the top, instead steep climbing on a south-facing slope via the lacets (hairpin bends) before the road straightens and the slope eases leading to a right turn to descent to the valley floor. The descent is tricky amid woodland. Then its up the Rhone valley.The Col de Richemond is gentle, most of the time at 5-6%. In Italian this is called pedalabile, pedalable and in French the term is roulant, you can roll up it and even a big ring climb with a suitable cassette on the back.The Finish: the Grand Colombier again, but there are four ways up and this is the directissime route from Arvire, a village until recently known as Virieu. 8.4km at 10.2% is hard if it was just a steady road but the difficulty here comes with the irregularity, theres a long section at 15% and other parts at 18%-20% in the first half of the climb. The saving grace for riders is its in shaded by woodland.Theres a gentle section midway for recovery before it rears up again and starts to clear the trees and its steep all the way to the finish at the top.The Contenders: Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) shredded the field of GC contenders and only Isaac del Toro (UAE) could hold the pace and for a long while sat on rather than shared the work but this can give the Mexican options but itll be harder to hold on today. These two should be the obvious contenders for the day, helped by Red Bull who should chase today to give Luck Tuckwells debut in a yellow jersey some deserved support.The breakaways keep working but today will be a lot harder given the GC contenders are likely to take on the race more. Torsten Traeen (Uno-X), Lorenzo Fortunato and Harald Tejada (XDS-Astana) are good in the mountains but the form isnt sparkling.SeixasDel ToroTejadaWeather: sunshine and 29C.TV: KM0 is at 12.25 and the finish is forecast for 4.00pm.Postcard from the Grand ColombierRide the whole Grand Colombier from Culoz via the lacets to the top and its 18km at 7%, comparable to the Galibier. It doesnt feel the same as the landscape is gentle and the road only tops out just short of 1,500m above sea level.Whether one is more scenic than the other depends on taste, the Grand Colombier has great views of the Rhone valley below where you are sufficiently clear of the noise but still able to see details down below; the Galibier can feel almost Himalayan at the top and a wilderness with only marmots for company before plenty of tourists in cars and motorbikes interrupt you.One view you get from the Grand Colombier is a glimpse at the future. The area is host to the Ain Bugey Valromey Tour, a junior stage race that uses these roads in the Jura mountains. Last year saw 16 year Benjamin Noval finish third and hell ride for Netcompany-Ineos as soon as hes out of the junior ranks and eligible for the World Tour. Albert Withen Philipsen won 2024, ahead of Paul Seixas and Lorenzo Finn.Andrew August beat Paul Seixas in 2023. 2022 saw Emil Herzog, Maxime Delcomble and Jan Christen the podium. In 2021 it was Romain Grgoire, Cian Uijtdebroeks and Lenny Martinez. Junior results count for a lot more these days and so this race is a big deal for participants, World Tour development teams and their scouts, plus agents looking to sign any talent that hasnt been snapped up.This years edition takes place in July and the final day is a time trial up the Grand Colombier. Who ever wins this can hope to see Mont Blanc in the distance, the Rhone below weaving past the Lac du Bourget plus a six figure contract from a World Tour team with a bright future ahead of them.The post Aura Tour Stage 7 Preview first appeared on The Inner Ring.