And Corsica gets a look for the very first time I believe.

I really hope its more exciting in the GC this year and someone puts genuine pressure on whoever the yellow jersey may be.

Really fancy Cavendish to be wearing yellow after the first stage, surely his burning ambition.

Froome to take it but contador not to far behind......expect a better push from cadel Evans and promise from teejay van garderen and juergen van den Brock and thibout pinot.

Stage 1 - Saturday 29 June 2013
213km Porto-Vecchio to Bastia
Stage type = Flat
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2013/us/stage-1.html

Should suit Cavendish.

Marcel Kittel wins the stage in a chaotic finish.

What a shambles of a race. Let's hope Yorkshire do a better job for day one next year!

Couldn't watch but was frantically following on phone, sounded ridiculous.
Changed to 3 kms out and then with 500 to go changed back to the real finish line.......riders were clueless.
All given same time too as electronics interfered with at finish line.
Worst news though is cavendish team mate tony Martin out with broken collar bone.

someone parked the bus ! !on the finish line
the 3km finish had a stone monument 10 yards behind the banner,they would of ended up in a heap round that

Stage 2 - Sunday 30 June 2013
156km from Bastia to Ajaccio
Stage type = with 1 cat2 and 3 cat3 climbs
We are still in Corsica with narrow roads so expect problems.

Map and profile
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2013/us/stage-2.html

Tony Martin is actually back on his bike today, bruised lungs and several lacerations, these guys are tough.

Cavendish dropped on the first climb :/

That was a great stage today. Would have like to see Millar in yellow once again in his career, but was happy for the lad that won.

Unable to see any of it this next week.....only have the phone and limited gigs.
What was froome trying to achieve, just testing the water? Did he actually get daylight and did contador et al panic or not at all?

cinci, Froome said he wanted to take the tricky descent out at his own pace so put a kick in so he could do that.

Cheers admin, fair enough I guess.
Walked up town a minute ago and turns out today was the tour of lawrence, so got to see myself some live cycling through the streets, had no idea it was on lol.

Stage 3 Monday 1 July 2013 146km from Ajaccio to Calvi
Stage type = medium mountain with 1 cat2, 2 cat3 and 1 cat4 climbs

Map and profile
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2013/us/stage-3.html

I'm going for one of these basque mountain goats to launch one on the final climb today.

Simon Gerrans gets the stage win ahead of Peter Sagan

Can't believe Thomas, what a nutter

Dude needs to just stop.......who knows what long term damage can be done.

Stage 4 - Tuesday 2 July 2013 – 25km Nice/Nice
Stage type = Team Time Trial with time taken on the 5th rider.

The route is flat so expect a fast pace with the domestiques being sacrificed.

Map and profile
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2013/us/stage-4.html

START TIMES
1. Argos-Shimano 14:15 BST
2. Omega Pharma-Quickstep 14:19
3. Lotto-Belisol 14:23
4. Cannondale 14:27
5. Cofidis 14:31
6. FDJ.FR 14:35
7 Belkin 14:39
8. Garmin-Sharp 14:43
9. Euskatel 14:47
10. Team Sky 14:51
11. Katusha 14:55
12. Sojasun 14:59
13. Astana 15:03
14. Movistar 15:07
15. Saxo-Tinkoff 15:11
16. Europcar 15:15
17. AG2R 15:19
18. Orica-Greenedge 15:23
19. Lampre-Merida 15:27
20. Vacansoleil-DCM 15:31
21. BMC 15:35
22. RadioShack Leopard 15:39

Orica-GreenEDGE win team time trial

And Simon Gerrans is the new yellow jersey.

apparently the fastest ttt ever.... hmmm.

Didn't realise orica green edge were so strong.

Already a lead for froome over the big boys.

Stage 5 Wednesday 3 July
229km Cagnes-sur-Mer to Marseille
Stage type = Medium Mountain, 1 cat3 and 3 cat4 climbs with sprint finish

Map and profile
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2013/us/stage-5.html

Chris Froome is currently 7th in the GC 3 secs behind leader.

Cavendish wins the stage!

He timed his sprint to perfection, and crossed just ahead of Greipel .... and just in time to miss a big crash just behind.