Tour de France: Stage 16 – live!

Sky’s Bradley Wiggins, then a Cofidis rider, climbs to the summit of the Col du Tourmalet during the 2006 Tour de France. Photograph: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images Sport

12.21pm: Lance Armstrong bridges the gap between his group and Casar at the foot of the Tourmalet and gets on the Frenchman’s wheel as they begin the climb. That must be just great for Casar – as if climbing the Tourmalet wasn’t difficult enough, now he has to do so in the exclusive company of the most sanctimoniou bully in sport.

Today’s stage so far: With 150km to go, Sandy Casar (France/FDJ) has opened a 25 second gap on a breakaway group of 10 riders on the descent of the Col du Aspin, the second category one climb of the day. Anthony Chartreau (France/BBox Bouygues Telecom), Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan/Astana), Lance Armstrong (USA/Radio Shack), Bradley Wiggins (UK/Sky), Roman Kreuziger (Czech Rep/Liquigas-Doimo), Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin Transitions), Carlos Sastre (Spain/Cervelo Test Team), Rui Faria De Costa (Portugal/Caisse D’Epargne), Damiano Cunego (Italy/Lampre-Farnesse) and Eros Capecchi (Italy/Footon-Servetto). The 24-strong maillot jaune group of Alberto Contador (Spain/Astana) and Andy Schleck (Luxemburg/Saxo Bank) is a further 18 seconds behind.

Good afternoon everybody. Welcome to guardian.co.uk/sport’s rolling report on Stage 16 of this year’s Tour de France, covering the 199.5km of Pyrenn … Pyrekne … Pyrann … extremely mountainous terrain from Bagnères-de-Luchon to Pau.

According to our interactive report, today’s stage boasts “two massive climbs, the Tourmalet and the Aubisque, but after the latter it’s 70km downhill to the finish. So the likely scenario is a long-range escape including second-string climbers going for the stage win while the handful of riders left in the overall hunt bide their time.”

This 70km downhill finish has attracted some criticism from particpants and cycling fans alike, prompting Tour organisers to defend themselves in a rebuttal posted on their website under the headline “The same sequence as for Mr Merckx” (Eddie, the cyclist, as opposed to football’s Rio “Mr Merks” Ferdinand).

“We have been criticised because the Tourmalet pass (where the Jacques-Goddet memorial trophy will be awarded at the summit) is apparently too far from the finishing line,” they said. “Some say that it will not bring anything to how the race develops. The only thing is neither Pau nor the Col du Tourmalet have changed place, and everything depends on the race.

“The riders will have to tackle Peyresourde from the start, Aspin, Tourmalet and Aubisque. Admittedly, the Aubisque pass is 60 kilometres from the finishing line, but it is followed by 30 kilometres of descent before getting to grips with the valley bottom. It is the same route (except that the stage finish was in Mourenx) as in 1969 when Eddy Merckx was victorious after a 180-kilometre breakaway. We wanted to make this stage a little tribute to him.”

There has been no need for excuse-making as far as Thursday’s route is concerned. Following tomorrow’s much-needed rest day, the peloton will make the return journey from Pau to the summit of the Tourmalet in a 174km potential race-decider that literally tens of thousands of people are calling “Stage 17″.