MATT LAWTON IN VALLOIRE: Thibaut Pinot abandoned the race in tears and Julian Alaphilippe lost the yellow jersey on the brutal ascent of the highest paved pass in Europe.

MATT LAWTON IN VAL THORENS: The 22-year-old Colombian held on to the yellow jersey in stage 20, and is set to be crowned the youngest Tour winner in 110 years.

MATT LAWTON IN PARIS: Brailsford believes Bernal is capable of maintaining the team's dominance of the Tour de France for years to come. At 22, he is the youngest man to win in Paris since 1909.

MATT LAWTON IN PARIS: Wiggins and Thomas believe Team Ineos will continue to dominate the Tour de France with a young Colombian cyclist who could turn out to be the greatest in history.

The most successful cyclist in history, Eddy Merckx, is in intensive care after falling during a bike ride with friends. He was admitted to Dendermonde hospital in Belgium on Sunday.

Froome posted a picture on social media following the operation, restating his goals of getting back to full fitness in time for next summer's Tour de France and the Olympic road race in Japan.

There was a touching farewell at the RAC Club in Pall Mall, London, to a much-loved and well-respected motor industry boss who really has put his own money where his mouth is.

Beloved of intrepid explorers and school run mums alike, the one millionth Land Rover Discovery rolled off the production line today before embarking on an epic 8,000 mile fund-raising expedition miles to China.

It's not every day an international luxury car company holds the global launch of its latest model in Britain — and brings over its top brass to do the honours.

I love the look of the new Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet which makes its world debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show on November 28 and will go on sale in Britain in spring.

James Bond star Daniel Craig performed a top secret mission right under the noses of the world's media at this week's royal global premier of the latest 007 movie, Skyfall, which goes on general release today.

Mailonline has had an exclusive first drive of the astonishing new ‘green’ super-frugal car offering 2p a mile motoring that could swiftly put Osborne and the Treasury out of business.

With a longer range, lots of extra space and a heavier steer, the Nissan LEAF might be small but it drives like one of the big boys - and that's no bad thing.

The French maker promises up to 61.8 mpg from the car, which was unveiled at the recent Geneva Motor Show.

The British car maker is marking its big day with a striking display of its heritage and future technology, proving that although it's 65, the car won't be pensioned off.

The Peugeot 205 GTi became an icon of the Eighties. Now, almost three decades on, comes what Peugeot believes is its true spiritual successor - the 208 GTi, writes RAY MASSEY.

The luxury 4x4, which BMW dubs a sports activity vehicle, broke cover this week. It goes on sale here in November, writes RAY MASSEY.

Japan's Mazda unveiled its new five-door small family hatchback simultaneously in five locations across the globe this week - including Britain.

My test drive of the new Range Rover Sport was exacting enough, before I tackled the decommissioned jumbo at Cotswold Airport, near Cirencester, Glos.

It’s no slouch. On Germany’s unrestricted motorways, it’ll cruise happily and legally top-down in the ‘slow’ lane at 100 mph.

Production versions will be built at the British sports car maker Caterham's factory in Dartford, Kent, ready for launch next year — with many being made for export.

Skoda is about to launch the second generation of its popular crossover sports utility vehicle. The first generation has already proved a big hit.

It's not every day I get a police escort down The Mall from Buckingham Palace. But I did - well, sort of - in this head-turning electric car from BMW.

The X Factor boss might have been holding court in Los Angeles but for motoring editor Ray Massey, nothing could upstage the Jaguar F-type.

Mary Barra, an engineer and mother of two teenagers, became the most powerful woman in the motor industry this week.

Nifty, nimble and willing 1.6-litre 156 bhp petrol engine linked to a smooth six-speed manual gearbox, which helped propel the car from rest to 62 mph in just 8.2 seconds.

Ray Massey, motoring editor, brings the news of the Geneva Motoring Show 2014. He reports on the latest Audi's birthday car and the outbreak of furnishing wars.

Although Motoring Editor Ray Massey is a fan of electric cars, he has concerns over how practical they are.

She is known for her individual style, so it should come as no surprise that singer VV Brown has partnered with Vauxhall Motors to personalise and design her very own Vauxhall ADAM car.

Ford unveiled its smart new Edge fiveseater sports utility vehicle this week. The Edge will go on sale here next year from around £30,000

This week Ray Massey became the first British journalist to road-test the radical new family car that drives on air: the Peugeot 2008 Hybrid Air

Prices start at £20,455 on the road for the 1.4-litre TSI 125 PS manual and rise to £33,795 for the mean-looking 2-litre TSI 280 PS R. First UK deliveries will be in October

The new model will be 17 per cent more economical than its predecessor. The Fabia is expected to go on sale in the UK early next year and will cost between £10, 000 and £16, 000.

More than 800 advance orders have been taken for the mid-sized, compact, petrol-electric crossover, costing from £29,495 for the entry level S version with front-wheel drive.

Including the new BMW 6 Series Convertible, Coupe and Gran Coupe. The cabriolet will go from rest to 62 mph in just 5.5 seconds. All petrol models will have a sports tuned exhaust system.

The Passat has been around for 42 years, the first model came out in 1973. The estate car is the fourth biggest-selling VW in the UK. The new model has keyless entry and heated seats.

The new two-seater Aston Martin Vulcan will set you back £1.8million. The V12 engine is the equivalent of eight Ford Fiestas. The Vulcan will reach top speeds of 200mph and 0-60mph in three seconds.

Amid all the fashion models and cars at the Paris motor show, Kia's sports utility vehicle turned heads. The seven-seater promises improved ride, handling and crash safety, writes RAY MASSEY

The new prototype is a two-door 'crossover' aimed at young families but the final version will be a four-door petrol-electric hatchback crossover. It includes a permanent integrated child seat.

The Outlander PHEV can be charged overnight at home, run on electric-only power or operate in hybrid mode, switching between petrol and electric power, depending on which is most efficient.

Just as George Osborne ratcheted up company car tax for thousands of motorists, German giant BMW unveiled its new 'budget buster' — its first mainstream plug-in petrol-electric hybrid SUV.

In a stunt worthy of the latest Bond film Spectre — for which the firm is supplying many of the cars — the XF (pictured) was revealed in a dramatic stunt high over the Royal Dock in Canary Wharf.

Ray Massey drove the fully stocked four-wheel-drive 2-litre TFSI, which was adept at whipping around the Cotswolds in style. The range starts at £31,995 and the Audi can cost as much as £50,000

Jaguar's elegant new products are leaping ahead to rival German companies such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. The elegant new sports saloon XF is the latest to hit the road

Growing families may be contemplating a bigger car as the summer holidays give way to 'back to school' - and work. Korean car company Kia is preparing to unveil its new fourth generation Sportage.

The world's two foremost luxury car makers, Rolls-Royce and Bentley, will lead the charge of top British marques at next week's Frankfurt Motor Show. Bentley this week unveiled its first 4x4.

The new model is predicted to sell for a quarter of a million pounds. The two-seater was designed by Scot Moray Callum and unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show ahead of going into production.

For the British workers at the Nissan factory in Sunderland, it really will be 'to Infiniti and beyond' this autumn as the new upmarket Infiniti Q30 hatchbacks roll off the line and into showrooms.

The technology has been built into the Michigan-based car manufacturer's Sync systems and is powered by software built by Nuance.

What a week. And it's not over yet by a long chalk. The scandal sparked by Volkswagen caught cheating on its diesel emissions in America has a fair way to run