The agony and the ecstasy: 3 weeks of triumph over adversity

198 riders set out 3 weeks ago to tackle all that France (an a touch of Italy) could possibly throw at them as they headed the long way to Paris via the Pyrenees and the Alps. Few could have predicted then who would emerge from that colourful sea of Lycra to be remembered as a hero of the 2011 Tour de France.

Starting in the Vendee, the battle commenced with new rules for the King of the Mountains and the Points competitions. The first week being one for the sprinters, the first of the Tour heroes to emerge was Belgian rider, Phillippe Gilbert, who reigned supreme in all the competitions at the end of the first stage.

His reign in the Golden Fleece lasted just one day as the next hero, Thor Hushovd stepped out of the sprinters territory and into the veritable arena of the strong men. Taking the Maillot Jaune, he was the first of two riders to hold on to it longer than anyone could predict.

Fellow Norwegian, Evald Boasson Hagen showed the peloton that Hushovd wasnt the only Viking to watch out for as he took the first of two wins in the Pyrenees. Their triumphs were to become poignant over the course of the Tour as tragedy struck in their homeland in a way that touched the hearts of many across the world.

As Mark Cavendish returned to the town where he took his first victory, he celebrated the first of five wins for his fourth Tour that would culminate in winning the Maillot Vert; a competition for which the rules were changed as the organisers could not understand how a talented sprinter like the Manx Missile had not won it so far.

On cloud nine at the finish, Cavendish came crashing down at the news that friend, compatriot and former track mate Bradley Wiggins had suffered a crash that had resulted in a fractured clavicle and a premature exit via ambulance. The British GC hopeful had been in tears, unable to stand, never mind get back on his bike, the knowledge that his GC dream was over undoubtedly just as painful as his injury.

Having held the Best Young Riders Maillot Blanc since the start in Vendee, Geraint Thomas was forced to concede his jersey having waited to pace the unfortunate Wiggins back to the main field. The only consolation for Team Sky was to secure it for the team with Uran holding it briefly in the final week.

Hoogerland became a household name with a t-shirt courtesy of stomachofanger.com following an accident on stage 9 that saw Hoogerland and Flecha struck by a French TV2 car and resulted in a short trip to hospital for Hoogerland who received 33 stitches after landing in a barbed wire fence. His courage and graciousness would become defining points for the Tour and won him a whole stack of fans overnight. Completing the Tour simply because of his fans in spite of the pain personifies what the Tour is about. Triumph over adversity, man over mountain, whatever that mountain may be. Of all the riders, the bloodied pair of Hoogerland and Flecha couldn't have been more relieved that the next day was a repos. The perilous Pyrenees saw several riders suffer over the course of their journey that day. The worst to fair was perhaps Alexander Vinocurov who crashed landing in trees below the road, fracturing his leg and pelvis and forcing him to accept now was the time to retire.

With Voeckler taking the Maillot Jaune from Thor Hushovd, the newly crowned God of Mountains having defended it through the Pyrenees, the French found themselves a new national hero. Battling through the Alps to defend the most coveted Jersey in cycling, exhausting himself past the point where any sane person surely would have given up, he did his duty, sacrificing all he had in order to keep it for as long as possible. Holding the Golden Fleece for 9 days, 1 short of the 10 days he held it for in 2004, he conceded it to Andy Schleck gratefully and perhaps a little willingly in the end, on the Alpe d'Huez where pre-Tour favourite Contador was forced to accept this would not be his year.

Having battled long and hard to take his 3rd Tour victory, the Spaniard suffered set back after set back, never giving up, always giving everything he could. Conceding that Evans and the Brothers Schleck simply had the better legs this year, he may have felt a little of the pressure ease as his rivals showed their strength in the mountains.

As the race headed into the final days, another Frenchman came into the spotlight. Rolland, compatriot and team mate of former Maillot Jaune wearer Voecker, took the Golden Fleece for just 24 hours until Andy Schleck was ready to claim it on stage 19.

By the end of the Alpine stages and with just a Time Trial before the final run into Paris, there were just 57 seconds between Andy Schleck and Cadel Evans. Reminiscent of the famous Le Mond-Fignon head-to-head in 1989, it was to be an epic show down to end an epic Tour.

Finally it came to the rider who had craved it since he had switched from Mountain Biking to Road Racing. Aged 34 the Australian Cadel Evans became the oldest post-war winner of the Tour on an emotional day that saw many entries into the history books. With both Andy and Frank Schleck on the podium, and British sprinter Mark Cavendish taking the Maillot Vert, it was a day of firsts. Ever an emotional finale, there were hugs all round on both the HTC-Highroad and BMC teams.

Ever the ultimate test of will, strength, determination, passion, instinct and survival, the Tour saw 167 riders arrive in Paris on the final day. Fabio Sabatini was this years Latern Rouge, finishing the epic journey from the Vendee to Paris in 90 hours 10 minutes and 5 seconds. From Evans to Sabatini, they are 167 men who gave everything they had, everything they could. Blood, sweat and tears, every last breath, every waking thought. They all had good days, and they all had their bad. Suffering and triumphing, through the agony and the ecstasy they made this Tour what it was. Epic.

Cavendish makes it a hat-trick on the Champs-Élysées

HTC-Highroad sprinting legend Mark Cavendish made it another one for the history books today as he took his third Champs-Élysées stage win; his 20th Tour stage victory in his fourth Tour de France. In what has become a formality for the 26 year old Manxman, he took the victory despite a minor mechanical problem with a little over 30km left to ride. For the third time in as many years he sprinted home ahead of his rivals, the only difference being the jersey on his back.

Despite a tough journey through the Alps in the final week that saw him deducted points twice for coming home outside the time limit, only avoiding elimination by being in a group too large to eliminate, he was able to maintain the Maillot Vert and become the first British rider to win it at the end of the Tour.

As ever, the young man credited his team for ensuring he made it, thanking them each for their hard work, and paying tribute to their efforts time and time again. Hugs all round, they weren't the only emotional team, as BMC riders hugged Tour winner Cadel Evans who became the first Australian to win the Tour de France. At 34 he has also become the oldest post-war winner in Tour history. Next to him on the podium stood the Brothers Schleck who became the first brothers to stand side by side on the Tour podium.

With today's stage being nothing short of a procession for the Golden Fleece, it was an anxiety free stage for the riders who had endured so much in the agony and ecstasy that made this years Tour what it was. With no real breakaway until the action came into Paris for the famous 10 laps, the only action came in the form of a fellow British rider hoping to burst Cav's proverbial bubble. Kicking off the front, he was soon joined by the winner of the most combative rider award, Jeremy Roy, and four other riders. But it proved a fruitless effort in the end as the peloton brought them back to ensure the bunch sprint took hold.

Having been paced back by room-mate, Super Domestique Bernie Eisel following the mechanical issue that saw him grab a new bike off the team car, the Manx Missile was guided with precision by his radar man, Mark Renshaw to take the win he had so wanted for so long.

An emotional end to an emotional Tour the organisers certainly got what they had wanted: Cavendish finally in Green and no clear winner until the very end of the Time Trial in Grenoble.

Martin storms the course to take the win as Evans wins the Tour

Early rain left damp roads on the streets of Grenoble this morning. While the first riders set out to ride the best they could, the later riders struggled to get off the Alpe d'Huez on roads that were far from clear. Cancellara, known for his Time Trial abilities set the initial best time, taking the course ahead of the team car in which his team mates, the Brothers Schleck were sat, taking in the route and making their plans for their own tests of solo speed.

Many had predicted a win from Cancellara, the rider affectionately termed Spartacus, however with a rolling route with two small climbs it didn't seem a route that would suit him as well as last years Bordeaux Time Trial.

Having had a low key Tour, it seemed likely that the man who would shine here would be Critérium du Dauphiné stage 3 Time Trial winner Tony Martin of HTC-Columbia. Indeed he gave a blistering performance, ripping up the course in 55:33; just 5 seconds down on his winning time back in June.

Back luck continued to plague Philippe Gilbert who suffered mechanical problems with his chain causing him to slip off the saddle and land on the handlebars. The Omega Pharma Lotto rider's only hope now of snatching the Maillot Vert from Manxman Cavendish is to out-wit and out-sprint him in both the intermediate sprint and on the finish in Paris tomorrow; a feat that seems unlikely despite the Belgian riders desire to do so.

National hero of France, Thomas Voeckler received a strong ovation from the crowds as Evans waited in the wings to take center stage knowing he would have to give the performance of his life if he wanted to take 58 seconds from Andy Schleck and with it the Maillot Jaune in the best head-to-head showdown since LeMond-Fignon back in 1989.

Blasting down the course at lightening speed, former Mountain Bike World Cup winner Evans gave the Time Trial of his life to finish in second place behind Tony Martin with the Brothers Schleck still on the course behind him. Finishing in 58 minutes and 11 seconds Andy conceded 2:31 to Evans in the overall standings. Evans becomes the first Australian to win the Tour.

Tomorrow the peloton heads for Paris and the cobbles of the Champs-Élysées where Mark Cavendish will be looking to take the stage win ahead of his rivals and with it become the first British cyclist to take home the Maillot Vert.

Stage 20 Preview

When the organisers planned the 2011 Tour, they had in mind that the Maillot Jaune would have already been decided. But who could have predicted the turn of events that unfolded to test almost every rider of the peloton in one way or another through the course of the 3 weeks of racing. From mechanicals to crashes, car accidents to unexpected attacks, this Tour has seen it all and on the penultimate stage there is no clear podium line-up for Sunday's finish in Paris.

It seems almost a fitting tribute to the town that gave birth to the Maillot Jaune ceremony in 1919, when Eugène Christophe was presented the first Golden Fleece of the race leader, that no clear winner has emerged leaving Grenoble ready to crown the winner with the most coveted jersey in the whole of cycling.

The "mountain" time trial is almost misleading in its very name. Despite its alpine setting, there are no actual climbs to test the riders, the 42km route rolling in a way that would suit a strong man like Thor Hushovd. While specialists are normally favourites for a Time Trial, it seems unlikely that a specialist will triumph here with the best time. The riders who have saved their strength through the alpine stages are the riders who will fair best in this test tomorrow, while those who have given there all through the climatic stages in the hope of gaining enough time to be cushioned through the Time Trial may well find they have nothing left to give.

Ultimately it will be a case of sheer determination as the two battles unfold in this complex drama that has become the 2011 Tour de France. While the riders who are looking to take the best time and with it the accolade of winning the penultimate stage go all out for personal glory, there will be an even greater test that will overshadow the stage winners success as Evans and Andy Schleck give everything they can give, every ounce of strength, determination, courage and grit to come away as victor in the greatest show on Earth. Despite predictions, training, form and statistics, it really will come down to who wants it the most.

Sanchez takes Maillot a Pois as first of the Tours jerseys are decided

Following the epic battle on the Alpe d'Huez that had been anticipated since the grand unveiling of the 2011 Tour route last October, Samuel Sanchez was the first to secure a victory in the Tour jerseys to clock up enough points to take the King of the Mountains Jersey.

With the Time Trial of Grenoble still to come the battle for the Maillot Jaune will literally come right down to the line tomorrow. With everything still to play for it will be up to Andy to keep it and Evans to take it as they race against the clock around the mountain route that circumnavigates Grenoble. Ultimately it will be a case not of who can Time Trial the best but who wants the jersey the most.

But with the stage winner on the podium and Gilbert the only sprinter in sight, everyone waited with baited breath to see when Cavendish would come over the line. The official cut off being calculated to 25 minutes and 9 seconds after Rolland crossed the line, Cavendish had to wait for the decision of race commissionaires having crossed the line with the gruppetto around 20 seconds outside of the cut.

Finally stepping out onto the podium to receive the Maillot Vert Cav fans worldwide breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn't been eliminated from the Tour for coming in outside the cut. Being docked points for the late arrival once again, he is now on 280 points. Rojas, finishing within the same group lies 15 points behind on 265 points. If lady luck continues to be on his side he will secure the Jersey with a stage win in Paris on Sunday; his third in a row.

Meanwhile the Young Riders Jersey went to stage winner Rolland who finished 1 minute 33 seconds ahead of Taaramae who took it yesterday from Uran of Team Sky.

Rolland victorious as team mate and compatriot Voeckler loses Maillot Jaune to Andy Schleck

For 9 days he held on, wearing the most coveted of all the jerseys, the Maillot Jaune. Defending it when all by his most die hard supporters said he would lose it, in spite of the odds stacked against him, giving his all day after day after day until he was exhausted, helped of his bike by his soigneur after the hardest days in the saddle. He came into the Tour a rider, he will go out on Sunday a national hero even though today he lost the jersey. The leader of team Europcar, a wild card team in this years Tour, Thomas Voeckler, can hold his head high, knowing he defended it to the end, did his duty both as a Tour de France rider and as a Frenchman.

Cracking under the relentless pressure that Alberto Contador put on everyone as he started his attacks far earlier than everyone predicted, Voeckler, who worked hard to regroup on the descent of the Galibier, was forced to concede defeat on the climb of the Alpe d'Huez.

Few could have predicted the level of payback Contador would unleash on rival Andy Schleck for yesterdays stage. Attacking on the first climb of the day, Contador found the Luxembourg rider on his wheel at every turn. Misfortune however struck Evans as he faced a mechanical on the slopes of the Col du Telegraph. Struggling to regroup, he worked hard until he had shredded the main chasing group down using all his team mates in the process.

Finding the group lead by Contador on the descent of the Galiber, helped by Samuel Sanchez and Frank Schleck, he lead the attacks as they chased down Contador who broke free on the ascent of the final climb of the day: The Alpe d'Huez. Navigating the 21 switchbacks with skill, the Spaniard expected to take the stage with a solo ride. However in the last 3km of the climb he was joined by Olympic champion and compatriot, Samuel Sanchez and Europcar rider Rolland. But as the trio headed into the final kilometer Rolland shook off the spanish duo, sprinting to take the win ahead of Sanchez who was trailed by Contador who finished 3rd.

Meanwhile Evans found himself in a Schleck sandwich knowing it was now or never if he wanted the Tour win. Attacking as they headed into the final 5km, Evans dropped Frank by could not dislodge his brother Andy from his wheel. Evans' bid for Tour victory was short lived however as he soon found himself in the company of the riders he had attempted to shake off as they headed into the final 3km. By the time they reached the line it was going to come down to a sprint as Velits broke away to take 4th place ahead of the Australian Evans. With Schleck maintaining contact in this group he was satisfied in the knowledge they would receive the same time and the Maillot Jaune was now his and a little pleased his biggest rival was found wanting both in terms of the stage win and the Tour overall.

With just 57 seconds separating Andy Schleck and Cadel Evans it will all come down to tomorrows Individual Time Trial. The Maillot Jaune may be on the shoulders of Andy Schleck now but the Tour is still up for grabs. It may be Evans to win but it is also Andy's to lose.

Stage 19 Preview

At 109 km, today's stage is compact but tough. There are just 30km of climbs but these include two of the biggest climbs in the Tour. First ascending the Col du Telegraph, the peloton will head to the much harder northern route across the Col du Galibier before a long descent to the sprint as they approach the Alpe-D'Huez.

After yesterdays mass gruppeto found themselves just outside the cut off time, they will want to ensure they dont risk the same happening today. With deductions of points in the sprinters Green Jersey competition, the lead of Mark Cavendish is now within reach once more for Rojas and Gilbert. With Gilbert being known for his courage, Cavendish will have to watch his back today to ensure he can rebuff any arrows that may come sailing from the Belgian rider towards his Maillot Vert lead.

Following the fireworks lit on the Col d'Izoard we can be sure that Evans and Contador will be on the look out to utilise any opportunity they can to take back time lost yesterday but with just 15 seconds now between A.Schleck and Maillot Jaune leader Thomas Voeckler, we can be sure that Andy will be ready to counter attack any move they make. Tonight the Maillot Jaune will be on new shoulders as Voeckler, exhausted from yesterdays brave defence, will relinquish the jersey, willingly, gladly, knowing he did his duty and defended it right to the end.

If all goes to the plan of Leopard Trek, Andy will wear the most hallowed of the Tour Jerseys tonight and will win the Tour on the slopes of the climbers mecca: Alpe D'Huez.