Froome's lead is now over three minutes

Two beaten favourites at Wolverhampton on Monday made it 18 days without a winner for Frankie Dettori. Even so, it unmistakably felt like his first afternoon back in the big time. For both parties, the news that he has signed a retainer for Sheikh Joaan al-Thani – one of the Qatari investors suddenly taking on the superpowers of the Turf – represents a clarion statement of intent.

As two-time Tour champion Alberto Contador told The Independent, “if you could pick one Tour de France to win of all of them, this would probably be it” – and there can be no doubt that the 100th edition of this race has a special feel to it.

One-time supporting act has built up the confidence to be main man for Sky as he tries to conquer the Tour, he tells Robin Scott-Elliot

“Anglia Square Not Leicester Square” is the slogan of a campaign trying to encourage producers to hold the premiere of the Alan Partridge film Alpha Papa in Norwich.

John Lichfield hears some of thinning ranks of D-Day soldiers remember stories that could be lost forever

Some of thinning ranks of D-Day soldiers remember stories that could be lost forever

Gordon Hornsby, 89, from North Shields, North Tyneside, was a Driver Mechanic with 203 Field Ambulance Unit, Royal Army Service Corps. He came ashore at Gold Beach on D-Day, and drove a series of ambulances all the way from Normandy to the Netherlands, where he was himself wounded in the Battle of Arnhem

Private Vic Mackenzie, 89, from North Weald, Essex, was a driver with the Royal Army Service Corps, attached to 7th Armoured Division. Mr Mackenzie came ashore at Arromanches, on Gold Beach, on  on 8 June 1944 (“D-Day +2”). His unit was one of the first to stumble on to the Belsen concentration camp in  the spring of 1945

Lieutenant Ian Hammerton, 91, from Dartford, Kent, is one of a small band of surviving  D-Day officers. He was among the first to land at Juno Beach on 6 June 1944. He commanded five “flail” or “crab” tanks, belonging to the 22nd Dragoons, equipped with frontal booms and chains to detonate mines

On the 69th anniversary of D-Day, a new battle is being fought: to preserve the memories of those who were there, before it is too late and you can help

Mr Hornsby drove a series of ambulances from Normandy to the Netherlands

'When I get together with other veterans, it all seems unreal to us now'

Without the offensive in Normandy, Hitler would have been able to better resist the Red Army