Day of rest ...

On 8 July, I gave the average speeds of the first seven stage winners.  Here are the average speeds of the last two stage winners:

• Stage 8:  11.38 m/s (25.5 mph)
• Stage 9:  10.60 m/s (23.7 mph)

There is no surprise that Stage 9 is the slowest so far, notwithstanding the crashes.  The climbs in the middle of Stage 9 hit some high elevations.  Riders better get plenty of rest today.  After a couple of modest stages, the great Pyrenees climbs await!

I'm anxious to see how my Stage 10 prediction does tomorrow.  I'm also anxious to know who is reading this blog.  Feel free to add a comment and let me know what you think of the Tour de France, scientific modeling, and anything else on your mind.  Let me know your country of origin, too.