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Why not a whole set of images - when Eddy Merckx turns 80 it is a very special day! Eddy and Philippe, 2014; Eddy and Axel, 1993; Eddy and Sean, 1989; Eddy and his adoring public, 2010; Eddy as Tour of Qatar organiser 2006; Eddy in the 1977 Tour de France...

The Tour de Suisse is heading into the Alps today, over the Splugenpass, exactly where the 1995 Giro d'Italia headed in 1995; just as with Romain Gregoire now, a Frenchman - Warren Barguil - led the 2016 TdS, until the penultimate day...

12 of Graham Watson's favourite ever photos 📸 From black and white images from the 1980s, through to LeMond, Indurain, Contador and Cooke dnlbenson.substack.com/p/12-of-graham… 📸 Graham Watson

The Julier Pass is today's scenic highlight along the roads of the Tour de Suisse, both going uphill or down... It is also the highest pass of the week.

Matariki here in New Zealand, so a suitable walk to match the mid-winter occasion...

With Lille hosting the start of this 2025 Tour de France, let's go back 31 years to 1994 when Chris Boardman smashed the Prologue TT on a fancy bike and wore the race's first Yellow Jersey...in Lille!

It was a real buzz when Chris Boardman arrived in the centre of Lille to take the start surrounded by his bodyguard of GAN teamates...

Lille to Lille via Mont Cassel, sure to be a sprint like the one Marcel Kittel won in 2014; no Yellow Jersey today, unlike in 1994 when a victorious Prologue gave Chris Boardman the race-lead...

To Boulogne-sur-Mer they go, aiming to do what Peter Sagan did in 2012 and win the uphill sprint. Erik Zabel won into Boulogne as well, in 2001, but on a pan-flat finish after a day where the wind was king...

Valenciennes to Dunkirk today, it recalls a contrast in fortunes for Rolf Sorensen, who crashed into the start-town in 1991, and for Jeroen Blijlevens - who won into the finish-town in 1995...

Rouen and its stunning cathedral awaits Le Tour today with an assortment of previous winners: Gerrit Solleveld won alone in the rain in 1990, Jan Kirsippu won in 2002, Andre Greipel won in 2012...

A hilly Normandie stage coming across WWll battlefields; Vire is the birthplace of Le Tour's race-director Thierry Gouvenou, and where Mario Cipollini won in 1997 in an outrageous all-yellow costume..!

Le Tour is in Bernard Hinault country today, with views of the sea to-boot. Thor Hushovd wore Yellow here in 2011, Chris Froome wore Yellow in 2015; Cadel Evans and Alberto Contador battled for the first-ever stage-win on Mur-de-Bretagne in 2011...

12 of Graham Watson's favourite ever photos 📸 From black and white images from the 1980s, through to LeMond, Indurain, Contador and Cooke dnlbenson.substack.com/p/12-of-graham…

Laval awaits for the Tour sprinters today - Tom Steels won there in 1999. Vitré hosts the day's bonus sprint, which is where Robbie McEwen won a stage in 2006...

Stage 9 into Chateauroux, re-named for the day as 'Mark Cavendish Town', in honour of the three-time stage-winner here: Cavendish won in 2008, 2011, and 2021... We're in chateau country all day, there'll be lots of them to enjoy...

At last, some real climbing, and in the beautiful Massif Central to Puy de Sancy! Stephen Roche won into nearby La Bourboule in 1993, Thomas Voeckler led the 2004 Tour through the region, Rui-Costa won at nearby Super-Besse in 2011...

No Tour racing today, so why not listen to a podcast or two - specifically this one where I talk about photography and cycling and life on the road: thecameracafeshow.com/episode/graham…

On the road again...from Toulouse to Toulouse via the rolling landscapes of Tarn and Haute Garonne. Expect an Airbus fly-over near Blagnac and sunflowers throughout the day; Mark Cavendish won into Toulouse in 2008...

Big showdown at Hautacam today. Miguel Indurain led Leblanc in 1994 but the Frenchman won the stage; Riis was un-stoppable in 1996, Armstrong won his first duel against Pantani in 2000 on a stage won by Javier Otxoa. Expect a true Bearnaise welcome to the Pyrenees - by accordian!