Le Tour 2019 MN Peloton rides out.

[MrPan]

Mesdames et Messieurs, a votre service.

And I see UCI still haven't included my suggestion of teams having to pass a kitten between them as they TTT. Missed chance.

Kitten sounds good. Anything to make it more interesting. wolef will add you in tonight.

I considered Darey Impey because of my SA connection - it will be interesting to see how he does.

Which will be the greater jinx: yours on Dan Martin or mine on Richie Porte?

I've never liked the AG2R kit, even though I have a soft spot for the team

Not sure about a kitten, but maybe a game of pass the parcel while they go.

Pass the parcel seems less likely to invoke PETA on the whole thing and makes the discarding of the removed layer extra jeopardy, we should mass email the UCI.

Kittens improve everything. Except curry.

Ooh that was a good stage. I like the lumpier start this year.

Yes I thought it was jolly on highlights. In live time it had the possibility of being a stage where nowt at all happens for 5 hours and then there is a bit of a rush for 30 secs.....

I couldn't watch live as telly was being occupied by some people hitting a ball over a net all day.

Just watched the recording of the stage as I was away for work all day yesterday. What a finish, and got the time gap he needed.
I agree Endo, nice mix for the first week

Today's finish very exciting!!

It was!!

I've not heard of any abandonments so far....

Have t heard a dickie bird about Porte

.....there I was with my sentimental selection of people I'd like to do well and they disappear from sight

Yes, I've seen him interviewed but not a whisper about him featuring anywhere, though....this will change when we get to the really lumpy stuff won't it? No mention of Nibbles, and if G and Bernal weren't riding for a 'British' team we wouldn't have heard from them either.

Am reading today is another up-and-down day and Mr Yates has it a day for Sagan - I think on the understanding the up bits will weary the legs of the pure sprinters.

And.....this year' sunflower crop is up to shoulder height now and the little faces have formed, albeit still a bit green - so I'm still hoping for an iconic photo-shoot on Spech.

Porte has to get through stage 9 still upright. I expect he's concentrating on that.
Looks like tomorrow has a mountain in it, so we might see a bit of GC potential.

Woohoo! Great positioning, wheel surfing & finish by Saggan. Entertaining dad, too.

Dad was really happy wasn't he!

Sagan was perfect yesterday much as I like to put him down it was a textbook Sagan Sprint.

Watched most of today as I'm a lazy mare sometimes (read a book as well in my defence) loved the voices chattering away, reminded me of test match special. Was a great and interesting finish, seeing who had the real power in their legs and lungs.

Have also watched extensive media coverage and decided I must get the ds of Mitchelton-Scott to marry me immediately, Matt White has now turned into my big crush. I am quite for myself.

And G played better than even he thought he would as well Alaphillipe fighting to keep yellow. It's all kicking off.

I watched live today too. Just because I could. Flat dull one tomorrow sadly.

Nice to know I wasn't alone today Endo, what channel do you watch on? I've switched to Eurosport for the terror/excitement that is actual ex tour winners on the back of motorbikes interviewing people who are driving cars round the road furniture. Must be a game show with that somewhere. Feel sorry for the commentators tomorrow, dull, flat and very, very long.

G was fantastic at the finish there, 'not his cup of tea,' really?

ITV4 usually - might try Eurosport if I can find where it is on complicated telly.