STORYLINE:

With all three favourites taking a fall in the last few weeks, Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme says the outcome of the French classic race has never been so uncertain.

While four-time winner Chris Froome has announced he would not be in Brussels for the first stage on 6th July because of a broken leg, last year's Yellow Jersey Geraint Thomas confirmed his participation despite a crash in the Tour de Suisse.

Their Columbian teammate Egan Bernal also fell during training in early May.

Prudhomme also said on Wednesday that he doesn't like the use of real time data in the Tour de France.

The Frenchman said "Bluffing should exist or at least make a come back. At one point, a racing cyclist should be able to trick another into believing that he's not feeling that bad."

SHOTLIST: Boulogne-Billancourt, France. 19th June 2019 / File

Boulogne-Billancourt, France. 19th June 2019

1. 00:00 Close of Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme giving interview

2. 00:05 Wide of Prudhomme during interview

Doncaster, England, UK. 1st May 2019

3. 00:11 Various of Chris Froome at Team Ineos launch

Boulogne-Billancourt, France. 19th June 2019

4. 00:31 SOUNDBITE (French): Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"The Tour de France with Chris Froome and without is not the same thing. He has been the central character since, we'll say, 2013 – even if he was already here in 2012 and even if in 2012, with Bradley Wiggins, behind Bradley Wiggins, next to Bradley Wiggins, we talked about him a lot. So other scenarios are going to open up. There was this 'trident' with Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal – who wasn't expected in these circumstances with his fall that prevented him from taking part in the Giro – and this time, it's Geraint Thomas who fell during the Tour de Suisse. There's a succession of falls, three, involving the three leaders of the team (Ineos) just a few weeks apart as if bad luck never comes alone and hit the team hard. Of course, with that, things are going to change."

Paris, France. 29th July 2018.

5. 01:21 Thomas waving to crowd after Tour de France win

Cardiff, Wales, UK. 9th August 2018.

6. 01:30 Geraint Thomas holding Wales flag

Boulogne-Billancourt, France. 19th June 2019

7. SOUNDBITE (French): Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"As a reference to the 100 years of the Yellow Jersey, we made sure that there were many mountain passes over 2000m and for the first time in the Tour de France's history, we will have 3 finishing lines over 2000m in altitude. The Tourmalet, Tignes and Val Thorens. We know that over 2000m the performances of each can change but we are nearly pretty sure that the Colombians won't be less strong at 2000m. And of course, Bernal is Columbian…"

8. 02:01 Mid of Prudhomme during interview

9. 02:07 SOUNDBITE (French): Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"For me, it shouldn't be possible to have access in real time to the data from the power meters. That it should be possible to study it after the day's stage, yes, of course and the work done around the strategy is great and must be done in each team. Just not in real time. Bluffing should exist or at least make a come back. At one point, a racing cyclist should be able to trick another into believing that he's not feeling that bad. Power meters mean that racers never push themselves into the red zone which means that they can resist for a very very long time. But if you get into that red zone, because of your temperament or your instinct you let yourself be taken there, you will suffer later. These missteps are what make the competition exciting, it has fuelled the legend of these races and the Tour de France. We should be able to get that back and everybody should understand this. Now, of course, only victory matters and when you win or find yourself in a position to win, the only important thing is not the pleasure of your fans, but the victory."

10. 03:00 Mid of Prudhomme during interview

11. 03:05 SOUNDBITE (French): Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"Some want to present the world of Sports as a perfect world but it will never be. Things really have changed but unfortunately, there are always idiots out there and we should catch them and do everything we can to stop them because it's essential that people trust the results. Cycling really has changed – I'm sure of that – but I realise this is not an ideal world and I'm conscious of the fact that because of these idiots we have to continue carrying the weight of doping and it's a legitimate question."

12. 03:29 Pan of Tour de France map and Prudhomme during interview

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:38

STORYLINE:

Defending champion Geraint Thomas and Mark Cavendish spoke about the route for the 2019 Tour de France after it was announced in Paris on Thursday (25th October).

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Next year's Tour de France will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the showcase race's iconic yellow jersey.

With France emerging from the carnage of World War I, the Tour offered its beacon of hope to the war-ravaged nation.

In 1919, the race leader's yellow jersey — which has become cycling's most iconic symbol — was introduced.

"It came straight out of the trenches, born from the rubble of a wounded France," Tour race director Christian Prudhomme said Thursday, unveiling the route for the July 6-28 race.

Joining Prudhomme on stage were five-time Tour winners Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.

Only four riders, including Jacques Anquetil, have won five Tours; Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven titles for doping.

British rider Chris Froome will try to win his fifth title next year, but will have to depose his Team Sky teammate Geraint Thomas over the 3,460-kilometre (2,145-mile) race.

It features seven flat stages for sprinters, five hilly ones for all-rounders, seven mountain stages — five with summit finishes — one team time trial and one individual time trial.

The big climbs start in the Pyrenees before hitting the Alps.

The Tour has less of the Hors Categorie (Beyond Classification) climbs than before - those HC climbs are the most gruelling.

Instead, the race has more of the Category Two climbs — which are noticeably less difficult and favour attacking strategies.

Sky has won six of the past seven races, often controlling them in the mountains by easily repelling attacks.

This has given the team an aura of invincibility and the race a predictable tone.

With closer racing needed, the two time trials combine for a relatively low 54 kilometres, meaning specialists such as Froome have less chance to gain significant time advantages.

The race begins with a flat stage for sprinters around the city of Brussels and stays there the next day for the 27 kilometre team time trial.

After leaving Belgium, the Tour snakes through the Champagne and Lorraine regions.

Stage 4 for sprinters starts in Reims — the Champagne-producing city where 25 French kings were crowned in its cathedral.

With the race leaving the Alsace region, Stage 7 is the longest at 230 kilometres and made for sprinters.

The next day's stage is a hilly one, with several short but sharp climbs from Macon to Saint-Etienne.

The first rest day is July 16 in Albi in southern France, followed by a sprint stage before the Tour enters the high Pyrenees.

Stage 14 on July 20 features finishes with a climb up the Tourmalet pass, one of the most famed in Tour history.

Riders tackle three days of Alpine climbing on stages 18-20, featuring an ascent up the famed Galibier and imposing Iseran — standing 2,770 metres — and culminating with a relentless 33.4 kilometre trek up to the ski resort of Val Thorens.

After the weary peloton is flown towards Paris, the race ends the next day with its processional showcase stage on the Champs-Elysees.

Palais des Congres, Paris, France. 25th October 2018.

1. 00:00 Wide of cyclists walking on stage

2. 00:04 Mark Cavendish on stage

3. 00:10 Christopher Froome on stage

4. 00:19 Geraint Thomas on stage

5. 00:30 Froome and Thomas going back to their seats

6. 00:40 Geraint Thomas

7. 00:43 Christopher Froome

8. 00:47 Julian Alaphilippe

9. 00:51 Mark Cavendish

10. 00:57 Primoz Roglic

11. 01:01 Five-time Tour de France winners Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx, and Miguel Indurain, Raymond Poulidor, French former professional bicycle racer known as "The Eternal Second", and Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme

(UPSOUND Raymond Poulidor "Between us four we have won 15 Tour de France")

12. 01:09 Pan of Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain, Raymond Poulidor on stage

13. 01:21 Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme arriving on stage with map of Tour de France 2019 on large screen

14. 01:26 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"It's solid, it's tough as ever, but it's hard to take in it all when it's so quick but there are some big stages, obviously a lot of climbs finishing over 2,000 metres, medium mountain days, you know, look hard as well so yes it's going to be a tough race."

15. 01:42 Close up Thomas' eyes

16. 01:47 SOUNDBITE (English) Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"Yeah I think that will be really nice, I've raced in Belgium quite a lot before in the past, so yeah it will be nice to go back and obviously team time trial which we are normally pretty good at. It will be nice to try and try and win that for a change, rather than second and third, which we always seem to be."

17. 02:03 Geraint Thomas talking to journalists

18. 02:07 SOUNDBITE (English): Mark Cavendish, British sprinter who has won 30 Tour de France stages:

"It's flat enough for me, it's 21 flat dates isn't it, but yes, when you've got six or seven spin opportunities that's good, that's fair and there is that, you know. We've got the climbs. I think although there's more climbing, probably more altitude metres, it's still probably (doesn't finish sentence).... 2018 was near-on impossible to reach Paris for most of the sprinters - just the position of the climbs and the layout of the stages whereas here, though there's more climbing there's actually a better opportunity for us. If we work hard, we get to Paris. This year, it didn't matter how hard you worked physiologically, we'd never get to Paris. I was sick in the end, but I don't think even if I was well I wouldn't have reached it. It's quite nice next year - I'm looking forward to it."

19. 02:54 Tour de France presentation on large screen

20. 02:59 Cavendish watching presentation

21. 02:17 SOUNDBITE (English): Mark Cavendish, British sprinter who won 30 Tour de France stages:

"Yeah I hope so. Just back on my bike now. Yeah, there's enough time to get health... to get fit, as long as I'm healthy so I'm monitoring my health at the minute and we'll see where I'm at."

(Journalist: What does the Tour de France mean?)

It's everything for me. It's everything for every bike rider. Even guys who don't ride the road, professional track riders always dreamt of one point or another riding the Tour de France. For me it's everything, it's my career, it's what I've built everything on. It's what I'll continue to do. It's the only reason I still ride a bike now."

22. 03:30 Cavendish leaving

23. 03:35 Wide pan from audience clapping to stage

23. 03:42 Audience listening

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:47

Reaction after Colombia's Egan Bernal became the first South American to win the Tour de France on Sunday - the 22 year-old beating last year's champion and Team Ineos team-mate Geraint Thomas into second place.

Paris, France. 28th July, 2019.

1. 00:00 Egan Bernal arriving at Ineos Team bus, fans and other team members applauding, surrounded by cameramen

2. 00:11 Team Ineos general manager Dave Brailsford hugs Egan Bernal who is then congraulated by well-wishers

3. 00:53 Fans and journalists at Ineos team bus

4. 00:57 Geraint Thomas leaning near team bus, Egan Bernal left of him

5. 01:06 Geraint Thomas taking a photo with a fan, then turning down interview requests

6. 01:24 Geraint Thomas drinking beer

7. 01:32 Egan Bernal shaking hands with fans, approaching bus

8. 01:43 Egan Bernal being given a bottle of beer, Bernal drinking inside bus

9. 01:54 Geraint Thomas outside bus

10. 02:03 Egan Bernal being hugged inside bus

11. 02:14 Egan Bernal being hugged outside bus

12. 02:31 Camera pan left over fans chanting to Bernal behind barrier

13. 02:38 Dave Brailsford lifting up Bernal's hand

14. 02:45 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

"Yes, this was my first Tour de France and the truth is I am very happy. The truth is that this is not only for me, it's for Colombia. We have a history….the Tour de France is the most famous..."

15. 03:13 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

"I'd like to enjoy this with my team, with my family as see what happens this evening."

16. 03:17 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

"I don't have any idea what is going to happen. I am happy in Paris…

17. 03:35 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

"I won't ever forget this and it's for Colombia."

18. 03:46 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

Reporter: For all those in Colombia watching do you have anything to say?

Answer: Thank you for everything. I love you all and I am proud to be Colombian

Reporter: Are you going to be able to win more times?

Answer: I don't know. I just want to enjoy a few beers now."

19. 03:59 Dave Brailsford wearing Colombia jersey

20. 04:11 SOUNDBITE (English): Dave Brailsford, Team Ineos general manager:

(on Bernal)

"Yeah, yeah, viva Colombia! Tour de France, what more could you want? We've got a new champion, a new ambassador, what a brilliant ambassador for Colombia is Egan Bernal."

21. 04:28 SOUNDBITE (English): Dave Brailsford, Team Ineos general manager:

"Well, we'll come back next year and we'll try and do it again I think. But for the moment, I think he needs to enjoy the moment, have a party, celebrate and then try and realise what he's achieved. I think it's something historic for Colombia, very, very important I think and I'm very, very happy to help him achieve this goal."

22. 04:53 Bernal and Brailsford meeting fans

23. 05:10 People gathering in front of Ineos team bus, one holding Colombia flag

Small groups of Colombians celebrated in Paris on Sunday after the Tour de France victory of one of their own - 22-year-old Egan Bernal.

Bernal is South America's first winner of cycling's greatest race.

Amid the Parisians on the Champs Elysees and around the Arc de Triomphe, pockets of Colombians could be seen waving their flag jubilantly.

The youngest champion of the post-World War II era, the slightly built Colombian with a killer instinct on the road proved to be the strongest of the 176 strong men who roared off from the start in Brussels, Belgium, on July 6 on their 3,366-kilometre (2,092-mile) odyssey that delivered the most absorbing, drama-packed Tour in decades and a new cycling superstar in the making: Bernal.

Riding a yellow bike, and cheered by Colombian fans who were partying even before he rattled up the cobblestones of the famous avenue,

Bernal crossed the line with his teammate Geraint Thomas, the 2018 champion who this year finished second.

Paris - 28 July 2019

1. Colombians celebrating near the Arc de Triomphe while holding the Colombian flag

2. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Leon Heriniseono, Colombian living in France:

"Today I am feeling really proud of being Colombian and being part of the Colombian family. Thanks to everybody  for the support from Colombia. Come on Colombia!"

3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Jonathan Nino, Colombian visiting France to watch the Tour de France:

"It is something that we were seeing for a long time because he is a prodigy back in Colombia. It's been very exciting, and we are very happy because it's been very difficult to achieve it."

4. Colombians celebrating near Arc de Triomphe

5. Woman waves a Colombian flag in front of the Arc de Triomphe

6. Colombian man waves a huge Colombian flag alongside his family, celebrating

7. Close up of Colombian flag, zoom out to the Colombian man and his family

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Lorena Cruz, Colombian living in London:

"I'm very excited, I'm very excited. This is the first time a Colombian wins the Tour of France and he's quite young, so it's very exciting."

9. Woman draped in Colombian flag celebrating