Tour de France 2024 live: Latest updates from stage 16 as Cavendish aims to extend Tour record
155km to go
Here is some more information on our destination for today:
Nîmes has established itself as one of the Tour’s favourite stopping points in the south and as a testing ground for sprinters, the victors here including Mark Cavendish (2008), Alexander Kristoff (2014) and Caleb Ewan (2019). However, breakaway riders have sometimes upset predictions, such as Aïtor González in 2004 and Nils Politt on the last visit in 2021.
Stage town for the 20th time
Prefecture of the department of Gard (30)
Population: 147,500
162km to go
Hmmm….
Is that the mullet coming back @mathieuvdpoel[3] ? 👀
Ce ne serait pas le retour du mullet Mathieu ? 👀#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/kmNUUTwTTQ[4][5]
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 16, 2024[6]
Not sure about this look. We have already spoken about Magnus Cort’s blue moustache and now we have this look from Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck). He is going to play a key role for Alpecin-Deceuninck and Jasper Philipsen at the finish today, being has last and most important leadout man. With a number of roundabouts to negotiate in the closing kilometres, Van der Poel’s role will be vital.
165km to go
The peloton is still all together. Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) holds a near 90-point advantage over Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in the race for the green jersey (points classification). Here is what Girmay had to say ahead of today’s stage:
I think in the afternoon the wind is going to be less and less, especially approaching the finish line in the open area. But it’s going to be a nervous day with the GC riders. I think today is the last dance for the sprinters, including me. It’s the last chance so we try to do everything we can. I think everyone has heavy legs a bit now, especially the sprinters. Even me. But to be honest I didn’t expect to have legs like this. I felt quite OK this morning.
170km to go
Mark Cavendish has had a stellar career, winning the 35 stages at the Tour as well as countless wins at the two other Grand Tours and races around the world. But his career has also had its fair share of lows, from illness to injury to depression. Tom Cary has written about the extraordinary highs and lows of Mark Cavendish[9], by those who know him best.
Today is expected to be Mark Cavendish’s final sprint stage at the Tour
Credit: Daniel Cole/AP
With the pace fairly steady in the peloton, Cavendish is having a natter with his good old friend Geraint Thomas.
175km to go
During the rest day, Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility) opted to dye his moustache blue. Not sure everyone could pull it off!
We did have the shortest of attacks off the front of the peloton a few moments ago but nothing came of it.
180km to go
Vasilis Anastopoulos has been working with Mark Cavendish for a number of years, including during his time at Quick-Step, and has been speaking to ITV ahead of Cavendish’s final sprint stage at the Tour:
“I’m going to miss him a lot. He might be a pain in the arse, but I love him for his dedication, his hard work and for being as loyal as almost nobody else”
Daniel spoke to Mark Cavendish’s coach, Vasilis Anastopoulos, ahead of his last sprint stage 🇬🇷🇮🇲🚀#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/wA4l6eorx3[12][13]
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 16, 2024[14]
12:44PM
[15]
183km to go
Back in 2008 a 23-year-old Mark Cavendish won stage 13 into Nîmes. 16 years later, Cavendish has 35 Tour stage wins to his name and today is set to be his final sprint finish at the Tour de France. He is the greatest sprinter in the history of the sport so what has made him so successful? John MacLeary has been taking a look at Cavendish’s unrivalled success[16].
What a career Mark Cavendish has had!
Credit: Thomas Samson/Getty Images
Back on the road Dujardin repeats what Kung did and dropped back into the peloton after a nature break. The peloton is now the front of the race.
187km to go
Sandy Durjadin (TotalEnergies) joins him but Kung has already had enough! He pulls over and takes a nature break.
Flag drops
Off we go on stage 16! Immediately Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ) attacks.
The thoughts of one of Cavendish’s many rivals down the years
Thor Hushovd won ten individual stages at the Tour de France and had many a tussle with Mark Cavendish during his career. He has been speaking to ITV ahead of Cavendish’ final sprint stage at the Tour:
“He made history in cycling”
Cavendish’s great rival, Thor Hushovd, spoke to Daniel this morning 🇳🇴🚀#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/n1fb3mtTCJ[20][21]
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 16, 2024[22]
12:29PM
[23]
Great insight into today’s stage
Crash
Luke Durbridge (Jayco-AlUla) has gone down at a roundabout during the roll-out and he is not too pleased to say the least. Silly to have accidents like that during the neutralised roll-out.
Winds to cause problems?
“Le vent est suffisamment fort pour causer du stress aujourd’hui.” – 🇧🇪 @Jasperstuyven#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/r09Wq0cXEB[26][27][28]
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 16, 2024[29]
12:20PM
[30]
Withdrawals
During the rest day we had two riders abandon the race due to experiencing Covid symptoms. Chris Harper (Jayco-AlUla) and Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny) have not started today’s race which means we have 150 riders starting stag 16.
Mark Cavendish speaking ahead of the stage to ITV
“Whatever happens today, [the boys helping me make the time cut on] Sunday was more impressive than what any lead out man in the history of cycling has ever done”
Mark Cavendish spoke to Daniel ahead of the last sprint stage of his Tour career 🇮🇲🚀#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/kFGhoxZ4IH[32][33]
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 16, 2024[34]
12:07PM
[35]
Roll-out
The peloton has begun the neutralised roll-out out of Gruissan and they have around 12.5km before the flag drops at kilometre zero.
Battle for green
💚 Still 290 points to collect for the green jersey, will @GrmayeBiniam[37] manage to keep his lead over @JasperPhilipsen[38]?
💚 Encore 290 points à décerner pour le maillot vert, @GrmayeBiniam réussira-t-il à garder son avance sur @JasperPhilipsen ?#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/93VUU4MCB9[39][40][41][42]
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 16, 2024[43]
11:58AM
[44]
Stage 16 profile
Stage 16 preview
Good morning and welcome to coverage of stage 16 of the 2024 Tour de France. The final rest day has come and gone as we have now entered the final week. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) delivered two hammer blows in the Pyrenees over the weekend as he extended his advantage in the race for the yellow jersey. After victory on stage 14 on Saturday which included a climb up the iconic Tourmalet, Pogacar powered to victory again on stage 15 on a crushing weekend for the likes of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step). His current lead in the general classification stands at three minutes and nine seconds to Vingegaard in seconds, with Evenepoel a further two minutes and ten seconds back.
Today should be a day for the sprinters. Stage 16 is a 188.6km flat stage from Gruissan to Nîmes. Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) holds an healthy lead in the points classification (green jersey) over Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck); Girmay is on 363 points after three stage victories with Philipsen on 277 points. This could be the last opportunity for the sprinters at this year’s Tour so it will be a huge tussle for victory this afternoon. With an 86-point advantage over Philipsen, so long as Girmay stays on his bike and comes within the time limits, he should finish up with the green jersey he has had on his back for most of the race.
Mark Cavendish just made it inside the time limit on stage 15
Credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images
Stage 15 was an incredibly tough day for everyone, in particular for the sprinters. There was concern that Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) would not make it within the time limit but he rolled over the line with just a couple of minutes to spare. He looked shattered coming over the line and the rest day absolutely came at the right moment, but we will have to see how his legs will be today. That will likely go for the majority of the sprinters today, so the question is how will their legs hold up? Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny) has climbed well so should be in contention for the victory today. Could it be a day for a breakaway to sneak away and stay out in front with a lot of tired legs in the peloton?
Stay with us for all the action from stage 16.
References
- ^ 1:26PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 1:16PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ @mathieuvdpoel (twitter.com)
- ^ #TDF2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/kmNUUTwTTQ (t.co)
- ^ July 16, 2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ 1:09PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 1:03PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ extraordinary highs and lows of Mark Cavendish (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:55PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:48PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ #TDF2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/wA4l6eorx3 (t.co)
- ^ July 16, 2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ 12:44PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ Cavendish’s unrivalled success (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:35PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:33PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:31PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ #TDF2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/n1fb3mtTCJ (t.co)
- ^ July 16, 2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ 12:29PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:23PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:22PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ @Jasperstuyven (twitter.com)
- ^ #TDF2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/r09Wq0cXEB (t.co)
- ^ July 16, 2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ 12:20PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:13PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ #TDF2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/kFGhoxZ4IH (t.co)
- ^ July 16, 2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ 12:07PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:04PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ @GrmayeBiniam (twitter.com)
- ^ @JasperPhilipsen (twitter.com)
- ^ @GrmayeBiniam (twitter.com)
- ^ @JasperPhilipsen (twitter.com)
- ^ #TDF2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/93VUU4MCB9 (t.co)
- ^ July 16, 2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ 11:58AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 11:39AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)