Taking his opportunities as they arose, Vincenzo Nibali conquered the Hautacam and took his fourth victory – the last man to win the Tour with four (non-time trial) stage wins was Eddy Merckx. Meanwhile, Alejandro Valverde was distanced by the French, falling from second to fourth place, setting up a tantalising time trial showdown on Saturday.
The final day in the Pyrenees is a day of last chances. The last chance for those GC hopefuls without a good time trial in them to gain some vital time on their rivals. (I’m looking at you, Romain Bardet and Thibaut Pinot). The last chance to win some big points in the king of the mountains competition. The last chance for a climber to take a stage win. Continue reading