Has this first week of the Tour de France been one of the most exciting in soooo many years, or what? Yellow jerseys won and lost; one day on top of the world, the next in the wrong echelon; the Tour keeps surprising us day after day.
Vive la France
On the eve of Bastille Day, no one should have been surprised that Julian Alaphilippe made a play to win back the yellow from the young shoulders of Giulio Ciccone. But we didn’t expect he would take another Frenchman with him on his run-in to the finish line. It was LouLou and Pinot … a dynamic duo for a day.
« Les frères pétard » du journal L'Equipe ce dimanche 14 juillet.
Le journal : https://t.co/FFJNUeiT44
La numérique : https://t.co/7i7pFkZwyU pic.twitter.com/XDkrwvvmil
— L'ÉQUIPE (@lequipe) July 14, 2019
« Les frères pétard » du journal L'Equipe ce dimanche 14 juillet.
Le journal : 
La numérique : Getting back the Yellow Jersey means so much for @alafpolak1 and @EnricMasNicolau.
Retrouver le Maillot Jaune, un moment tellement émouvant pour @alafpolak1 et @EnricMasNicolau.#TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/HrzDSOgtE4
— Tour de France
(@LeTour) July 13, 2019
(@LeTour) Pinot had a plan: “I had been preparing for his attack since last night. I was lucky enough to have good legs to follow him. These steps are hard, everyone clings to the limit. I’m in great shape, there are still 2 weeks left, I’m slowly moving forward.”
@ThibautPinot : "Je m’étais préparé depuis hier soir à son attaque. J’ai eu la chance d’avoir de bonnes jambes pour le suivre. Ces étapes sont dures, tout le monde s’accroche à la limite. Je suis en très grande forme, il reste encore 2 semaines, j’avance petit à petit." pic.twitter.com/KItG7uFoGY
— Équipe Cycliste Groupama-FDJ (@GroupamaFDJ) July 13, 2019
From yellow to gelato
Waking up for @LeTour like…
Watch Stage 8 LIVE on @ITV4 from 11.00AM#TDF2109 pic.twitter.com/L7xD1Qdmkd
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 13, 2019
Waking up for
Bardiani-CSF pic.twitter.com/6eTJTdZJiz
— Bidon (@ciclismoliquido) July 13, 2019
Bardiani-CSF
Maglia azzurra pic.twitter.com/9vduDR845f
— Bidon (@ciclismoliquido) July 13, 2019
Maglia bianca pic.twitter.com/EzkL4LNs40
— Bidon (@ciclismoliquido) July 13, 2019
The Wonderful World of Thomas De Gendt
It’s rare that the stage winner also gets named Most Combative … but then, Thomas De Gendt tends to do those rare things …
'It hurts! It hurts so much'
Stage winner Thomas De Gendt reacts to his dominant ride
Watch LIVE
@ITV4
https://t.co/faoCDwH2QE #TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/Zi2zdcwcve
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 13, 2019
This might be a surprise … but it makes perfect sense, really, doesn’t it?
Lars Bak i mål – er kvarter indenfor tidsgrænsen!
pic.twitter.com/L3LHrTdZSZ
— Dennis Ritter (@RitterTV2) July 13, 2019
La Planche …
It was the first mountain-top finish of the Tour on Stage 6 and it was going to be a rip-roarer. Once they hit the slopes of La Planche des Belles Filles, it was every man for himself.
The biggest win of @dylan_teuns 's career comes on his terrain: a ridiculously steep ramp. It had to come, he was super strong this season. Bravo!
(
via @VelonCC ) #TDF pic.twitter.com/wocZbI4Hs0
— Mihai Cazacu (@faustocoppi60) July 11, 2019
(
via Attachez vos ceintures, une arrivée à la Super Planche des Belles Filles avec un grand @ThibautPinot, c'est ça
pic.twitter.com/DKAcFZHu1g
— Équipe Cycliste Groupama-FDJ (@GroupamaFDJ) July 11, 2019
Ah, the Movistar riddle
There is nothing not to love about Andre Greipel
It's Greipel mountain adventure day!
— Service Course, LLC (@SC_Cycling) July 11, 2019
Wout Wout!!!
Is it just me that reads the above subhead in the voice of Hugh Laurie as Bertie Wooster? Anyway, Wout van Aert’s first grand tour … and he wins the sprint on Monday. By the tiniest margin against Elia Viviani. This kid ain’t just hype …
PEAK WVA…and he was SOOO emotional
— midge (@pariswheels) July 15, 2019
I love these kind of tweets
Explosion of emotions
pic.twitter.com/9B821aapND
— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) July 15, 2019
Pure emotion for @WoutvanAert!
This is the image of the day inside the Tour de France.
Le moment de pur bonheur pour Wout van Aert.
C'est l'image du jour de cette 10ème étape, au coeur du #TDF2019. pic.twitter.com/CuCpdOG0tL
— Tour de France
(@LeTour) July 15, 2019
Pure emotion for 
This is the image of the day inside the Tour de France.When the vans were pups
When the Tour turns her face away …
For all the riding together that Alaphilippe and Pinot did on Saturday, they were definitely in different races on Monday’s stage. Alaphilippe and his QuickSteppers made sure they got into the front group when the echelons went crazy, leaving Pinot (among others) to play catch-up. But he lost time hand over fist …
Meanwhile, Astana and their star rider Jakob Fuglsang had a ‘mare of a day as well.
After the TT it's likely Thomas will have the thick end of three minutes on the likes of Pinot. Folk will need to be bold and get creative. That's not unlikely the way this race has been going.
— John Galloway (@VelocastJohn) July 15, 2019
Monday’s stage and it wasn’t the echelons that scuppered Mikel Landa‘s chances on the day. It was Warren Barguil …
“I’m sad about Mikel Landa’s fall. Unbalanced when I hit Julian’s wheel, I touch Mikel who was going up to my left. It went very fast, it was not voluntary. I miraculously avoided the fall which mikel did not. I hope he’s okay.”
Richie being honest
There was one Frenchman who Lady Luck did not smile on in the run-up to Bastille Day. Poor Bedhead – the dropped chain on the finish line of La Planche was one humiliation he really didn’t need.
Below: “I have rarely ridden so fast on such tough roads, I’ve been exhausted, it’s been a difficult day, and I’m grateful to Arkéa-Samsic’s buddies for keeping me well-placed. and refuel. “
No luck for @WarrenBarguil, who has just punctured his front tire.
Pas de chance pour Warren Barguil, qui vient de crever de la roue avant.#TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/PzxfFF4orc— Tour de France
(@LeTour) July 11, 2019
It might not have been instant, but karma might have got Tejay in the end …
"You have to be strong. Those who weren't strong would be thrown out of the window. I did 12 Tours." Raphael Geminiani
"Il faut être costaud. Ceux qui étaient pas costauds passaient par la fenêtre. J'ai fait 12 Tours." Raphael Geminiani#TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/tgx3568iFV
— Tour de France
(@LeTour) July 14, 2019
"You have to be strong. Those who weren't strong would be thrown out of the window. I did 12 Tours." Raphael GeminianiLucky that no one was hurt in this crash, but wow, there were some amazing photographs.
What the hell is wrong with the pox?
Spot the difference …
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty ImagesThe Gruppetto
Bas Tietema has been busy, being vivacious and engaging and posting up fun videos.
Peter Sagan seems to be doing a lot of videos these days
I’m not convinced that this is the best vehicle for him. Bora should get someone else to host and have Peter make cameos …
Inside BORA-hansgrohe
Zigga Zagga, Zigga Zagga!
See how @petosagan, his teammates, and the #BORAhansgrohe staff celebrated Peter's superb stage win at @LeTour yesterday
pic.twitter.com/f7ZwMY7v4N
— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) July 11, 2019
Zigga Zagga, Zigga Zagga! I’m also unconvinced about Eurosport’s Bertie-on-a-bike but it is great to see Contador
![🤩]()
#TDF2019 #MaillotVert #PeterSagan #WhySoSerious #LiveYourDream #PedalForGreen #The_Hulk_is_Back #AlbertoContador pic.twitter.com/GxDnhesjOY
— Peter SagFan (@Peter_SagFan) July 11, 2019
Two champions coming together: @albertocontador congratulates @petosagan on his win.
La rencontre de deux champions : Peter Sagan félicité par Alberto Contador.#TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/FN1A1zTY7t
— Tour de France
(@LeTour) July 10, 2019
“Julian, could I get a picture please?”@alafpolak1 has got a fan in @petosagan!
« Julian, une photo ? »
Alaphilippe a un fan cinq étoiles avec Peter Sagan !#TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/egvYr7ZoRF
— Tour de France
(@LeTour) July 14, 2019
Can you be a cyclist if there’s no coffee break?
Such a poetic way to describe a rider
Yes, he probably did call him that
Did Carlton Kirby just call @Tomashuuns "squeegee"?
pic.twitter.com/RLdz7fgg16
— Race Radio (@TheRaceRadio) July 10, 2019
Thank you guys
https://t.co/VDQux5c3G1
— Michael Mørkøv (@MichaelMorkov) July 13, 2019
When you fancy a swift half… but realise the pub is shut!
![😬]()
#TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/ZsbLbpFbBp
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) July 13, 2019
