Stage 10

 Another great day for Pogacar in the Massif Central where 2 years ago the duel between Pogacar and Vingegaard at the stage had been neck and neck to the finish line and Vingegaard taking the win.  This time it was totally different with Pogacar going out on the break alone at 15 km before the end, destroying Carapaz's lead of 1 minute in seconds to go all out for the stage.   Vingegaard couldn't match it and lost time. 

The stage win was Pogacar at 3hr 58' 08" followed by Evenpoel at 3hr 58' 40", Seixas at 3hr 58' 42" and Vinegaard coming in 7th at 3hr 58' 52".   It is good to see Paul Seixas doing so well.  As I said at the beginning of the Tour, he is a boy to watch. 

The GC tonight is 

1. Pogacar        36h 15' 02"

2..  Vingegaard           + 3' 36"

3. Evenpoel                + 4' 06"

4, Ayuso                     +4' 22"

5.  Seixas                  +4 35"

6, Lipowitz               +4.44"

7. Del Toro               +5 08"

8. Skjelmose            +5.45"

9. Martinez               +6.34"

10.  Pidcock           + 11.49"

Tomorrow is stage 11 and Vichy to Nevers.   It is a flat stage and 161 km.  This is a stage where again we will see the bunch sprint finish and I will get to know those names of the sprinters.   Tim Melier is the tip for the stage.    Nevers is a beautiful city and the Loire river passes through.  It is in central France and known to many who have been in search of the chateaux of the Loire region as I have. 

I had a quiet day at home.  Temperatures were in the mid to high 20s here and it was 26C late afternoon. 

I will watch France v Spain to see the skills of the teams that are top in Europe and to see if Wenger is right in saying that Spain can beat France because they are technically better. 

The country makes me despair and I know that Britain is finished but today I prefer not to think too much about it.  On Monday we will have a new Prime Minister that nobody has been asked if they want him and the destruction of Britain continues and nobody in the Labour Party stands against him so he walks into a job that he has not described nor what he stands for nor what he will do for Britain.  The country deserves a General Election. We have a Police Commissioner local election here on Thursday.  I know who I will be voting for.  We have a man that drives from Rotherham in Yorkshire from a county that writers claim has no crime to Dartmoor and murders a defenceless woman and drives back in time for tea.  The lady had many gay friends who respected her as well as Catholics and Church of England friends, all of whom lived happily with mutual respect.  Just because a person does not  profess and openly to love gay marriage or trans or abortions or female priests it does not mean that they cannot and do not love people and they cannot be loved back.  Even David Hockney preferred gay liaisons without marriage, enjoyed smoking without state intervention and valued the Bohemian life style above anything that the state wanted to throw at him.  Ann Widdecombe was a strong woman with values of free speech, personal views and principles just like the rest of us have.  They may collide sometimes but it doesnt't mean we cannot be friends.   One of Widdecombe's best friends wrote a tribute to her at the weekend. He is gay, spoke to her most days including the day before her murder, and they had enormous fun together even if she never went to his wedding, he didn't invite her, she didn't mind and  he didn't mind.  That's friendship on a level that we knew when we were growing up in Britain.   

Spain are 1-0 ahead.  So far Wenger is right.

21.21 hrs

2-0 Wenger's words continue to ring in my ears. 

Spain through to the World Cup Final 2-0, and French hearts broken. 

Spain were brilliant.