LIVE – Tour de France: follow the 15th stage between Millau and Carcassonne

A last effort before blowing. After the exhausting alpine week, the peloton of the Tour de France will be able to rest Monday. A rest which is at the end of the 181.5 km of Sunday's stage, between Millau and Carcbadonne. And this 15th act, it is not easy. Three difficulties are on the menu including the Pic de Nore (1st category) who made his first appearance on the Tour route. Before reaching the culmination of this stage, the riders climbed the Côte de Luzençon (3rd category) then the Col de Sié (2nd category). A journey that should smile to the fighters.

The point 115 km from the finish: Calmejane first at the top of the Col de Sié. Lilian Calmejane logically crossed the summit of Col de Sié in the lead. He still has a one minute lead over his pursuers, while the peloton is 6 minutes away. The distanced ones are only one minute away from the peloton

The point at 120 km from the finish: Calmejane launches alone the badault on the Col de Sié. The runners are in the second difficulty of the day, the Col de Sié, a climb of 10.2 km to 4.9% average ranked 2nd category. Lilian Calmejane unleashed his escape companions to launch alone in this pbad. He is 1 minute ahead of the 28 pursuers and 5 minutes 30 seconds on the pack. It's better for the group of Arnaud Démare who now points to 3 minutes of the yellow jersey group.

The point 130 km from the finish: the breakaway has finally formed. A group of about 30 riders, including Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain-Merida), Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energy), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Arthur Vichot (Groupama- FDJ) or Jon Izaguirre (Bahrain-Merida), has managed to leave the pack and enjoys a lead of 3 minutes 30 seconds. The yellow jersey group slowed the pace leaving the second pack to return. Arnaud Démare and the distanced point, meanwhile, at 4 minutes 30 seconds of the peloton.

– 132 km
It was a hard one, but the break is on!
It was hard, but the breakaway is gone!
Among the escapees // Among the breakaways: @sonnycolbrelli @petosagan @majkaformal @GregVanAvermaet @L_Calmejane etc … # TDF2018 [19659015] pic.twitter.com/dZIA1UJJxW

– The Tour de France (@LeTour) July 22, 2018

 The point to 140 km of the arrival: the escaped taken again by the peloton.  The escape of Gegor Mühlberger, Warren Barguil and Adam Yates did not hold. The three riders were caught by the yellow jersey group which rolls with 2 minutes ahead of a second peloton. Arnaud Démare, accompanied by Ramon Sinkeldam (Groupama-FDJ) and Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), is now 5 minutes 30 seconds behind the lead. 
 The point 150 km from the finish: the peloton does not let go of the escaped.  The three leading men are not able to dig a significant gap with the peloton. Their lead varies around 15 seconds. Behind, forty riders account for about 1 minute and 40 seconds behind the pack while the group of three separated which includes Arnaud Démare is more than 4 minutes. The French risk elimination today! 
 The point to 160 km of the arrival: three men in the lead.  The breakaway of the day seems to be taking shape. Gegor Mühlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), Warren Barguil (Fortuneo-Samsic) and Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) managed to create a small gap with the yellow jersey group. Arnaud Démare is he in a group of three riders distanced by the peloton 
 The point to 170 km of the arrival: Alaphilippe in top top of the first coast.  Less than 10 km after the start of this 15th stage, the peloton was faced with the first listed climb of the day, the Côte de Luzençon (3rd category, 3.1 km at 5.9%). Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors), leader of the ranking of the best climber, arrived first at the top of this first difficulty. He grabbed two points while Daniel Martinez (EF Education First-Drapac) grabs the other point at stake. Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), he is in trouble at the back of the pack. 
   – 171 km 
 ⛰ Côte de Luzençon (cat.3) ⛰  @alafpolak  gets 2 points on top of the first climb of the day.⚪ 
 Two puntos for  @alafpolak  at the top of the first difficulty of the day. ⚪  @CarrefourFrance  # TDF2018  pic.twitter.com/9DVfdC4Xb9 
 – The Tour de France (@LeTour)  July 22, 2018 
 The starting point: direction rest .  The riders start from Millau for 181.5 km towards Carcbadonne, where they can rest on Monday. But with three difficulties in the program, this day does not look simple. The rest, it deserves! 
 The point on the ranking: the Sky while in control.  Management. This is how to sum up the Sky's strategy at the 14th stage on Saturday. Led by the train of the British formation, the squad, visibly tired, arrived in Mende with nearly 20 minutes behind the winner of the day, Omar Fraile (Astana). In the general clbadification, the 4th Primoz Roglic (Lotto-NL Jumbo), took the opportunity to glean a few seconds on the three leading men that are Geraint Thomas (Sky), Chris Froome (Sky) and Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb). Romain Bardet (AG2R-La Mondiale), he is still 5th but lost nearly 15 seconds on the leaders, Saturday during the final ascent to Mende 
 The general clbadification before this 15th stage: 
 1 – Geraint THOMAS (GBR / SKY) – in 58h10'44 '' 
 2 – Chris FROOME (GBR / SKY) – at 1'39 '' 
 3 – Tom DUMOULIN (HOL / SUN) – at 1 ' 50 '' 
 4 – Primoz ROGLIC (SLV / TLJ) – at 2'38 '' 
 5 –  Roman BARDET  (FRA / ALM) – at 3'21 '' 
 -Green jersey: Peter SAGAN (SVQ / BOR) 
 -Polced jersey:  Julian ALAPHILIPPE  (FRA / QST) 
 -Magnet white:  Pierre LATOUR  (FRA / ALM) 
 The point on the profile of the stage (departure scheduled at 13:10): first appearance of the Pic de Nore.  The Tour's peloton will cross the Pic de Nore for the first time in the history of the Great Loop. Ranked in the first category, it represents the main difficulty of the day with a rise of 12.3 km to 6.3%. Its 1,205 meters of altitude (highest point of the stage) will stand in front of the riders about forty kilometers from the finish before a long descent to Carcbadonne. It is preceded by two first climbs: the Côte de Luzençon (3rd category, 3.1 km to 5.9%) less than 10 km after the start, then the Col de Sié (2nd category, 10.2 km to 4, 9%) just over 50 km away.