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Benoot had a hard day in the break on Thursday, and he definitely didn’t have the legs for the GC group yesterday. I don’t think Van Aert is anywhere near peak form this year, plus there’s a rumour about him leaving for the birth of his second child. Kelderman looked spent to me yesterday. Kuss is a heck of a domestique, but he can’t do it alone - and there’s no Roglic this year to launch that sort of attack on Pog like they did on the slopes of the Galibier. UAE didn’t exactly blaze a trail up the Grand Colombier either, but they still rode several decent riders - Bernal, Pinot, Bardet to name a few - off their wheels. Grosschartner put in a heck of a shift. I suspect they came out of yesterday in great condition. Either way, it’s all set up for a cracking few days in the Alps. I can’t wait to see Cormet de Roselend either, having done that twice in recent years. Stunning climb.

But he clearly did want to leave London as he said he “wanted to scratch that itch [of playing abroad]”. That interview has a few contradictions like that, though. I reckon he spoke to Nige who probably said something along the lines of “you’ll have to earn your place in the side like everyone else”. Bryan didn’t fancy that, so he explored options to play abroad but nothing materialised, his dithering saw us go for Roberts and the convenient move was Millwall, as he has a home in London and they will give him 35+ games. If what I’m hearing about Roberts being very impressive so far in pre-season is true, then I think we’ve dodged a bullet with Bryan. He clearly wants an easy ride and we weren’t going to give him that.

Interesting that on one hand he said “I’d had a pretty easy ride up until then [joining Fulham]. I’d played about 250 or 300 games before I joined”… only to go on to say “my next move wasn’t about anything other than playing 35+ games a season”. So, he left us because he had it easy and he joined Millwall because he wants it easy? Not sure how that works

It’s a bizarre one, ain’t it? I heard Bernal say he wasn’t meant to be in the Tour, he was meant to be on holiday! Mind you, even if he was to get back to his best, I don’t think it’d be enough to lay a glove on Pog or Vingegaard. Ineos need to make their minds up on what they’re doing with Pidcock longer term as well IMO. Is he on a GC path or super domestique (if so, working for who?) They should be doing better with the budget they have.

Either Jumbo-Visma are shot, looking at how Benoot, Van Aert and Kelderman blew up today, or they have an ace up their sleeve. I suspect it’s the former as UAE didn’t go full gas up the Grand Colombiere today. I don’t buy Vingegaard’s relaxed persona on TV either when you can the stress on his face when he crossed the line. He can’t be happy with losing chunks of time like that, especially to Pog. That said, it’s great to see Kwiato time his breakaway to perfection and Ineos really needed that win as they’ve flattered to deceive so far with their triumvirate of leaders.

I’ve only just seen these now, but you have nailed what I expect our kits to look like. It screams tradition and quality, rather than the tacky and amateurish O’Neill’s stuff IMO.

Nor do they need to go at more than a run a ball. Test cricket is a test of technique, patience, mental strength, fitness, desire.

Great signing, awful shirt.

I’m not sure he’d jump at the chance to play for a club that messed him about four or five years ago and will likely be facing relegation next year. If he stays, there’s more chance of playing PL with us in 2024/25 than bloody Bournemouth IMO.

Juju and Mohoric, two explosive puncheurs, setting the early pace, but I wonder if Pidcock’s been given licence today or if Ineos have GC intentions for him.

This time last year, he was set to start the season as first-choice RWB. Then the injury comes, which he’ll need to manage for the rest of his career, we change system and the rest is history. If he’s fully fit and over his injury, Derby have got a bargain IMO. He’ll slot into their system very well. Best of luck to him.

See my most recent comment. Ta.

I don’t see how they ignore the calls for Foakes now, given the mistakes Bairstow’s made and even Aggers said his confidence with the gloves looks shot. Foakes needs to come in and if Bairstow plays, it’s as a batsman only. I prefer him to play over Lawrence. Woakes deserves to keep his spot. I’d overlooked him mainly because I think we need a spinner and I’d have gone with Ahmed at the start of the series. It’s also a close call between Tongue and Jimmy, as crazy as it sounds. Jimmy’s been ineffective so far and it’d be a gamble to pick for his home Test. Root has to go up for three IMO. Foakes could bat anywhere from four down.

I’ve been banging on to anyone who will listen about how Foakes must be in this XI and as the series goes on, it’s becoming pretty clear he could be the difference between winning and losing. Aggers sums it up pretty well in his latest column: “Talk will continue around the place of wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, given someone of the quality of Ben Foakes is waiting in the wings. “By my Test Match Special colleague Andy Zaltzman's calculations, Bairstow has missed eight chances in the series, but for me it was just as worrying that he left the catch off Mitchell Starc for Brook on the third evening. “That was the wicketkeeper's catch and was a sign of someone low on confidence. Bairstow was lucky Brook did so well, running and diving from short leg.”

It should be Root, or Bohannon if I were involved in selection, but it’ll be Mo. The balance of the side is better with Brook at 5.

Absolutely, but Woods was just too good today and he’s had a rough few years. This has been a great first week of the Tour. Cav’s crash aside, I’ve loved every minute of it.

Disastrous series. Mitchell Marsh scored more runs in this Test than he has done all series. Jonny’s 6 innings have come at an average of 23 and he’s taken 12 out of 21 chances behind the stumps, not including missed stumpings. People talk about fine margins…

So much for him having the bit between the teeth after Lord’s. He’s offered absolutely nothing in these three Tests and has been more of a hindrance than help IMO.

Yep, with the bat and in the field. Jonny needs to step up now, big time.

Oh, Rooty. Dreadful timing

Just read that on BBC Sport. Doesn’t surprise me, given Vinokourov‘s his DS. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t accept it, to be fair, but time will tell. If he does, he’ll be the new Valverde in terms of being the grandad of the peloton!

It’s the play sensibly bit that I just can’t see happening, sadly. Easy to on paper, but when have this side ever played sensibly? One way or another, I expect it’ll be over by tea today.

I said the same to someone else yesterday. Knowing the sort of character Cav is, I suspect this will eat away at him for a bloody long time if he does bow out like that.

Poor Cav, especially after yesterday’s misfortune. It’s often the innocuous crashes that do the most damage. Such a shame that such a brilliant career came to an end like that.

Heard this stat earlier: Bairstow taken 12 out of 21 catches before the start of play today, compared to Carey’s 18 out of 20. Not good enough as a keeper, simple as that. Foakes probably would have. He knows where to stand for starters!