I guess you’ll have heard the news, that 2025 is to be ITV’s last Tour de France. Surprised (no free-to-air for London 2027??). Slightly in shock. No Gary presenting the Tour. Hard to believe.
Matt Rendell @[email protected]
28.5K posts
Matt Rendell @[email protected]
@mrendell
Cycling, TV & print. Author, Colombia Es Pasión. Procolombia Ambassador for Tourism. Bike/business trips in Colombia & Italy (contact italybiketours.com).
A little fixed adobe.
Joined July 2009
- One of the moments of the Tour - for me, anyway - was seeing Andrey Amador empty his pockets of gels and food, and his bottle cages of bidons, and hand them to anyone who wanted them in the yellow jersey group as he dropped back after his absolutely brilliant ride today.
- Thanks to everyone who has thought kind thoughts about my small contribution to the Tour coverage over the years. My most important item since my first Tour in 1997 is in tomorrow night’s rest day programme (8pm, ITV4). Tune in, if you can.
- "Colombia Es Pasion!: The Generation of Racing Cyclists Who Changed Their Nation and the Tour de France," is out today – the product of 21 years of involvement in Colombian cycling, 10 years of interviewing, and 2 1/2 years of writing. Thanks, @chrisfroome , for the photo!
- Just astonishing: 13 days after breaking eleven ribs, femur, patella and two vertebra (to name only a few) and puncturing both lungs, @Eganbernal is out of ICU and starting physio. His powers of recovery have always been unique. Suerte, campeón.
- 'Who caused the accident?' is a question often used to avoid asking 'What allowed the accident to be so destructive?'
- Four Colombian riders in the top 8 of the Tour de France. What the world needs is a book about them.
- Even in his moment of triumph, @GeraintThomas86 feels bad about sitting on behind @tom_dumoulin , sympathises with @NieveMikel for taking the stage win, and has a thought for @richie_porte . They broke the mould when they made G. Or may be G broke it with a bone or two somewhere.
- Richard C. has always gifted stage victories to team mates. He did it several times with Lizarte in 2016. He's a special guy, and, to me, those gestures do him more credit than wins would.
- I would hope all race organisers everywhere are urgently reviewing the safety of their finishing straights, inc. barriers and surrounds. Blaming an individual without looking at the wider context is a cheap and easy political ruse to avoid responsibility. Lots of it about.
- Peter Sagan came into the mixed zone smiling, in pain, said he didn't want the stool they'd provided for him, and very soon had everyone laughing. The hardest day of his life on a bike. What a character.
- Tiny point of etiquette: I make v. little from books. I write because I think certain books ought to exist. I spend all my advance & more on research, & buy copies for my interviewees. So I don't ask for or accept free books from other authors, and I recommend you don't either.
