As it happened: Last chance for the sprinters on stage 16

Bonjour and welcome to Cyclingnews’ live coverage of stage 16 of the 2024 Tour de France!

Today’s stage is the last chance for the sprinters before the final mountain stages and the stage 21 time trial to Nice. We’re convinced they won’t want to miss out. 

The teams have started to sign on on Gruissan and Cyclingnew’s journalists Alasdair Fotherinham and Barry Ryan are there to gather the latest news.  

With more COVID-19 cases in the peloton, riders and the media are wearing masks once again.

Jayco-AlULa hav confirmed that Chris Harper is positive and so won’t start today.

There are reports in Spain that Egan Bernal has also tested positive for COVID-19 but  Ineos have told Cyclingnews that this is not true. 

The Colombian will race on, along with teammate Geraint Thomas, who has been suffering with mild COVID-19 in the last few days.

Stage 16 should be the final stage for the sprinters. Their teams will want to control the race but it won’t be that easy, as it’s the day after a rest day, following two brutal days in the Pyrenean mountains.

The sprinters and their teammates had to battle to make the time cut on Sunday. Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) and Arnaud Démare (Arkea-B&B Hotels) made it across the line with less than two minutes to spare. Will those efforts be a factor today? 

Click below to read out full stage 16 preview. 

Tour de France 2024 Stage 16 preview – The sprinters’ last dance

Ineos Grenadiers are on the sign-on podium and so is Bernal.  

So is Geraint Thomas.

The cycling World is still trying to understand Tadej Pogačar’s dominant performance at the weekend in the Pyrenees and also Jonas Vingegaard’s defiant ride just three months after his terrible crash.   

Click below to read Barry Ryan hot take analysis just hours after the race. 

‘Tadej is on another planet’ – Pogačar strides closer to Tour de France victory with striking Plateau de Beille record

Next-up on stage at Visma and Vingegaard. All the riders are wearing masks as they ride on stage.

We’re 15 minutes from the stage roll out.  

The riders then face a long 12.5km neutralised sector before the 188.6km stage starts.