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

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.

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

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

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).

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.

RESTRICTIONS: SNTV clients only. Scheduled news programmes only. Use within 14 days. If interested in archive use after 14 days please contact www.aparchive.com <http://www.aparchive.com>. Internet use only for SNTV clients with digital rights licensed in their contract. For any questions regarding rights restrictions please contact planning@sntv.com

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."

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."

Reigning Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas revealed to SNTV on Tuesday that his sole focus for 2019 is to successfully defend the yellow jersey.

Thomas won the 2018 Tour de France by almost two minutes after a battle against his team-mate and four-time champion Chris Froome, who finished third.

The 32 year-old Welshman was speaking ahead of Wednesday's Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in southern Spain and admitted he would never have been in contention for a Tour de France victory in the "dark ages" when doping was rife in the sport.

Last year, Thomas vented his frustration at Team Sky prioritising Froome during the Tour de France, but said they now have a strong relationship.

Thomas also said he is focused on racing and is not overly concerned by Sky's withdrawal of its sponsorship of the team at the end of 2019.

SHOTLIST: Various.

Orihuela, Spain. 5th February 2019.

1. 00:00 Pan from Tour of Valencia bus to the 'Teatro Circo'

2. 00:07 Geraint Thomas arrives at the 'Teatro Circo' with Team Sky staff

3. 00:17 Geraint Thomas during interview

4. 00:25 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France champion:

(About his focus on defending his Tour de France title)

"I think having won the Tour last year, I have to go back to the tour and to go there, not in the best shape, would be... I don't think I'd enjoy it so much. So yeah it's all about going back there in the best shape I can, and yeah trying to get the best result I can."

Paris, France. 29th July 2018.

5. 00:46 Geraint Thomas waves to the crowd after winning Tour de France

Cardiff, Wales, UK. 9th August 2018.

6. 00:55 Geraint Thomas holding Wales flag and wearing the yellow jersey

Orihuela, Spain. 5th February 2019.

7. 01:03 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France champion:

(About the image of cycling and its controversial past)

"I certainly think that what's gone on in the past has helped clean up the sport for sure and I'm confident that it's one of the cleanest sports around. So yeah, I think that's great as there's no way I would've won the Tour all those years ago. So yeah, I'm fortunate to be at the age I am riding my bike now and yeah I think the sport is in a great period. But obviously when it comes to what people think about us and this and that... again, what can I do about it? Whatever I say they're going to spin that to how ever they want. So yeah, like I say, just crack on and go about my business as I always do."

Paris, France 29th July 2018.

8. 01:52 Geraint Thomas performs the 'Thunderclap' with Team Sky general manager Dave Brailsford after winning the Tour de France

Orihuela, Spain. 5th February 2019.

9. 02:03 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France champion:

(About the negative publicity which has surrounded Team Sky)

"I'm not going to stand up and sing a song and dance about how I am squeaky clean and this and that. But I do everything the right way and that's it. I train hard, work hard and I have a lot of support around me and that's what I do, and obviously if people do stuff, then I can't do anything about that. But I'm sure that sort of mindset of the Peloton has certainly shifted a lot since the dark ages."

Paris, France. 22nd July 2012.

10. 02:38 Bradley Wiggins celebrates winning the Tour de France in 2012 with Team Sky

Orihuela, Spain. 5th February 2019.

11. 02:51 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France champion:

(About whether he has had any doubts about racing for Team Sky)

"All that that was going on, even though I was part of the team obviously and close to the guys, but it was nothing to do with me. What can I do about that? Same with the sponsorship. It's not like I'm going to go out and get an Amazon or whoever to come and sponsor us. As I say it's out of my control. So I just worry about myself and yeah crack on with that."

Mallorca, Spain. 11th January 2015.

12. 03:17 Various of Team Sky riders cycling

Orihuela, Spain. 5th February 2019.

13. 03:28 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France champion:

(About the future of the team with Sky pulling out of sponsorship at the end of 2019)

''No, not really I just leave it with Dave B (Brailsford) and Fran (Millar, Team Sky Director of Business Operations) and left all that with them. I just concentrate on trying to get into shape really and focus on racing and training and yeah they'll deal with that. And we're confident that we'll be able to find something. It's one of the best sports teams in the world. So hopefully we can find something. But yeah, like I say, I just concentrate on training and on the goals I've got to go."

London, England, UK. 8th October 2014.

14. 04:01 Pan of Dave Brailsford being interviewed

Orihuela, Spain. 5th February 2019.

15. 04:06 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France champion:

(About his future once Sky's sponsorship of the team ends)

"As long as the team can keep going and stick together, the core of us, then that's the main thing for me. If all that did stop and we couldn't find a sponsor, then obviously it wouldn't be nice to end like that. But, like I say, I just focus on racing and training and I have got confidence that we can keep going."

Chemin de Colombier, France. 30th June 2016.

16. 04:31 Pan of four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome alongside his Team Sky bike

Mallorca, Spain. 11th January 2015.

17. 04:37 Chris Froome cycling with Team Sky teammates

Orihuela, Spain. 5th February 2019.

18. 04:41 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France champion:

(About who is the main man at Team Sky - Geraint Thomas or Chris Froome?)

"I think we have just got to treat it like last year. Both of us get there as good as we can be and then just go from there. It'll be obvious really before we even get there. But once we are there and racing, and in the mountains, and we know as long as we don't race against each other and we were always open and honest with each other, then I think it can still work. And yeah that's the way we're going to treat it."

Dusseldorf, Germany. 30th June 2017.

19. 05:06 Chris Froome in Team Sky colours

Orihuela, Spain. 5th February 2019.

20. 05:15 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France champion:

(About his relationship with Chris Froome)

"Yeah we've known each other for a long time now and we know how each other sort of races and thinks and things. The worst thing that could happen is we race against each other and none of us win and somebody else wins. That would be, well, that wouldn't be great. So yeah I think we can certainly make it work."

21. 05:37 Geraint Thomas leaves the 'Teatro Circo'

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 05:45

Sky will end its involvement in cycling in 2019 after more than a decade of backing.

The decision will bring to a conclusion Sky's ownership and sponsorship of Team Sky, which will continue to race if a new backer is secured by 2020.

The team will compete as Team Sky for the last time during the 2019 road racing season.

Team Sky have won 322 races including eight Grand Tours, 52 other stage races and 25 one-day races after starting their sponsorship in 2010.

Two years later Sir Bradley Wiggins became the first Briton to win the Tour de France, with Chris Froome claiming the first of his four Tour titles in 2013.

In the summer Geraint Thomas became the third Team Sky rider - as well as the third Briton - to win the Tour de France, the team's sixth success at the race in seven years.

SHOTLIST: Various.  

Cardiff, Wales, UK - 9th August 2018.

1. 00:00 Geraint Thomas being interviewed at a homecoming event

2. 00:08 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France champion:

(on why he wants to stay at Team Sky, if he wants to be lead rider within team)

"Yeah, obviously that's a big role. But obviously the support you get as well. Not just the riders around you but the staff. And everything, you know. So yeah, it's a big decision but yeah. It's big but it's also kind of easy as well in a way."

3. 00:26 Various of Geraint Thomas at homecoming event

London, England. 10th August, 2014.

4. 00:42 Team Sky car and bikes

5. 00:51 Sir Bradley Wiggins speaking to media

6. 00:54 Wiggins signing autographs and posing for photos with young fans

Mallorca, Spain. 24th January, 2013.

7. 01:06 Wiggins cycling  

Chemin de Colombier, France. 30th June, 2016.

8. 01:13 Chris Froome and Team Sky colleagues

Nice, France. 15th March, 2015.

9. 01:20 Various of Team Sky buses

London, England, UK. 8th October, 2014.

10. 02:42 Various of General Manager of Team Sky Sir Dave Brailsford

Mallorca, Spain. 11th January, 2015.

11. 01:53 Various of Team Sky riding

12. 02:05 Brailsford being interviewed

13. 02:09 SOUNDBITE: (English) Sir David Brailsford, General Manager, Team Sky:

"Well we have just come...when we started with Team Sky we had a five-year plan and a strategy for five years and a vision, which was to try and win the Tour de France obviously with a British rider clean and to try and get a million more people cycling in Britain - and we achieved that. It kind of feels a little bit like it is the end of one chapter and now we are starting a new chapter, which is our next five years up until 2020. So, next year is a big part of that because what we would like to do, from our point of view, we want the next five years to be better than the first five years. That is how we are as people.''

14. 02:48 Various of Froome and Team Sky riding

Dusseldorf, Germany - 30th June 2017.

15. 03:04 Various of Chris Froome

16. 03:18 Brailsford

17. 03:23 Geraint Thomas

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:27

STORYLINE:

UCI President Pat McQuaid told SNTV on Monday (22nd October) that he believes the Lance Armstrong scandal will "become history very quickly" as he insists the sport is much cleaner now.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

International Cycling Union (UCI) President Pat McQuaid took part in a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday in the wake of the Lance Armstrong doping controversy.

McQuaid confirmed that Armstrong is to be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from the sport for life following a report from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) that accused him of leading a massive doping program on his teams.

McQuaid also announced that the federation accepted the USADA's report on Armstrong and would not appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The decision clears the way for Tour de France organisers to officially remove Armstrong's name from the record books, erasing his consecutive victories from 1999-2005.

Tour director Christian Prudhomme has said his organisation would go along with whatever cycling's governing body decides and will have no official winners for those years.

The USADA had said that Armstrong should be banned and stripped of his Tour titles for "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping program that sport has ever seen" within his U.S. Postal Service and Discovery Channel teams. He also loses all race results achieved since August 1998.

The USADA report said Armstrong and his teams used steroids, the blood booster EPO and blood transfusions. The report included statements from 11 former teammates who testified against Armstrong, including that he pressured them to take banned drugs.

Armstrong denies doping, saying he passed hundreds of drug tests. But he chose not to fight USADA in one of the agency's arbitration hearings, arguing the process was biased against him. USADA's report, released earlier this month, was aimed at showing why the agency ordered the sanctions against him.

Former Armstrong team director Johan Bruyneel is also facing doping charges, but he is challenging the USADA case in arbitration.

While drug use allegations have followed the 41-year-old Armstrong throughout much of his career, the USADA report has badly damaged his reputation. Longtime sponsors Nike, Trek Bicycles and Anheuser-Busch have dropped him, as have other companies, and Armstrong also stepped down last week as chairman of Livestrong, the cancer awareness charity he founded 15 years ago after surviving testicular cancer which spread to his lungs and brain.

Armstrong's astonishing return from life-threatening illness to the summit of cycling offered an inspirational story that transcended the sport.

However, his downfall has ended "one of the most sordid chapters in sports history," USADA said in its report published two weeks ago.

If Armstrong's Tour victories are not reassigned there would be a hole in the record books, marking a shift from how organisers treated similar cases in the past.

When Alberto Contador was stripped of his 2010 Tour victory for a doping violation, organisers awarded the title to Andy Schleck. In 2006, Oscar Pereiro was awarded the victory after the doping disqualification of American rider Floyd Landis.

The USADA also thinks the Tour titles should not be given to other riders who finished on the podium, such was the level of doping during Armstrong's era.

The agency said 20 of the 21 riders on the podium in the Tour from 1999 through 2005 have been "directly tied to likely doping through admissions, sanctions, public investigations" or other means. It added that of the 45 riders on the podium between 1996 and 2010, 36 were by cyclists "similarly tainted by doping."

The world's most famous cyclist could still face further sports sanctions and legal challenges. Armstrong could lose his 2000 Olympic time-trial bronze medal and may be targeted with civil lawsuits from ex-sponsors or even the U.S. government.

McQuaid said the UCI's board will meet on Friday (October 26) to discuss the OIympic issue and whether to update other race results taking account of Armstrong's disqualifications.

SHOTLIST:

Aigle, Switzerland - 22nd October 2012

1. 00:00 - Various cutaways of news conference

2. 00:05 - SOUNDBITE: (English), Pat McQuaid, UCI President:

"This is not the first time that cycling has reached the crossroads - or that it has had to begin anew and engage in the painful process of confronting its past. So again, with renewed vigour and purpose and its stakeholders and fans can be assured that it will find a new path forward. The UCI wishes to begin that journey on that path forward today by confirming that it will not appeal to the court of arbitration for sport and that it will recognise the sanction that USADA has imposed. The UCI will ban Lance Armstrong from cycling and the UCI will strip him of his seven Tour de France titles. Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling."

3. 00:56 - Cutaways

4. 01:13 - SOUNDBITE: (English), Pat McQuaid:

"For Lance Armstrong, make no mistake it is a catastrophe for him - he has to face up to that, that is his problem. What we have to do is deal with the evidence that was in the USADA file. We saw the evidence, we read the evidence and we really had no option but to make the decision we made. For the sport, I think the sport can look upon this as another - and I won't say a turning point - because it is another turning point where the sport has got to move forward and the sport has got to take what it can from this and bring it into the sport of today and tomorrow. That's what my intention is - to try and take from this and use it as a means to convince athletes that there is no future in doping."

5. 02:00 - SOUNDBITE: (English), Pat McQuaid:

"We haven't tried to defend an icon in our sport, we haven't tried to find a way to defend an icon in our sport. We've accepted reality, we've accepted the facts and the facts are there. We will continue to do that - I'm a pragmatic person and I believe that no matter how bad a situation may be, you take the decision you have to take and you move forward from there."

6. 02:22 - SOUNDBITE: (English), Pat McQuaid:

"I think the teams of today and the pro-teams and the pro-continental teams of today and the young athletes coming into the sport, the new generation of athletes - the Richie Portes, the Geraint Thomas' - and they are a little behind the Mark Cavendish and the Bradley Wiggins' and the Nibalis of this world and the TJ van Garderen or whatever and so forth. These are the sort of riders that are sitting and looking at what's going on, looking at what's happening and they are saying to themselves, 'I never want to be involved in anything like this, I never want to be near anything like this' and they are the riders that are the future of our sport and they are the riders that will bring our sport forward."

7. 03:03 - SOUNDBITE: (English), Pat McQuaid (on probe launched by Padua investigators in Italy into alleged doping):

"We may do. We are waiting for the results of that case. I've only read some speculative stuff about it at the moment. We are waiting for it and let's see what happens. Whatever is in there we will deal with it within the rules, within the body of evidence we are given. You are right, it's another element but it's another element from a period of time that the anti doping fight is a lot weaker than it is today. Although having said that there maybe evidence in the Padua affair of doping activities in recent years, again trying to beat the system. We'll deal with it and we will move forward and hopefully the sport - I have no doubt the sport will survive. You only have to look at the popularity of the sport and the sport will remain popular even after this affair today. Once this affair is over it's done with, this will become history very quickly."

SOURCE: SNTV

Britain's richest man has bought the Team Sky cycling team, which will be renamed Team Ineos.

Jim Ratcliffe, the chairman of chemicals giant Ineos, is reported by the Sunday Times rich list as being worth 21 billion U.S. dollars (18.5 million euros).

Ineos pledged in a statement on Tuesday to honour all "existing commitments to riders, staff and partners."

The team will officially launch at the Tour de Yorkshire in May.

Sky's long-time team principal Dave Brailsford welcomed the move, saying "it represents a huge vote of confidence in our future."

Sky have won six of the past seven Tour de France races, with Chris Froome winning four times and Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas once each.

British broadcaster Sky announced its withdrawal from the sport last December following the European pay TV giant's takeover by American company Comcast.

SHOTLIST: File. Various locations.

1. 00:00 Wide of Team Sky coach

2. 00:03 Close up Team Sky logo on coach

3. 00:07 Pan up from Team Sky car to bikes

4. 00:11 Team Sky bikes

5. 00:15 Team Sky riders on the road

6. 00:21 Bradley Wiggins with young fan

7. 00:26 Various of Chris Froome

8. 00:38 Team Sky riders on the road

9. 00:44 Various of team principal Dave Brailsford

10. 00:53 Geraint Thomas celebrates 2018 Tour de France win

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 01:03

STORYLINE:

The cycling team known as Sky when winning six Tour de France titles from 2012-18 got its second name change in 15 months on Wednesday.

Sky became Team Ineos before Egan Bernal's victory in the 2019 race. Bernal followed Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas as winners for the Britain-based team.

The team said in a statement it will be known as Ineos Grenadiers when the delayed Tour opens Aug. 29.

The name promotes a brand of SUV designed by its billionaire owner Jim Ratcliffe which the team said will launch in 2021.

Cycling news sites in Italy reported the team's colors will change from mostly black to blue.

Various. Various.

File. Various locations.

1. 00:00 Wide of Team Sky coach

2. 00:03 Close up Team Sky logo on coach

3. 00:07 Pan up from Team Sky car to bikes

4. 00:11 Team Sky bikes

5. 00:15 Team Sky riders on the road

Doncaster, England, UK. 1st May 2019

6. 00:21 Team Ineos car and bus

7. 00:26 Chris Froome cycling in Team Ineos colours

8. 00:32 Various Froome with Ineos chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe (left) and Team Ineos team principal Sir Dave Brailsford (right)

9. 00:45 Team Ineos bus

Zipaquira, Colombia. 7th  August 2019

10. 00:49 Various of Tour de France Champion Egan Bernal in his hometown in Colombia

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 01:00

STORYLINE:

The British men's cycling pursuit team retained the Olympic gold medal on Friday (August 3rd), shattering the world record it had set the previous day; as the quartet of Edward Clancy, Geraint Thomas, Steven Burke and Peter Kennaugh finished in three minutes, 51.659 seconds - lowering the mark of 3:52.499 they set during the qualifying round by nearly a second, carried along by a partisan crowd that included Bradley Wiggins, the Tour de France champion and former team-mate, who won the Olympic time trial gold medal on Wednesday at Hampton Court Palace.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

What a summer for British cycling?

Team GB pedallers are flying along with a wall of noise after claiming three Olympic titles from four events at the London 2012 Velodrome at the Olympic Park.

Ed Clancy, Geraint Thomas, Peter Kennaugh and Steven Burke successfully defended Britain's four-kilometre team pursuit title on a night in the English capital when Victoria Pendleton won keirin gold and the women's team pursuit squad qualified fastest for the day three's knockout rounds.

The wave of momentum has not stopped after Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France and Olympic time-trial gold, as part of a haul of three medals on the road in the first week of London 2012.

The Australian team of Jack Bobridge, Glenn O'Shea, Rohan Dennis and Michael Hepburn finished in 3:54.581 to win the silver medal, and New Zealand beat Russia for the bronze - but once again the Brits dominated in the saddle.

The first team to defend the Olympic team pursuit title since West Germany in 1976, Britain was carried along by a partisan crowd that included Wiggins, the Tour de France champion who won the Olympic

time trial gold medal on Wednesday at Hampton Court Palace.

Wiggins was roaring his approval with the rest of the 6,000 fans jammed into the velodrome, and for good reason: he was part of the British pursuit team that won gold in Beijing.

The team pursuit, in which teams of four race over four kilometers in an aerodynamic formation, started on Thursday, when the British team established a world record.

The time was nearly three seconds faster than Australia - and more than five seconds better than New Zealand - and an ecstatic Thomas and Burke paid tribute to Wiggins and those fans afterwards as they proudly displayed yet more gold for as Team GB surged up the overall medals table.

Stratford, London, England. August 3rd, 2012.

1. 00:00 Establisher - Team GB team pursuit cycle Olympic gold medal winners arrive at Team GB House.

2. Team GB team pursuit cyclist Geraint Thomas (right) and Peter Kennaugh (left) sitting down.

3. Close-up Team GB logo.

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Geraint Thomas: "You know all year I've been thinking about it, talking about the Aussies and the Kiwis, yeah to finally just to get on that track and deliver the goods is a great feeling and it's quite surreal now to be honest."

Q: "Delivered it in fine style as well, a world record, did you see that coming?

"Yeah we knew we could, we knew we were capable of it in training from Newport and stuff, but like I said, it's one thing believing it, and another thing actually getting up on the boards and delivering under all that pressure. The crowd, the atmosphere was just incredible, overjoyed and it's a bit sort of surreal at the minute."

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Stephen Burke: "Yeah the race itself, the final race just went so fast, yeah before I knew it I was into my last turn and I looked on the board, the lap board for the first time and just four or five to go and yeah I was just ready for my last turn. I'm just stunned to be honest, and the first thing I felt when I went over the line was relief, that's for sure, yeah I just wanted it so badly."

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Geraint Thomas: "I think Brad gave us lots of inspiration, what he did on the Tour and things and he sent us a text 'good luck' and stuff, and it's just nice, you know, he's a bit of a superstar these days so it's nice to get that encouragement from him. At the time it was just incredible really, we knew we could do it. Like I said we got up there and delivered the goods which is great."

7. Close-up camera operator.

SOURCE: SNTV.

The British Olympic Association announced its squad for the 2012 Olympic Games at the National Cycling centre in Manchester on Wednesday (13th June)

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

The National Cycling Centre in Manchester was the venue for the official announcement of the British cycling squad for the London Olympic Games on Wednesday (13th June).

The BOA has named 18 cyclists, in three different disciplines, Track Cycling, BMX and Mountain Biking.

They also announced the provisional squads for the road cycling events.

Much interest surrounds the naming of both Sir Chris Hoy and Jason Kenny in the track team.

The two men are vying for one place in the individual sprint, and Sporting Director Dave Brailsford confirmed he would leave the final selection as late as possible.

Hoy, who is a four time Olympic Champion, said he would accept the situation, and work hard to get the place.

Brailsford goes into his third games as Sporting Director under pressure to deliver more medals for Britain's successful cycling team.

At Beijing in 2008, they won eight golds from a possible 18, and Brailsford admits their is extra pressure in a home Olympic Games.

David Millar has been named as one of the eight cyclists in the provisional men's road squad, to be reduced to five before the Games.

The experienced Scotsman came into contention when the World Anti-Doping Agency overturned the BOA's life Olympic ban imposed on Millar for drugs offences.

Brailsford confirmed he selected Millar purely on cycling grounds, and believed he would be welcomed into the team.

Shanaze Reid is one of Great Britain's medal hopes in the BMX.

Reid suffered disappointment in Beijing four years ago, when she crashed when seemingly on the way to winning gold, eventually taking silver.

She says she has put the experience behind her, and hopes to go one better in London.

Geraint Thomas is another big medal hope, the Welshman is expected to be part of the team pursuit squad hoping the defend the title they won in Beijing.

Thomas was part of the quartet whch set a new world record winning the world title in April, beating their great rivals Australia in front of their own fans in Melbourne.

He expects the continued rivalry between Great Britain and Australia to be a highlight of the London Games.

Thomas has decided to focus on track cycling in the build-up to the Games, electing not to take part in the Tour de France.

He gave his reaction to Andy Schleck's decision to putt out through injury, saying it will be a big help for Bradley Wiggins and his Team Sky team mates.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

GB cycling squad:

Track (Sprint) Philip Hindes, Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny, Victoria Pendleton, Jessica Varnish

Track (Endurance) - Steven Burke, Edward Clancy, Wendy Houvenaghel, Peter Kennaugh, Danielle King, Joanna Rowsell, Andrew Tennant, Geraint Thomas, Laura Trott

BMX - Liam Phillips, Shanaze Reid

Cross Country Mountain Biking - Liam Killeen, Annie Last

Men's Road (five to be selected) - Mark Cavendish, Steve Cummings, Chris Froome, Jeremy Hunt, David Millar, Ian Stannard, Ben Swift, Bradley Wiggins

Women's Road (four to be selected) - Lizzie Armitstead, Nicole Cooke, Katie Colclough, Sharon Laws, Lucy Martin, Emma Pooley

SHOTLIST: National Cycling centre, Manchester, England, 13th June 2012

1. 00:00 Establisher: Exterior of National Cycling Centre

2. 00:05 Sir Chris Hoy walks in to presss conference

3. 00:14 SOUNDBITE (English): Sir Chris Hoy

"In some ways it is quite tough. You want to have a little bit of clarity. But in other ways all you think about and focus on is your training, and getting the best out of yourself. Whoever gets selected for the sprint in particular will do a great job, whether it's Jason (Kenny) or myself, and there's no point in worrying about it. It's out of your control, all you can do is train hard."

4. 00:41 Pull out from British Cycling Sporting Director Dave Brailsford (centre) posing with (left to right), Geraint Thomas, Shanaze Reid, Sir Chris Hoy and Liam Phillips.

5. 00:51 SOUNDBITE (English): Dave Brailsford

"Like I say I think there is an added dimension the fact that it's a home games, there's no doubt about it, and you don't want to let people down, I think that's the important thing. You really want to make people feel proud and say there's something here as a nation you can really fell proud about, and give us that feelgood factor. So I think, in that respect, we've got a responsibility I think, to make sure we get it right on the day."

6. 01:24 SOUNDBITE (English): Dave Brailsford (on David Millar selection)

"These guys are professional, they're professional athletes, and their job is to get the team kkit, that British flag across the line first. That's their job, and if people are going to bring personal issues, get down to a level where there are issues, which they bring to the table around personal beliefs, then they're not the right guys for the job."

7. 00:51 Pan from cameramen to cyclists

8. 00:56 Close up of cyclists

9. 02:06 SOUNDBITE (English): Shanaze Reid

"Beijing is behind me, it definitely is, without a doubt, I can say that now, because I learnt a lot from that event, six races, three crashes. What more can you give me? What more can you chuck at me? It was more than my fair share to get all the experience. Like I said it's behind me, but it would also be like, it's completely behind me, that's it, it's game over with that, a new chapter in my life."

10. 02:36 Photographer taking pictures of cyclists

11. 02:43 Geraint Thomas with radio reporter

12. 02:51 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas

"For sure they're the two powerhouses in track cycling for sure. So yeah there's going to be some tight racing, and I think the team pursuit, the beauty of that, is that anybody can watch it and understand, it's just a time trial, flat out, they start over there, we start here, and we'll see who wins. I think that's what makes the team pursuit so good to watch."

13. 03:17 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas (on Andy Schleck pulling out of Tour de France)

"It's surprising, but it's also kind of not. I think, llooking at his results recently, he just hasn't been going. And, you know, you see a lot in the media about infighting in the team and things and, true or not, I think it's always going to affect the people involved. but for Sky and for Brad (Wiggins), it's great."

13. 03:43 End of photocall

SOURCE: SNTV

STORYLINE:

Simon Yates spoke of his joy and relief shortly after winning the 2018 La Vuelta crown on Sunday (16th September), his first Grand Tour success - it's the first time that British riders have won all three Grand Tour events in the same year.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Simon Yates duly became the 2018 La Vuelta champion after Sunday's final stage, a procession between Alcorcon and Madrid.

The Mitchelton-Scott rider finished one minute and 46 seconds ahead of Quick-Step's Enric Mas, with Miguel Angel Lopez of Astana, two minutes and four seconds back in third.

Yates's win means that all three Grand Tours - Vuelta, Giro D'Italia and Tour de France - have been won by British riders this year, following Chris Froome's success in the Giro and Geraint Thomas' triumph in the Tour.

His victory in Spain is all the more sweet after he imploded when leading the Giro, tumbling in one stage from first to 17th in the General Classification.

The final Vuelta stage came down to a sprint in the heart of Madrid, won by Quick-Step's Elia Viviani ahead of world champion Peter Sagan, riding for Bora-Hansgrohe.

Madrid, Spain. 16th September, 2018.

1. 00:00 Simon Yates being congratulated after winning the Vuelta a Espana

2. 00:04 Cutaway photographers

3. 00:07 SOUNDBITE (English): Simon Yates (GB, Mitchelton–Scott) 2018 La Vuelta winner:

"I was very disappointed after the Giro (Giro d'Italia this year) and it took a long time to really get over that. But I've come here now with renewed motivation and managed to pull it off, so just unbelievable."

4. 00:23 Yates celebrating his win with his Mitchelton–Scott team mates

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 00:28