I know, I said I’d penned my last Tour piece for the year but I was in the area, there was a parking space and I thought; ‘I’ll have a quick look’ – and to my joy there it was, Monday’s L’Équipe in pride of place outside the International Newsagents.
A sad 40 minutes in the City Cafe ensued as I distilled les chiffres (that’s numbers) you need to make you the font of all knowledge on the club run.
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3 The number of Tour de France wins for Christopher Froome, joins Philippe Thijs, Louison Bobet and Greg Lemond all on three wins.
- 4 Of the last five Tours won by GB riders, Wiggo + Froome.
- 4 The number of new faces in the top 10: Yates, Porte, Meintjes and Martin.
- 5 Record number of Tour wins: Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx and Miguel Indurain.
- 5 Number of times Sagan has won the green jersey.
- 5 Hours 17 minutes 14 seconds: lanterne rouge Sam Bennett’s deficit on Froom
- 6 The record number of green jerseys – Erik Zabel.
- 6 Number of ‘new’ stage winners, this year – Tom Dumoulin, Michael Matthews, Jarlinson Pantano, Thomas De Gendt, Ilnur Zakarin and Jon Izagirre.
- 7 Hours 18 minutes 12 seconds: Last placed team Dimension Data’s deficit on team winners Movistar (but they did have 5 stage wins!)
- 8 Most stages won in a single Tour: Charles Pélissier 1930, Eddy Merckx 1970 and 1974, Freddy Maertens 1976.
- 8 Seconds, the smallest winning margin, Greg Lemond over Laurent Fignon, 1989.
- 8 Minutes 14 seconds: Team Sky’s deficit in second place in the team competition on winners Movistar.
- 11 Number of consecutive Grand Tours which Andrei Greipel has won a stage in and also his number of Tour stage wins.
- 24 The number of abandons.
- 26 Nairo Quintana’s age in years (it was a tough paper round).
- 30 Years since a French win – Bernard Hinault, 1986.
- 39.59 Average speed of 2016 Tour de France in kph.