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LATEST ACTION (all times BST)
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606: DEBATE
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1645: That's all from me after a thrilling finish to stage 13. Cadel Evans retains the yellow jersey, but there's no doubting the star of the day, take a bow Mark Cavendish.
1638: The overhead replay shows that Cavendish won by nearly a bike length and had his hands off the bars with several metres to go.
1637: The power and the glory - Cavendish won that in style. There can be no doubt who is the number one sprinter in the world at the moment - that was a stunning display as he just rode away from the peloton to claim his fourth win of the Tour.
1636: Mark Cavendish wins! Awesome sprinting from the Manx rider.
1635: Liquigas lead into the final kilometre.
1634: Cav's nicely positioned as they hit the 2km mark.
1633: Chavanel's swept up. Milram and Columbia are hammering it out at the front now. Inside 3km.
1632: Will France see a home winner? Chavanel has got a nine second lead with less than 4km to go.
1630: Inside 5km, Chavanel still leads.
1628: Sylvain Chavanel is giving it a crack and as he flies round a huge roundabout he leads by about 200m. One of my favourite Tour sights that, seeing the peloton split and flow round a roundabout - awesome.
1625: Stef Clement is trying to go off the front but no dice says the peloton, currently headed by Milram.
1624: Terpstra's brave effort is over - all good things must come to pass and all that. Less than 10km to go now.
1620: Can I just take a moment to say a big hello to all the Dutch and Belgian users on the website and 606 - you can wire the licence fee in Euros to my Swiss bank account and I'll make sure it gets passed along to the relevant authorities, OK?
The pelly (does this pass muster with cycling fans?) sweeps around a roundabout and is now within 20 seconds of Terpstra, who has gone completely. A brave effort by the Dutch rider but his time is all but over...
1619: The Cofidis boys disappear into the maw of the peloton and Terpstra is now the last man standing.
1616: The Cofidis pair of Auge and Brard have teamed up and are working hard to close the gap on stage leader Terpstra.
1612: Inside the last 20km now and the peloton is working hard, but Terpstra has a lead of one minute 40 seconds after stamping on the pedals hard over the past few kms. It's still FDJ and Columbia on the front - surely Terpstra will be swept up, especially as it is a long fast run-in?
1606: Terpstra has kicked as they approach the intermediate sprint and Brard has been dropped. Behind them Stephane Auge is trying to bridge the gap after jumping off the front of the peloton.
1603: I expect Freire, Zabel and perhaps Hunter and (FDJ) Chavanel to be in the mix.
Im_partial - TDF tops on 606
1559: The gap is down to one minute 15 seconds between Brard and Terpstra and the peloton as they pass the 30km to go mark. Bunch sprint anyone?
1555: "James re. 1520. I would LOVE it if I had the talent to be in teh biggest race in the world and lead a stage! Come off it we are all wannanbees. I did a stupid 300km ride Saturday, cost me 4 quid and I had to pay if I wanted a medal! Haven't been able to sit down since - I had thought the Marmotte hard, the Audax world is crazy..... so 120Km at the front of the tour, doing what you love and getting paid YES PLEASE!!!!"
FatBoyW on 606
Heh heh, did I tell you it was downhill?
(Only on the way there obviously. Climbing back up Scrubs Lane is a shocker after a hard day at the coalface.)
1548: Brard and Terpstra are rocking and rolling as they climb a small incline but the gap's only one minute 40 seconds and with the peloton picking up the pace they look more doomed than a fluffy seal pup facing down a Canadian with a baseball bat.
1544: There's some absolute filth on the cricket and golf live texts apparently. If you like that sort of thing you belong over there >>>>>>>
It's all good clean fun at the Tour de France, bar the illegal drug use obviously. Back on the road and Juan Antonio Flecha has jumped off the front of the peloton with just over 40km to go to pick up the remaining points at the intermediate sprint to protect his Rabobank team-mate and Tour points leader Oscar Freire.
1538: Only 45km to go, the gap to the leaders is down to two minutes.
1535: The leading duo are still ahead but now by just two and a half minutes. Cav watch - er, he's in the peloton, but well hidden. Ie I haven't seen him all day, but no news is good news. If he appears for the first time with 100m to go that'll do me just fine.
1531: The helicopter beaming back TV pictures has just picked out a group of about 30 people who have formed a giant heart on a hillside and are all waving. Aah, lovely. Those romantic Frenchies eh.
1529: Here is a link for website users with more information on the on-going Saunier Duval sackings story.
1520: Brard and Terpstra seem to have accepted the inevitable and the gap is down to less than three minutes and falling rapidly. They must be gutted - can you imagine giving it your all for 120km+ and getting no result? My 9km ride to work is bad enough.
1517: Brard and Terpstra now lead by just three minutes 25 seconds as they pass through the spectacular limestone peaks of the Saint Loup area. They're coming lads, they're coming...
1513: "kung fu Giraffe (1447)? He should know that getting his text read out on 5 liveextra is where the real cudos is gained."
toffeesteveo on 606
I'm crushed - if we're below 5 Live Extra in the pecking order I may have to take a long, hard look at just what I'm doing with my life.
1509: Back on the road and there's a bit of action to report - the leading duo continue to set the pace but the FDJ and Columbia boys on the front of the peloton have reduced the gap to less than four minutes. Brard and Terpstra must be getting that sinking feeling.
1505: We've got cricket fans having a go at cycling fans on the text and now there's a Belgian on 606 insisting Holland sucks - it's all going off today. Although our Belgian does spoil her attempted abuse by going on to say the Dutch have the best education in the world - they're all friends in the Low Countries really.
1455: The leaders are over the top of the Cote de Puechabon, with Brard taking the three points on offer from Terpstra. The TV cameras are showing a number of burnt out cars by the side of the road which seem to have been part of the publicity caravan. The peloton still has four kilometres to go to the top of the climb.
1450: "Nimes is where the material 'serge de Nimes', later shortened to denim, originated. Is that of more interest than the place being twined with Preston?"
Jack, London, via text
1447: It appears there is a little cross-sport skirmishing going on. I've just seen the following, which has been submitted via text. What's all this about putting us in our place?
"My mate Little-Panda82 had his contribution used on the cycling live text and is bragging about it. Can you put mine up so we can put the cycling boys in their place! 'Come on Fred, save the day!' thanks.
DT the Kung Fu Giraffe via text
1436: The leading pair of Terpstra and Brard remain six and a half minutes ahead of the peloton as the leading pair head towards the second climb of the day, the Cote de Puechabon.
1419: +++BREAKING NEWS+++
Spanish team Saunier Duval have sacked both Riccardo Ricco, who was thrown out of the Tour on Thursday after testing positive for EPO, and Leonardo Piepoli.
Piepoli, who did not fail a drugs test during the race, won the 10th stage when he took the climb to Hautacam in the Pyrenees.
Saunier Duval pulled out of the Tour on Thursday following Ricco's failed test.
1410: Some local knowledge on 606 I suspect - our correspondent thinks the conditions will have a role to play.
"Expect some surprises today, due to WIND and HEAT. The latter moltens asphalt especially at the end of the race where roads are narrow with many turns."
Froggy on 606
Just over 100km for the peloton to ride, with Terpstra and Brard just over six and a half minutes clear of the pack.
1407: Milram's Terpstra and Brard take on supplies as their lead over the peloton drops to six minutes 45 seconds.
1404: Fletch's view (see 1355) on which of Preston and Nimes is likely to be the more beautiful? "It depends on what your definition of beautiful is." I leave you to draw your own conclusions in the Preston/Nimes fraternal face-off.
1400: Brard was first over the top of the first climb of the day ahead of fellow escapee Terpstra. King of the mountains leader Sebastian Lang (GST) jumped away from the pack to claim third and add a single point to his tally in the race for the polka dot jersey.
1355: Stage 13 ends in Nimes, which has a population of just under 150,000 people and was an important city in Roman times. Among its twin towns is Preston, a place dear to the heart of Fletch, your correspondent on Thursday.
1348: Columbia are on the front trying to pull in the leading pair - they clearly think Cav has enough left in his legs if they can engineer a bunch sprint in Nimes.
1344: The leading duo are on their way up the Cote de la Resclauze, a category four climb, with their lead still just over the seven-minute mark.
1339: Over on 606 toffeesteveo has cracked the reason for Brard's attack.
"Florent Brard (146) is obviously trying to open up a gap between him and Cav (147) do you think we will see Columbia chase them down to protect his high GC standing??"
toffeesteveo on 606
1334: Terpstra and Brard are still out in front with over 50km having passed under their wheels so far, but the peloton have cut the gap to seven minutes. It's blue skies overhead at the moment as they pass through a village.
Being down by the Med at the height of summer has its attractions. And looking at the grey skies casting a pallor over London at the moment you have to say they might have the right idea.
1330: I'm back. Did you miss me? We have a gallery up and running for the day - more pictures to come as and when they arrive by the magic of big mirrors in the sky at BBC HQ.
1309: The Columbia and La Francaise des Jeux teams have taken charge of the peloton but the leading duo of Terpstra and Brard are still over nine minutes ahead.
Are Columbia hoping to tee up Manx flyer Cav once again in a few hours' time?
Right, I'm off to start our photo gallery, back in a while. If you want to have your say you can do say via our 606 messageboards.
1302: Let's have a look at some predictions from the cycling aficionados on 606.
"Erik Zabel to repeat his German (2003) road title trick - namely go for the intermediate sprint, then stay away for the stage!
Abdu managed that too back in '96."
Austrian_Jez
"I'm backing a French Break (again) and today i'm picking Sylvain Chavanel, as I need the points for my fantasy team..."
Igmeister
"My prediction: an early escape of four or five riders hoover up all the climb and sprint points before the peloton catches them.
Then "Train Columbia" head to the front to set up a fourth win for Cav. Almost boringly predictable?"
Little-Panda82
1248: Niki Terpstra of Milram and Florent Brard of Cofidis are the men on the attack and they have rapidly pulled out a five minute lead over the peloton.
Terpstra is 125th, 1:40.19 behind the yellow jersey, with Brard another 11 minutes further back in 146.
+++2008 Tour top five overall+++
1 Cadel Evans
2 Frank Schleck at one second
3 Christian Vandevelde at 38 seconds
4 Bernhard Kohl at 46 seconds
5 Denis Menchov at 57 seconds
1234: They are rolling in France, with all 158 riders making it to the start, and already two riders have jumped away.
Race leader Cadel Evans told the Tour's official website he expects a bunch sprint after an early break - he is on the money so far.
Here is the Australian's prediction in full: "I think we'll see two guys go, then be chased down by another two or three. If it's the right mix, they might be able to gain enough time to stay away all the way to the finish.
"I think it's more realistic, however, to expect a bunch sprint today."
1229: Is it Cav's last day on the Tour - and if so can he go out with a bang?
My colleague Paul R suggests on 606: "Cavendish said as much on ITV last night so looks like this will be his farewell stage. Then off to the Olympics to win gold, triumph in the TOB then back for SPOTY in time for Xmas..."
PS. Tour of Britain (TOB) and Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) for the uninitiated.
1220: So far it has been a Tour of hat-tricks, one refreshing and unique, the other all too tired and familiar.
The light has come from the electric Mark Cavendish, who became the first British rider to win three stages in a single Tour when he flew to victory in Narbonne on Thursday.
The shade in the 2008 edition has come in the form of three failed drugs tests, with Riccardo Ricco on Thursday the latest to join the Tour's long list of drugs cheats.
The Italian joins Manuel Beltran and Moises Duenas as the 2008 additions to the roll of shame.
Friday's stage, the 13th, takes us 182km (113 miles) from Narbonne to Nimes on a route roughly 20 miles inland of the Mediterranean coast.
There are three category four climbs in the middle of the stage but it is fairly flat for the last 50km (31 miles).
Australian Cadel Evans continues to lead by a single second from Frank Schleck, with three other riders within a minute of the yellow jersey.
Evans said after Thursday's stage: "It's hard to stay up front in the peloton all the time but it's important to do that because there's the risk of being caught up in a crash.
"Another day, another yellow jersey. I'm happy enough with that."
The debate is up and running on 606 - join in and let us know your views on how the day will pan out.
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