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Mechanical doping rumours were flying around again during this Tour especially regarding Pogacar - the officials had to release X-rays of his bike to prove it was all above board. With Lance, I think what did for him was the bullying and general nastiness, along with him cajoling teammates to...

It’s Toploader. It’s always Top fucking Loader. The Jamie Oliver of pop. Dancing in the Fucking Monglight.

Andrews Brain is the one on there that stands out and makes me want to know why cos I didn’t enjoy it and I really like a lot of his stuff.

I think so too. I have read pretty all her work but return to the non fiction over and again. I think of her much as I do about Joni Mitchell. Quite clearly the best of her generation but too often overshadowed by the blokes.

Just gone into a London pub for the first time in months. Forgotten the afternoon drinkers - serious piss heads trying to barter drinks with brand new bar tenders, builders knocking off early on a bender with frequent trips to the bogs. Single women telling dubious blokes that this time they...

My son used to be a Deliveroo rider a couple of years ago - he’s a semi-pro bike rider and used it as training. One person couldn’t believe he was riding a bike and not a motorbike as he was so fast. Think that pissed off the other riders as it fucked up things for the other deliverers.

The Sweeney is my ultimate 70s London time machine. It (and the Tour coverage) justify the existence of ITV 4 and its donkey sanctuary adverts.

Just read that chapter - it fizzes with ideas and I think is really useful as a way of understanding modernism’s appeal. Also what it is that writers do within a tradition and what’s happening to the attentive reader when they are encountering this work

Chesil Beach I think. Like you, I have read it and have no memory of it whatsoever.

I am really enjoying the Kenner book. Was it written as one thing or a collection of essays? I like the way he has such a playful way of writing. I read Sinking Island and that was quite straight but this is more flighty - somehow matching the tone of those he’s writing about. Also I think the...

Pog crushing the GC is maybe less exciting but I like the episodes (stages) that plug into the grand narrative - obviously Cav who is taking his unexpected chance with both hands (people forget he lost chances to add to his total by being dq-ed one year and being wiped out on day 1 in Harrogate...

Mountain stage today. I once rode up the Tourmalet and it was amongst the hardest days I’ve ever had on a bike. They’ve just rolled up it like it’s nothing.

I think his dad was probably every schoolboy’s nightmare, head of Rugby school and quite the Eminent Victorian. The poem was supposedly written on his honeymoon - I can imagine his wife lying in bed waiting to be deflowered while Arnold is staring out to sea muttering something about the...

Darkmans by Nicola Barker is a great Kent novel. Once I stopped off over night in Deal on my way to riding to Paris - it was Deal carnival night, with floats and the crowning of Miss Deal - it felt like something out of the Wicker Man - lots of rosy faced drunks and girls in flowing white...

Loving the Tour this year - some great individual stories in there but Cav is the greatest. I just hope he can hold on over the mountains to finish things off on the Champs.

On my list once term finally fucking finishes

No - I think the edition is from about 1971/2 all b&b pics.

Got The Pound Era yesterday - lovely old Faber edition, ex-library stock hard back. I like the first chapter already showing Pound in relation to James.

Cheers I will be checking these out.

Grealish and he’s on the bench. Naturally. Along with Foden- usual England suspicions about ‘skilful’ footballers.