Tour De France 2018 Stage 21

Geraint Thomas became Britain's third winner of the Tour de France when he crossed the finish line in Paris.

The Team Sky rider, 32, follows Sir Bradley Wiggins in 2012 and four-time Tour champion Chris Froome as Britain celebrates a sixth win in seven years.

Alexander Kristoff won the final sprint finish on the Champs-Elysees as Thomas crossed the line arm-in-arm with Froome after three weeks of racing.

He beat Dutchman Tom Dumoulin by one minute 51 seconds, with Froome third.

The Welshman, who rode in support of Froome in each of his four wins, had built up that lead over the previous 20 stages and Tour convention dictates that the yellow jersey is not challenged on the final stage.

Tour De France 2018 Stages 17-20

Stage 17

Britain's Geraint Thomas extended his lead in the Tour de France as defending champion Chris Froome faltered on the final climb on stage 17.

The Welshman, 32, who is chasing his first Grand Tour victory, leads Team Sky team-mate Froome by two minutes 31 seconds with four stages left.

Thomas' closest general classification rival is now Dutchman Tom Dumoulin, who is 1:59 behind, with Froome in third.

Nairo Quintana held off Ireland's Dan Martin to win the 65km (40-mile) stage.

Featuring a Moto GP-style grid start, the shortest stage of the modern era from Bagneres-de-Luchon to the summit of the Col du Portet began with Thomas briefly on his own in front of the rest of the field.

After three brutal climbs in quick succession, separated by twisting technical descents, he had strengthened his hold on the yellow jersey with a commanding ride that showed his all-round ability and no sign of weakness.


Stage 17 result

1. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar Team) 2hrs 21mins 27secs
2. Dan Martin (Ire/UAE Team Emirates) +28secs
3. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) +47secs
4. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Team LottoNL-Jumbo) +52secs
5. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Team Sunweb) - same time
6. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/LottoNL-Jumbo) +1min 5secs
7. Egan Bernal (Col/Team Sky) +1min 33secs
8. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +1min 35secs
9. Mikel Landa (Spa/Movistar) same time
10. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus/Katusha-Alpecin) +2mins 1sec

General classification standings

1. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) 70hrs 34mins 11secs
2. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Team Sunweb) +1min 59secs
3. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) 2mins 31secs
4. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Team LottoNL-Jumbo) +2mins 47secs
5. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar Team) +3mins 30secs
6. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/LottoNL-Jumbo) +4mins 19secs
7. Mikel Landa (Spa/Movistar) +4mins 34secs
8. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +5mins 13secs
9. Dan Martin (Ire/UAE Team Emirates) +6mins 33secs
10. Jakob Fuglsang (Den/Astana) +9mins 31secs



Stage 18

Britain's Geraint Thomas retained his overall lead in the Tour de France as Arnaud Demare won a sprint finish in Pau to take the 18th stage.

Team Sky's Thomas finished safely in the peloton to maintain his lead of one minute 59 seconds over Tom Dumoulin.

Defending champion Chris Froome remains third, a further 32 seconds back, with only a mountain stage, a time trial and Sunday's finale in Paris to come.

Demare held off fellow Frenchman Christophe Laporte to win.

Peter Sagan, who is assured of the green jersey in the points classification, provided he makes it to Paris, briefly looked set to contest the finish.

The Slovak's Bora-Hansgrohe team-mates set the pace into the final kilometre but Sagan, who suffered cuts in a crash yesterday, opted to stay out of the fray.

Stage 18 result:

1. Arnaud Demare (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) 3hrs 46mins 40secs
2. Christophe Laporte (Fra/Cofidis) Same time
3. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/UAE Team Emirates)
4. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Dimension Data)
5. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita/Bahrain-Merida)
6. Maximiliano Richeze (Arg/Quick-Step Floors)
7. John Degenkolb (Ger/Trek-Segafredo)
8. Peter Sagan (Svk/Bora-Hansgrohe)
9. Taylor Phinney (US/Team EF Education First-Drapac P/B Cannondale)
10. Timothy Dupont (Bel/Wanty-Groupe Gobert)

General classification after stage 18:

1. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) 74hrs 21mins 1sec
2. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Team Sunweb) +1min 59secs
3. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +2mins 31secs
4. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Team LottoNL-Jumbo) +2mins 47secs
5. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar Team) +3mins 30secs
6. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/Lotto NL-Jumbo) +4mins 19secs
7. Mikel Landa (Spa/Movistar) +4mins 34secs
8. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +5mins 13secs
9. Daniel Martin (Ire/UAE Team Emirates) +6mins 33secs
10. Jakob Fuglsang (Den/Astana) +9mins 31secs



Stage 19

Geraint Thomas edged closer to winning the Tour de France by finishing second to Primoz Roglic on stage 19, the final day in the mountains.

The Briton outsprinted closest rival Tom Dumoulin on the run-in to Laruns to pick up six bonus seconds and extend his overall lead with two stages left.

Thomas leads Dutchman Dumoulin by two minutes, five seconds with Saturday's 31km individual time trial to come.

Sunday's processional finale into Paris will see no change in the standings.


Stage 19 result:

1. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Team LottoNL-Jumbo) 5hrs 28mins 17secs
2. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) +19secs
3. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) same time
4. Daniel Martin (Ire/UAE Team Emirates)
5. Rafal Majka (Pol/Bora-Hansgrohe)
6. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Team Sunweb)
7. Mikel Landa (Spa/Movistar)
8. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky)
9. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/Lotto NL-Jumbo) +31secs
10. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus/Katusha-Alpecin) same time

General classification after stage 19:

1. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) 79hrs 49mins 31secs
2. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Team Sunweb) +2mins 05secs
3. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Team LottoNL-Jumbo) +2mins 24secs
4. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +2mins 37secs
5. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/Lotto NL-Jumbo) +4mins 37secs
6. Mikel Landa (Spa/Movistar) +4mins 40secs
7. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +5mins 15secs
8. Daniel Martin (Ire/UAE Team Emirates) +6mins 39secs
9. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar Team) +10mins 26secs
10. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus/Katusha-Alpecin) +11mins 49secs


Stage 20

Britain's Geraint Thomas is set to win the Tour de France after maintaining his overall lead on the penultimate stage of the race, a 31km time trial.

The Team Sky rider, 32, finished third behind Tom Dumoulin but still leads the Dutchman by one minute, 51 seconds.

Tour convention dictates that the race leader is never challenged on the final stage, so Thomas only needs to reach the finish in Paris on Sunday to win.

"It's insane. Tour de France! I can't believe it," said Thomas on ITV4.

"I'm really trying not to cry, it's unbelievable. I tried not to think about it, just take it day by day. I've won the Tour de France man, I don't know what to say."

Dumoulin beat defending champion Chris Froome by one second to win stage 20.

Froome's second place in the time trial means the four-time Tour champion climbs to third overall, leapfrogging Slovenia's Primoz Roglic.

However, his hopes of winning a record-equalling fifth Tour title were effectively ended in the Pyrenees mountains on stages 17 and 19, as his team-mate Thomas proved he was the man to beat.

It will be a sixth British and Team Sky victory in seven years in the three-week race and Thomas will be the first Welshman to win one of cycling's three Grand Tours.

He will also become the third Briton to win the Tour de France, after Sir Bradley Wiggins in 2012 and Froome.

Stage 20 result:

1. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Sunweb) 40mins 52secs
2. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +1sec
3. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) +14secs
4. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol/Team Sky) +50secs
5. Soren Kragh Andersen (Den/Sunweb) +51secs
6. Bob Jungels (Lux/Quick-Step Floors) +52secs
7. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus/Katusha-Alpecin) +1min 02secs
8. Primoz Roglic (Slo/LottoNL-Jumbo) +1min 12secs
9. Marc Soler (Spa/Movistar) +1min 22secs
10. Michael Hepburn (Aus/Mitchelton-Scott) +1min 23secs

General classification after stage 20:

1. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) 80hrs 30mins 37secs
2. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Team Sunweb) +1min 51secs
3. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +2mins 24secs
4. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Team LottoNL-Jumbo) +3mins 22secs
5. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/Lotto NL-Jumbo) +6mins 08secs
6. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +6mins 57secs
7. Mikel Landa (Spa/Movistar) +7mins 37secs
8. Daniel Martin (Ire/UAE Team Emirates) +9mins 05secs
9. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus/Katusha-Alpecin) +12mins 37secs
10. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar Team) +14mins 18secs

Tour De France 2018 Stage 16

Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe won an eventful stage 16 of the Tour de France after Britain's Adam Yates crashed late on while leading.

Yates crested the final climb alone but fell on the descent 7km before the finish in Bagneres-de-Luchon.

Alaphilippe was applying the pressure behind and swung past to claim his second victory of this year's Tour.

Geraint Thomas kept the yellow jersey and leads fellow Briton and team-mate Chris Froome by one minute 39 seconds.

The race was delayed 29km into the 218km stage from Carcassonne after a protest by French farmers.

Hay bales were thrown across the road before police appeared to use a spray on protesters, which then blew into the peloton.

Some riders, including Team Sky's Thomas and Froome, stopped and doused their eyes with water.

The race was delayed for 15 minutes while riders received medical attention, before a large group broke clear after the resumption, from which Alaphilippe attacked throughout, also extending his lead in the polka dot jersey mountains classification.

The Open 2018 Round 4

Tour De France 2018 Stage 15

Magnus Cort dominated a three-man sprint finish to win stage 15 of the Tour de France as Team Sky's Geraint Thomas retained the overall lead.

Denmark's Cort was in a leading group with Bauke Mollema and Ion Izagirre for the run-in on the 181.5km stage.

He was the strongest sprinter of the trio, and proved so by easily claiming his first Tour stage win and giving Astana back-to-back stage victories.

Welshman Thomas crossed the line in Carcassonne with the peloton.

Stage 15 result

1. Magnus Cort (Den/Astana) 4hrs 25mins 52secs

2. Ion Izagirre (Spa/Bahrain-Merida) same time

3. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Trek-Segafredo) +2secs

4. Michael Valgren (Den/Astana) +29secs

5. Toms Skujins (Lat/Trek-Segafredo) +34secs

6. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita/Bahrain-Merida) same time

7. Lilian Calmejane (Fra/Direct Energie)

8. Rafal Majka (Pol/Bora-Hansgrohe) +37secs

9. Nikias Arndt (Ger/Sunweb) +2mins 31secs

10. Julien Bernard (Fra/Trek-Segafredo) +2mins 38secs

General classification after stage 15

1. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) 62hrs 49mins 47secs

2. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +1min 39secs

3. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Sunweb) +1min 50secs

4. Primoz Roglic (Slo/LottoNL-Jumbo) +2mins 38secs

5. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +3mins 21secs

6. Mikel Landa (Spa/Movistar) +3mins 42secs

7. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/LottoNL-Jumbo) +3mins 57secs

8. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar) +4mins 23secs

9. Jakob Fuglsang (Den/Astana) +6mins 14secs

10. Dan Martin (Ire/UAE Team Emirates) +6mins 54secs

The Open 2018 Round 3

-9 Spieth (65), Kisner (68), Schauffele (67)
-7 Chappell (67)
-6 Molinari (65),
-5 Woods (66), McIlroy (70), Simpson (67), Noren (67), Kuchar (70), Fleetwood (71), Johnson (72)

Selected others:

-4 Rose (64), Scott (68)
-3 Wood (66), Willett (70)
-1 Mickelson (70), Langer (68), Reed (68), Folwer (73), Pepperell (71)
Level Westwood (69)

Tour De France 2018 Stage 14

Spaniard Omar Fraile won stage 14 of the Tour de France in a dramatic finish as Team Sky's Geraint Thomas retained the leader's yellow jersey.

Jasper Stuyven led the chasing pack by one minute 40 seconds going into the final climb of the 188km stage.

But he was caught by Fraile before the summit, and the Astana rider easily held off Stuyven and Julian Alaphilippe in the final 1.2km to secure victory.

Thomas finished alongside nearest rivals Chris Froome and Tom Dumoulin.

Tour De France 2018 Stage 13

World champion Peter Sagan surged late to secure his third victory of the 2018 Tour de France in a bunch sprint finish on stage 13.

Sagan, who also won stages two and five, kicked from deep to edge out Alexander Kristoff and Arnaud Demare on the line in Valence.

The Slovak also extended his already-dominant lead in the green jersey points classification.

Team Sky rider Geraint Thomas held on to the overall leader's yellow jersey.

This was a relatively calm day for the general classification favourites after three tough days in the Alps, with four-time winner Chris Froome also finishing safely in the bunch to remain one minute 39 seconds behind Thomas in second.

The Open 2018 Round 2

-6 Z Johnson (US), K Kisner (US); -5 T Fleetwood (Eng), P Perez (US), X Schauffele (US); -4 R McIlroy (NI), E van Rooyen (SA), M Kuchar (US), T Finau (US), Z Lombard (SA); -3 J Spieth (US), R Fowler (US), K Chappell (US)

Selected others: -2 D Willett (Eng); -1 M Southgate (Eng), E Pepperell (Eng), B Koepka (US); Level J Day (Aus), T Woods (US), P Mickelson (US)

The Open 2018 Round 1

-5 K Kisner (US); -4 E Van Rooyen (SA), T Finau (US), Z Lombard (SA); -3 B Stone (SA), R Moore (US), B Steele (US)

Selected others: -2 M Southgate (Eng), D Willett (Eng), R McIlroy (NI), J Rahm (Spa), Z Johnson (US), J Thomas (US); -1 R Fowler (US), C Wood (Eng); Level A Sullivan (Eng), E Pepperell (Eng), T Woods (US); +1 J Spieth (US), J Rose (Eng), L Westwood (Eng), T Fleetwood (Eng)

Tour De France 2018 Stage 12

Geraint Thomas won a dramatic five-man sprint finish to secure back-to-back stage wins at the Tour de France and extend his lead in the yellow jersey.

The Welshman put in a late surge to beat rivals including Team Sky team-mate Chris Froome and Tom Dumoulin after a gruelling climb up Alpe d'Huez.

Froome attacked from the leading group and passed long-time leader Steven Kruijswijk with 3.5km to go.

But he was reeled in before Thomas confirmed he is a serious contender.

The 32-year-old is the first Briton to win on the fabled Alpe D'Huez.

Tour De France 2018 Stage 11

Britain's Geraint Thomas became the Tour de France's overall leader with an impressive victory on stage 11.

Team Sky rider Thomas attacked with six kilometres left on a frenetic final climb up La Rosiere, to finish 20 seconds ahead of team-mate Chris Froome and second-placed Tom Dumoulin.

Belgium's Greg van Avermaet, who had led since the third stage, was well down the field in the main peloton.

Thomas leads the race overall from Froome by one minute 25 seconds.

However, Britain's Mark Cavendish, who has been unable to add to his 30 stage wins in this year's edition of the race, is out of the Tour after finishing outside the stage's time limit.

The 33-year-old was eliminated, along with German Marcel Kittel and Australian Mark Renshaw.

However Thomas, who was two minutes 22 seconds behind Van Avermaet in the overall standings at the start of the day, rarely looked like faltering towards the end of the 108.5km stage, which again demonstrated the strength of Team Sky in the mountains.

Thomas bridged a gap of more than 90 seconds to deny Spain's Mikel Nieve his first stage win on the tour and powered away from a group containing four-time champion Froome and Movistar's Nairo Quintana.

Tour De France 2018 Stage 10

Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe claimed an impressive solo victory on stage 10 of the Tour de France as Greg van Avermaet extended his overall lead.

Alaphilippe went clear with just under 30km to go and held his advantage over the final climb to take his first Tour stage win in Le Grand-Bornand.

BMC's Van Avermaet got into the early breakaway and held on to finish fourth, behind Ion Izagirre and Rein Taaramae.

The Belgian now leads Britain's Geraint Thomas by two minutes and 22 seconds.

Four-time winner Chris Froome is up to sixth overall, three minutes and 21 seconds back on Van Avermaet, while fellow Briton Adam Yates is seventh, on the same time.

Team Sky and the other general classification teams know Van Avermaet, who is not a pure climber, should still lose the race lead over the next two days in the Alps but this was a superb ride to keep his yellow jersey into an eighth day.

"We were expecting that from Van Avermaet, he did that last time he had the jersey in 2016," said Thomas, who started the day 43 seconds down.

"It would have been nice to take the yellow jersey but it's the Tour de France - it doesn't come easily and doesn't come just because you want it."

Tour De France 2018 Stage 9

John Degenkolb won a dramatic ninth stage of the Tour de France that saw Richie Porte abandon and Greg van Avermaet extend his overall lead in a chaotic race across the cobbles.

Four-time winner Chris Froome crashed but recovered to finish with the other main general classification contenders.

Porte was forced out of the race with a fractured collar bone after crashing before the cobbles arrived.

Trek Segafredo's Degenkolb outsprinted Van Avermaet and Yves Lampaert to win.

That trio broke clear with 20km to go and, although Van Avermaet had to settle for second, the Belgian now leads Team Sky's Geraint Thomas by 43 seconds in the yellow jersey.

Degenkolb was forced to lead out the sprint but the German had enough power to hold off Van Avemaet and Lampaert and claim his first Tour stage victory.

The 156.5km stage across the north of France contained 15 cobbled sections, with Froome tumbling over his handlebars after hitting team-mate Gianni Moscon, who fell on the entrance to the eighth sector.

However, with 45km to go at that point, the Team Sky leader had enough time to rejoin the main group and is now up to eighth overall, while fellow Briton Adam Yates, riding for Mitchelton-Scott, is ninth. They are both one minute and 42 seconds behind BMC Racing's Van Avermaet.

Tour De France 2018 Stage 8

Dylan Groenewegen won his second Tour de France stage in as many days with another powerful sprint in Amiens.

The LottoNL-Jumbo rider kicked from deep to beat Andre Greipel and Fernando Gaviria, who were both later relegated after separate clashes.

That moved Peter Sagan up to second, with John Degenkolb third and Britain's Mark Cavendish eighth.

Team Sky's Geraint Thomas remains second overall but is now seven seconds behind yellow jersey Greg van Avermaet.

The Belgian BMC rider attacked off the front of the peloton to take a bonus second with just over 20km of the 181km stage from Dreux remaining.

Four-time winner Chris Froome is up to 12th, one minute six seconds down on Van Avermaet, after overtaking fellow Briton Adam Yates because of better aggregate stage placings.

But Yates remains 13th after Quick-Step Floors' Julian Alaphilippe, who started the day fourth, was caught in a late crash and dropped out of the top 10.

Ireland's Dan Martin, who won stage six, fell heavily in that crash with just over 15km to go and lost one minute 16 seconds to drop to 31st overall.

The UAE Team Emirates leader suffered a cut on his elbow but an X-ray later confirmed he had not broken any bones.

Tour De France 2018 Stage 7

Dylan Groenewegen took an emphatic win in a bunch sprint finish on stage seven of the Tour de France as Team Sky's Geraint Thomas stayed second overall.

Team LottoNL-Jumbo's Groenewegen pulled clear of Fernando Gaviria to win comfortably and deny the Colombian a third stage win at this year's race.

Peter Sagan was third as the sprinters tussled in a late frenzy in Chartres after 231km that lacked drama.

Britain's Mark Cavendish appeared in contention but slipped to 10th late on.

Cavendish, who is chasing a 31st stage win to close on the Tour record of 34 held by Belgian Eddy Merckx, said a late collision hampered his finish but conceded other teams are in better form.

"I was following quite good wheels but it was choppy," said Team Dimension Data rider Cavendish, 33.

"I went to go but Quick-Step and Bora-Hansgrohe just seem to have another level.

"I kicked but couldn't match them. I had a little coming together at the end, it may have been my fault and it stopped me dead in my tracks."

Welshman Thomas is now six seconds behind Greg van Avermaet in the leader's yellow jersey after the BMC rider surged off the front of the peloton to take three seconds at a bonus sprint point.

"It was a long day in the saddle - the final was super fast and stressful but that's another day done," Thomas told BBC Radio 5 live.

"The first week has been good but it would have been nice to wear the yellow jersey. I could have not asked for much more, though."

Fellow Britons Adam Yates and four-time winner Chris Froome finished safely in the bunch and remain 13th and 14th respectively, one minute five seconds behind Van Avermaet.

Tour De France 2018 Stage 6

Ireland's Dan Martin produced a superb late attack on the Mur de Bretagne to win stage six of the Tour de France.

Birmingham-born Martin went with a kilometre to go on the final climb and held off the late challenge of Pierre Roger Latour by a second.

Team Sky's Geraint Thomas was part of a group three seconds behind but climbed to second overall after securing two bonus seconds during the stage.

Chris Froome was eight seconds back but Tom Dumoulin lost nearly a minute.

The Dutchman had to have a front wheel change just over 5km from the finish and chased desperately with the help of team-mates to try to limit the damage.

Britain's Adam Yates finished sixth on the day in the pack three seconds back, and has vaulted above Froome in the overall standings.

The pair are 13th and 14th, one minute two seconds behind yellow jersey Greg van Avermaet, and one second ahead of Dumoulin.

Tour De France 2018 Stage 5

World champion Peter Sagan outstayed his rivals to win a dramatic uphill sprint finish in Quimper on stage five of the Tour de France.

He made his move with 200m to go, beating Sonny Colbrelli and Philippe Gilbert for his second stage win.

Greg van Avermaet stayed in the yellow jersey, extending his overall lead with a two-second bonus during the stage.

He came seventh, behind Ireland's Dan Martin, while Chris Froome finished safely in the peloton.

In an impressive performance from Team Sky, Froome's team-mate Geraint Thomas came home 12th. The Welshman is fourth in the general classification, five seconds off Van Avermaet.

Tour De France 2018 Stage 4

Colombia's Fernando Gaviria held off Peter Sagan and Andre Greipel in a thrilling sprint finish to win stage four of the Tour de France in Sarzeau.

The Quick-Step Floors rider, who also won the Tour's first stage, had to kick twice to deny Greipel after the German edged in front close to the line.

Sagan nipped in for second as Greipel faded after the peloton finally caught a four-man breakaway with 1km to go.

BMC Racing's Greg van Avermaet retained the leader's yellow jersey.

The Belgian, who took the overall lead on Monday, avoided a crash that split the peloton with 5km to go.

His team-mate Tejay van Garderen is second in the general classification, with Team Sky's Geraint Thomas three seconds back in third.

Four-time winner Chris Froome finished safely in the bunch to remain 52 seconds further adrift, although he moved up one position to 17th, one place ahead of fellow Briton Adam Yates, after Katusha-Alpecin's Ilnur Zakarin was caught behind the late crash.

"It was another stressful day and another big crash which only adds to the stress," Thomas told BBC Radio 5 live.

"It was nice to get through unscathed. I felt pretty good but we will get more of a sense on Wednesday where we will get the first solid day."

Mark Cavendish was caught out of position in the final stages and unable to contest the sprint.

Tour De France 2018 Stage 3

BMC Racing won the team time trial on stage three of the Tour de France to put Greg van Avermaet into the race lead as Chris Froome made up time on several key rivals.

Belgium's Van Avermaet was part of the BMC group that clocked 38 minutes 46 seconds on the 35.5km route in Cholet.

The 33-year-old takes the yellow jersey from stage-two winner Peter Sagan.

Team Sky were second fastest, four seconds down on BMC, to help four-time winner Froome climb the standings.

The Briton is 18th overall - 55 seconds behind Van Avermaet - but has restored parity with most of the overall contenders after losing time in a crash on stage one.

He said he was "really happy" with Team Sky's performance, despite missing the chance to put Geraint Thomas into the race lead. The Welshman is third overall, three seconds behind Van Avermaet.

"It was a strong effort from everyone," added Froome. "I'm feeling good and looking forward to the next few days."

Quick-Step Floors finished third on the stage, seven seconds adrift of BMC, while Adam Yates' Mitchelton-Scott squad were two seconds further back, putting the 25-year-old Briton 20th overall, five seconds behind Froome.

Regain instead of gain

Before the Tour, BMC, Team Sky and Mitchelton-Scott would have targeted this stage as an opportunity for their respective leaders Richie Porte, Froome and Yates to put time into rivals whose teams are weaker against the clock.

After all three fell on stage one and lost 51 seconds to Romain Bardet, Tom Dumoulin, Mikel Landa, Vincenzo Nibali and Rigoberto Uran, all three teams made amends superbly.

Mitchelton-Scott went out first and set the mark at 38.55, Team Sky shaved five seconds off that next up before BMC, starting fifth, laid down the eventual winning time.

Movistar could manage only 10th place, surrendering almost all of the lead Landa and Alejandro Valverde had over Froome and ensuring Nairo Quintana falls even further back after his crash on stage one.

Bardet's AG2R La Mondiale team and Nibali's Bahrain-Merida outfit tried to limit their losses but could not prevent Porte, Froome and Yates erasing their leads in the standings.

World time trial champion Dumoulin and his Sunweb team put in a strong ride to move him into seventh, 40 seconds ahead of Froome, while Education First's Uran had a solid day to move into the top 10.

Swansong for BMC?

BMC's owner and financial backer Andy Rihs died in April and the team are yet to secure a major sponsor for next year, leading to uncertainty over whether the team will continue.

There are also reports that team leader Porte has already agreed a two-year deal with Trek-Segafredo, but the American outfit shrugged off those concerns to continue their recent dominance in team time trials.

"It's a fantastic day to win the stage with the team like that, especially with the passing of Andy Rihs this year, so that's a special feeling," said Australian Porte.

Having dropped stage one winner Fernando Gaviria early on, a ragged but rapid Quick-Step tried to put Philippe Gilbert into yellow, with the Belgian going into the stage with a two-second gap over compatriot Van Avermaet.

But once those crucial seconds elapsed, Van Avermaet could celebrate a return to the yellow jersey, having worn it for three stages during the 2016 Tour.

Sagan was never in contention to defend the jersey and was dropped by his Bora-Hansgrohe team-mates, falling to three minutes behind Van Avermaet.

What about stage four?

Tuesday's stage four is expected to end in a bunch sprint, with the race travelling 195km from La Baule to Sarzeau.

In his stage-by-stage guide for BBC Sport, Mark Cavendish said: "There is nothing of great difficulty and there's a nice fast run-in to the finish.

"It does drag slightly uphill in the last kilometre but with it being a straight road and not coming in off a corner it should mean a bunch sprint."

Stage three result

1. BMC Racing (US) 38mins 46secs
2. Team Sky (GB) +4secs
3. Quick-Step Floors (Bel) +7secs
4. Mitchelton Scott (Aus) +9secs
5. Team Sunweb (Ger) +11secs
6. EF Education First-Drapac (US) +35secs
7. Bora-Hansgrohe (Ger) +50secs
8. Astana (Kaz) +51secs
9. Katusha-Alpecin (Swi) +52secs
10. Movistar (Spa) +53secs

General classification after stage three

1. Greg van Avermaet (Bel/BMC Racing) 9hrs 8mins 55secs
2. Tejay van Garderen (US/BMC Racing) same time
3. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) +3secs
4. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Quick-Step Floors) +5secs
5. Bob Jungels (Lux/Quick-Step Floors) +7secs
6. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra/Quick-Step Floors) same time
7. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Team Sunweb) +11secs
8. Soren Kragh Andersen (Den/Team Sunweb) same time
9. Michael Matthews (Aus/Team Sunweb)
10. Rigoberto Uran (Col/EF Education First-Drapac) +35secs

Selected:

18. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +55secs
20. Adam Yates (GB/Mitchelton-Scott) +1min

Tour De France 2018 Stage 2

World champion Peter Sagan won stage two of the Tour de France to take the overall race lead.

The Slovak surged past French hope Arnaud Demare on the slight incline to the finish and held off the fast-finishing Italian Sonny Colbrelli.

Sagan takes over in the yellow jersey from stage-one winner Fernando Gaviria, who was held up in a crash on a right-hand corner in the final kilometre.

Defending champion Chris Froome avoided the pile-up to finish in the peloton.

After his crash on stage one, Froome will be happy to get through stage two unscathed and his Team Sky team-mates worked hard in the closing kilometres to keep him up near the front of the race and out of danger.

His team-mate Geraint Thomas is the highest-placed Briton, in seventh, 15 seconds adrift of Sagan. Thomas, who says he is being given a freer role by Team Sky in the opening week, could find himself in the yellow jersey after Monday's third stage, which is a 35.5km team time trial.

He said: "We're communicating well and riding well - the guys are doing well for me and Froome.

"We'll try to get the stage win first in the team time trial and then if we do end up in yellow that would be a nice bonus."

Four-time winner Froome is one minute seven seconds down on Sagan, as are rivals Richie Porte and Adam Yates, who crashed again on stage two but was able to recover quickly.

They remain 51 seconds down on the other main contenders Romain Bardet, Tom Dumoulin, Mikel Landa, Vincenzo Nibali and Rigoberto Uran.

Super Sagan strikes again
Bora-Hansgrohe rider Sagan provided yet another reminder of his supreme all-round talents in securing his ninth Tour de France stage victory after a 182.5km race to La Roche-sur-Yon in the Vendee.

The 2018 Paris-Roubaix winner showed great positional sense and bike-handling to ensure he was not caught up in the crash on a right-hand bend inside the final two kilometres before kicking clear of his rivals on the uphill drag to the finish.

He also claimed 17 points for second place at the intermediate sprint, behind solo breakaway rider Sylvain Chavanel, to establish a 26-point lead over Gaviria in the green jersey points classification.

With Sagan also able to contest stages over hilly terrain, it is already looking very difficult for any rider to deny him a record-equalling sixth green jersey, tying the mark of former German sprinter Erik Zabel.

"I have to say a big thanks to all my team-mates because they were at the front for the last 30km - in the end I expected something easier but it was really tough," said Sagan.

However, he added that he would be in yellow "just for one day" as he expects to lose the race lead in Monday's team time trial.

Before the race came back together with around 14km of the stage remaining, French veteran Chavanel had spent nearly 140km out front by himself after early breakaway partners Michael Gogl and Dion Smith, who claimed the polka dot climbers jersey, dropped back following the day's sole climb.

The 39-year-old, who rides for Vendee-based Direct Energie, is competing in a record 18th Tour de France and was given a rapturous reception throughout his solo effort.

Brailsford criticises Lappartient
Speaking prior to the start of stage two, Team Sky boss Sir Dave Brailsford said UCI chief David Lappartient needs to "learn what a president of an international federation's responsibilities are" and accused the Frenchman of having a "nationalistic view".

Lappartient told BBC Sport this week that Team Sky's wealth allowed them to fight Froome's dropped asthma drug case in a way other teams could not have done.

"If you want to be the president of an international federation, protect everyone in that international community - don't take a French angle, or a nationalistic view," said Brailsford.

Referring to Lappartient's former role as mayor of French commune Sarzeau, he added: "I think he's still got the local French mayor mentality, maybe.

"He's still learning really - the quicker he can get there, the better it will be for everyone.

"If I was in charge of the UCI, I'd want to attract the biggest sponsors, I wouldn't be somehow criticising them for their resources."

Monday's stage three is a 35.5km team time trial circuit around Cholet, with the time for each team taken from the fourth rider across the line.

In his stage-by-stage guide for BBC Sport, Mark Cavendish said: "It's open roads and it's relatively straightforward but that means horse power is needed. My Dimension Data team will be trying to save energy for upcoming stages. We know we're not really in with a chance of winning but we'll give it our best shot."

Tour De France 2018 Stage 1

Britain's Chris Froome crashed during the opening stage of the Tour de France as his quest to win a record-equalling fifth title began with a scare.

The defending champion careered off the road on a left-hand bend in the closing stages but was quickly back racing.

Froome is 61 seconds behind stage winner Fernando Gaviria and 51 seconds behind several rivals for the title but alongside fellow Briton Adam Yates.

"I've not been checked by the team doctor but I feel fine," said Froome.

"I'm OK, we saw a lot of crashes out there but we knew the first few days were going to be tricky.

"We were at the front of the peloton so there was not much more the guys could've done - it was just chaotic with the sprinters up there.

"I'm just grateful I'm not injured in any way and there is plenty of racing left to Paris."

Six Nations Round 3

Friday

FRA 34-17 ITA


Saturday

SCO 25-13 ENG
IRE 37-27 WAL

Six Nations 2018 Round 1 + 2

Round 1

Wales 34-7 Scotland 

France 13-15 Ireland 

Italy 15-46 England 

2018 World Darts Championship Quarter Finals - Final

Friday December 29

Quarter-Finals

Afternoon Session (12.30pm)

Jamie Lewis 5-0 Darren Webster

Dimitri Van Den Burgh 4-5 Rob Cross

Evening Session (7pm)

Michael Van Gerwen 5-4 Raymond Van Barneveld

Phil Taylor 5-3 Gary Anderson


Saturday December 30 (7.30pm)

Semi finals

Jamie Lewis 1-6 Phil Taylor

Rob Cross 6-5 Michael Van Gerwen