Stage 17/21. Tomorrow is an ITT. Then there are 2 more days in the big hills, and then the flat finale in Paris. Many of the riders are now counting down the days to the Champs Elysee. Simply completing the Tour is a major achievement in itself.
Dan rolled in today in position 178 of 179, surrounded by team mates from his Fortuneo-Vital Concept team. To put that in to context, the guy who finished 2 minutes ahead in position 174, did so with a fractured pelvis - incurred in a crash earlier in the day.
The pain these riders endure is beyond the comprehension of us mere mortals. Let's hope all riders have good luck for the rest of the Tour, find the strength to battle onwards, and can enjoy their moment in Paris on Sunday.
Laura Fletcher takes a quick look at some of the latest cycling titles to hit the bookshop shelves including books by Ned Boulting, Max Leonard, James Hibbard, Jeremy Wilson, Dan Martin. You can also check out Matthew Bailey's review of Jeremy Wilson's biography of Beryl Burton in Conquista Issue 28.
It feels to us like Liverpool is a city at a crossroads. The worst pedestrian and cyclist road safety track record in the country. Deprived neighbourhoods with chronic health issues and low car ownership. Offered millions of pounds of central government funding for local transport development, the city has elected to remove an important active travel corridor prior to the publication of a review into its effectiveness. The actions of a local councillor, praised by the City Mayor, could lead to a huge reduction in local transport funding that will set the city back years. We look back at the last two years, the impact of Covid, and ask is this the end of the road for a co-ordinated active travel plan for Liverpool?