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

SHOTLIST:

Paris, France - July 21st, 2013.

1. 00:00 Close Tour de France winner Team Sky's Chris Froome

2. 00:10 Mid Froome hugging team members

3. 00:25 Pan Froome celebrating

4. 00:39 Mid Froome inside Team Sky bus waving

5. 00:43 Pan Froome inside bus

6. 0:49 Pan Team Sky bus leaving Concorde plaza in central Paris

7. 00:54 Pan Team Sky General Manager David Brailsford

8. 01:06 SOUNDBITE (English) David Brailsford, Team Sky general manager:

"I don't think you can ever get used to that you know, it's quite breath taking really. The lads did a fantastic race and I think there isn't a better setting for cycling in the world, or any setting, the Champs Elysees, an iconic place, and this year the sun is going down, it is very emotional you know."

9. 01:22 Close Brailsford

10. 01:28 SOUNDBITE (English) David Brailsford, Team Sky general manager:

"It couldn't be better for us, the team really, the fact the Tour will be in Britain next year, I think it will be crazy with the British cycling fans. The sport has grown you know we have got some brilliant brilliant fans, and it will be just fantastic to race in front of them. I am looking forward to it, I am really really looking forward to it."

11. 01:47 Team Sky celebrating victory

12. 01:55 SOUNDBITE (English) David Brailsford, Team Sky general manager:

"We are so focused on what we do, it is pretty intense the way we work, and we ask a lot of the guys, we ask a lot of the back room staff, we ask a lot of the riders, and to be fair I think they give their all. I hope people are happy, but certainly the team and Chris is very very happy."

13. 02:15 Pan Brailsford waving at the crowd

14. 02:20 SOUNDBITE (English) Geraint Thomas, Team Sky rider (about team leader and Tour de France winner Chris Froome):

"It's unbelievable you know, I think this he's really grown as a leader, he got used to that role. I have only been around him since May, but to see him work, his dedication, and how hard he trains, and everything he does off the bike, all building up to these 3 weeks, and just dealing with the pressure like he does, he copes with it really well. He tells what he wants, and he goes out and he delivers, and we take a lot of confidence with him in that."

15. 03:00 Mid Thomas

16. 03:06 SOUNDBITE (English) Geraint Thomas, Team Sky rider (about finishing the race together as a team):

"Obviously that was special. We don't get to do the lap of honor anymore, so it was nice for all of us to come together, because it doesn't happen everyday you know, you are a kid you dream of riding the Tour and coming to Paris, but I never even thought that one day I would be part of a British team, with a British rider winning. You know, I missed that only last year but it more than makes up for it this year."

17. 03:36 Close Team Sky bike

18. 03:41 SOUNDBITE (English) Peter Kennaugh, Team Sky rider:

"From the outside, I have watched it every year since I was maybe 5, it just looked so much more glamorous than it is, the reality of the Tour de France is just pain and suffering. Even that last couple laps down there was just painful. For any kid watching at home, it is still amazing to be part of a team, I think now when you can sort of appreciate what we have done and really enjoy the hard work that we have put in."

19. 04:25 Mid Team Sky rider Ian Stannard

20. 04:30 SOUNDBITE (English) Ian Stannard, Team Sky general manager (about Chris Froome):

"He is pretty down to earth, he knows what he is doing, he is pretty calm, cold and collected. He knows when to make the right decision, and when to make the race hard."

21. 04:44 Brailsford leaving on bike

STORYLINE:

Reaction on Sunday (21 July) following Chris Froome's win in the 100th edition of the Tour de France.

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

Reaction from Colombia's Egan Bernal, Wales's Geraint Thomas and Italy's Vincenzo Nibali after the Colombian is set to win the 2019 Tour de France.

Val Thorens, France. 27th July 2019.

1. 00:00 Egan Bernal arrives at press conference

2. 00:07 Cutaway

3.00:14 SOUNDBITE (Spanish): Egan Bernal, Team Ineos:

"To be honest, still I cannot believe it. I even didn't have time to analyse it. I think I need to arrive to the hotel, take a shower and to think after half and hour what's going on, because right now I cannot believe it. That's all… I cannot believe it. "

4. 00:55 SOUNDBITE (Spanish): Egan Bernal, Team Ineos:

"The message I want to send is that I feel really proud of being Colombian. I am very proud of becoming the first Colombian on winning the Tour de France tomorrow. I don't see the hour to come back and show this t-shirt. "

5. 01:12 SOUNDBITE (Spanish): Egan Bernal, Team Ineos:

(On how he will be welcoming in Colombia)

"I don't know yet, but I guess the people back in Colombia is very happy. It is our first Tour de France even though Colombia have always had good cyclist. Colombia have always producer very good climbers that have won Giro d'Italia and La Vuelta (Spain), but I don't really know what was happening with the Tour de France. It was a race that we could not win and luckily, tomorrow, I will be the first Colombian to achieve it. I am very proud of this. I am just 22-year-old. I cannot believe what happened. I cannot believe it. "

6. 01:52 SOUNDBITE (English): Egan Bernal, Team Ineos:

(About his climbing ability in the Alps)

"When I was climbing and when I was high in the mountains, I was feeling much better than in the first part of the climbs. So I think that was something good for me. Yeah I think that I am a climber and, when we were going up, kilometres and kilometres of climbing was better. So I don't know if it is a coincidence. But, yes for sure, for me living in Colombia it was an advantage."

7. 02:35 Various of Bernal leaving press conference

8. 03:19 Various of Geraint Thomas

9. 03:38 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, Team Ineos:

(About Egan Bernal's 2019 Tour de France victory)

"Yeah, it is incredible. I just said to him (Egan Bernal) 'just enjoy it, soak it all up and don't worry about crying because all real men cry'. No, it's amazing to be a part of - he is a phenomenal athlete, 22 (years-old). He has got amazing years ahead of him and it is just an honour to have been a part of this."

10. 04:00 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, Team Ineos:

(About Egan Bernal)

"Yeah, he (Egan Bernal) has just been improving all of the time and he was born to go uphill fast. He has the best team around him, to support him to do that, and I think he has got many, many great years in front of him. Yeah, he can continue to improve and (he has) a phenomenal career in front, and just keep a good team around him, and he has got a good support with his family and guys. I think he is a humble guy and yeah a very bright future (ahead for Egan Bernal)."

11. 04:37 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, Team Ineos:

(About Team INEOS finishing first and second in the general classification)

"To be one-two (Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas in the general classification), the first time we have done that in the team (Dave Brailsford's team). Well, no, it is not, is it? Second time? Yeah, first time since 2012 (when Team Sky duo Bradley Wiggins won from Chris Froome). But, yeah, it is a pretty good achievement."

12. 04:52 Various of Vincenzo Nibali

13. 05:12 SOUNDBITE (Italian): Vincenzo Nibali, Bahrain–Merida:

"It has been such a long time without seeing a winner of just 22-years-old in the Tour de France. I think we must go back for long time to find a cyclist like him. I don't even know who it was (the last winner with 22 years-old), but for his style, someone who is light and agile, he reminds me to Alberto Contador.

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SHOTLIST: Sisteron, France. 21st July, 2015.

++PLEASE NOTE, SHOTS 1 AND 4 WERE USED IN PREVIOUS PIECE - CYCLING TEAM SKY (STORY NO. 1037558)++

1. 00:00 Pan to Team Sky news conference - left to right: head of performance Tim Kerrison, rider Chris Froome, team principal Sir Dave Brailsford and rider Geraint Thomas.

2. 00:08 SOUNDBITE: (English) Tim Kerrison, Team Sky head of performance:

(Revealing riding data for Chris Froome on final climb in Tour de France Stage 10).

"That 41 and a half minutes climb had an average power of 414 watts for Chris, which was 1602 VAM. What we do know about Chris's power with the osymetric rings is that power meters over-report power by about by about six per cent - when using the osymetric rings - which is why interpretation of Chris's power has to be... you know, that has to be considered when interpreting Chris's power. But with his weight hovering around 67 and a half kilos, that gives a corrected power to weight for the whole climb of 5.78 watts per kilo. However, to go from that value to making some sort of estimates of Chris's physiology, for example his VO2 Max requires a lot of assumptions."

3. 01:04 SOUNDBITE: (English) Sir Dave Brailsford, Team Sky principal:

(On decision to release Froome's riding data).

"I just think that the... in particular I think what France 2 (television station) did, you know putting out that big headline: 'seven watts per kilo' (with) - a picture of (doping cheats) Lance Armstrong and a picture of (Jan) Ullrich, I think it was... that was so wildly wrong on so many levels that actually we just thought 'actually, we should just correct that and give the concrete facts, and give the evidence, so hopefully that people can judge for themselves, you know, why would you do that.' So that was really what drove my decision on that one."

4. 01:36 Wide of news conference.

5. 01:43 SOUNDBITE: (English) Sir Dave Brailsford, Team Sky principal:

(Suggestion that cycling's world governing body the UCI might get all teams to provide riders' power data to an expert panel for assessment).

"Over a period of time you could build the data set required to give everybody really a better understanding and a better picture of the overall situation. And I think anybody looking at this sensibly would think that is the obvious way to go. So I think it's up to the UCI to get their act together. You know, all the teams have experts, all the teams have guys working like Tim (Kerrison, Team Sky's head of performance) who are analysing all of this data. So you know there are people out there who could do this job very quickly, it wouldn't be that... (difficult). People say it would take a long time to put in place, I'm not sure it would to be honest. I just think it takes the will and a bit of investment. We invest in anti-doping already, all the teams, and I'm sure we'll be willing to invest a little bit more to resolve these kind of situations, you know."

6. 02:32 Mid of news conference.

SOURCE: SNTV.

DURATION: 02:38.

STORYLINE:

On the second rest day of the 2015 Tour de France on Tuesday (21 July), Team Sky released data to illustrate the riding power of race leader Chris Froome.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Chris Froome's team has released data about his riding power in an effort to quell new speculation about doping at the Tour de France.

At a news conference on Tuesday on the Tour's second rest day, Sky team performance analyst Tim Kerrison read figures including Froome's power output, cadence and heart rate on a final climb in Stage 10, which he won, in the Pyrenees.

Sky manager Dave Brailsford said the team decided to release the figures after an expert on France's state broadcaster covering the race had aired what he called "wildly wrong" data about Froome's performances.

Brailsford added that he hoped the release of the data would "put to bed ... some of the numbers that they came up with."

SHOTLIST:

Bastia, France. 29 June 2013.

1. 00:00 Wide of Chris Froome

2. 00:05 Wide of Chris Froome on static bike

3. 00:11 SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Froome, Team Sky:

(Question: What did you see of that crash?)

"Not much to be honest, just the sound of breaking bikes and shoes going onto the road and I couldn't see where it started or anything and I just saw bikes flying around and people crashing all around."

4. 00:29 SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Froome, Team Sky:

(Question: It must be a horrible sound for any cyclists, especially on a stage like this and so early in the Tour...what happens?)

"Again just another reminder that this Tour is about so much more than having the form and being here."

5. 00:44 SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Froome, Team Sky:

(Question: what did you know about the coach being stuck on the finish line?)

"I wasn't aware of that. We were just told at one stage that the finish would be at 3-Ks (kilometres) to go and then once we hit the 3-Ks to go they said 'okay, no it is at the finish'..so yeah, bit of uncertainty there in the final but yeah the main thing is that most of us have cone through alright. Geraint Thomas (Sky Pro Cycling) has been a little bit injured but he is going to get that checked out now."

6. 01:15 Mid shot of Juan José Lobato Del Valle (Euskaltel-Euskadi) in Polka Dot jersey

7. 01:24 Various of Alberto Contador being interviewed

8. 01:50 SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Alberto Contador, Team Saxo-Tinkoff: +NOT VERBATIM+

"No, it was typical first day nerves...these things happen."

9. 02:11 Various scenics

STORYLINE:

Reaction from Team Sky rider Chris Froome and from Alberto Contador of the Team Saxo Tinkoff Bank team following the opening stage of the 100th Tour de France on Saturday (June 29).

Team Ineos rider Geraint Thomas said on Monday's rest day that he is "itching to go" ahead of the final week of racing at the 2019 Tour de France.

Second-placed Thomas gained 27 seconds on yellow jersey holder Julian Alaphilippe on Sunday's stage 15, as a late attack saw him distance the Frenchman towards the Prat d'Albis summit finish.

Three big mountain days are still left to race before the Tour's traditional conclusion in Paris, and Thomas will be intent on making further inroads into Alaphilippe's lead, which stands at one minute and 35 seconds.

On Saturday, the Welshman had lost crucial time on the Col du Tourmalet, but his response on Sunday kept him in contention as he bids to retain the Tour de France title.

Tuesday's 177 kilometre relatively flat stage 16 in Nimes is likely to see a bunch sprint finish.

Nimes, France. 22nd July 2019.

1. 00:00 Various of Geraint Thomas entering news conference

2. 00:15 Geraint Thomas (left), Team Ineos general manager Dave Brailsford (centre) and Egan Bernal (right) in news conference

3. 00:23 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, Team Ineos rider:

(About taking time out of Julian Alaphilippe's lead on Sunday and looking ahead to the Alps)

"We stick together. I think obviously yesterday (Sunday), I said on the radio that I didn't feel great coming into the last climb. As it turns out, I did feel great at the top. But, yeah, I think the main thing is, going into the Alps now, I feel motivated to get there and really try and finish this Tour off well. It has been slightly up and down here, for sure, and race compared to last year. But the main thing for me is that I finished strongly yesterday (Sunday), and I am really just itching to go now. I much prefer the Alps - I have got a lot better memories from there for obvious reasons. Yeah, I'm just looking forward to it."

4. 01:16 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, Team Ineos rider:

(About managing his effort to remain in contention overall and the soaring temperatures in France this week)

"Yeah, yesterday (Sunday), like I say, I finished really strongly so, yeah, it's not an issue. If that is my bad day, to lose 30 seconds on the Tourmalet, is quite a good day really. And like Dave (Brailsford) said, you win a Grand Tour by being good all the way through, and managing your effort all the way through, not going into that deep, deep red zone often - save that for the final day or two. So I feel like I have managed that effort really well so far and I'm feeling good for it. Yeah I'm looking forward to the Alps now and, altitude-wise like in training in Tenerife, a drop off of watts is never really as much as most people so I'm relishing that opportunity and the heat, it is the same for everyone. I have ridden in that heat Down Under (Australia) numerous times over the years and got used it, so it is no problem."

5. 02:23 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, Team Ineos rider:

(About Team Ineos' performances in this year's Tour de France)

"Egan (Bernal) is fifth and I am second. I think we are still doing pretty well. Ok, yeah, we are not in the yellow and we are not riding on the front all day everyday. But like Dave (Brailsford) said, there is more than one way to win the Tour and this situation is completely different, and we don't have to pull when there are other teams that want to do it as well. So I think we are still in a super strong position the boys as well... Dylan (van Barrle) for instance, has been incredible, the way he has been going this year. I think he has been one of the standout guys in our team. I think everyone has ups and downs and I think it is how you deal with that. But, yeah, I am confident that we are all in great shape and a great position, and looking forward to some big Alpine climbs."

6. 03:22 SOUNDBITE (Spanish): Egan Bernal, Team Ineos rider:

(About Nairo Quintana telling his team he was having some difficulties during the Col du Tourmalet, but Alejandro Valverde said that he did not mention anything)

"I think it is easier when you have good communication with the rest of the team. That has happened before, and he (Nairo Quintana) has always has been very honest. As a fellow Colombian, he told me that he was not in the best condition. I have been ahead of Nairo in the race. I think it is good for the race and for the teams (to have that competition and communication between riders). In my case, if I am ahead (in the race) maybe other riders could have some doubts, because a rider from Ineos is ahead and they do not want to help me out. I think there is a lot of strategy around, but again, the leader in our team is Geraint (Thomas) and we will give our all for him."