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Interestingly, Ors has ridden 4203 km to James's 4559 km and so, even allowing for the gap currently between them, has routed over 200 km shorter. James is averaging 185 km per day whereas Ors is on 171 km. I am presuming that James has taken a less hilly route. They are both in the 25th day of their race.

James lost much of a day at the start when his rear triangle broke.

James is making good progress today. He has around 170 km to go. Ors is waiting for the ferry and about 140 km behind him.

What is the final parcours like? Is it something that ought best to be tackled in daylight?

James has under 250 km to go whereas Ors Kelermen still has the Danube to cross and around 320 Km. It is all down to around 70km between them after more than three weeks of racing.

James’s tyres are ripped to shreds and patched. He carried a spare tyre but even that has been lacerated.

If James has luck with mechanicals and rides straight through, he will win but if he has to stop and Ors puts in a massive effort, he could creep past.

I do hope they meet at the end.

James should have this. Hopefully he will arrive tomorrow

Fully laden, most bikes have to be pushed

That’s what the photos suggest. Deep claggy sticky mud. Even pushing the Brompton his wheels were covered

He has had a couple of good days and increAsed his daily average. Should finish tomorrow if all goes well.

James Houston has just uploaded an Instagram story of his journey along the CP4 parcours. He says he only managed to ride 400 metres of it. The pictures show how ridiculous it is in a way that I hadn’t quite appreciated before.

Only two riders still out on the road.

James Houston on his Brompton and wearing sandals has just finished the CP 4 parcours. Perhaps wearing sandals may have made pushing his bike along easier than it would have been in cycling shoes.

The other rider is Ors Kelermen who is currently at CP4. It could be a close race to the finish.

James’s average has dropped to 180km a day. Ors is currently on 174.

He had thunder and lightning on the climb. Is currently knackered at the top.

James Houston at CP2 but was over taken on the climb by #105. Then again his Brompton only has 12 gears.

James Houston #132 on his Brompton beginning the climb up to CP2. He seems in good spirits and is making good progress all things considered.

So good. He took time to do tourist things while waiting for his bike to be fixed. True spirit of the race.

So James Houston #132 managed 400 km until he stopped last night. He checked his bike this morning and noticed a crack on the rear triangle of his frame. He was riding the same Bromptont hat he rode in the PCR but had put on new wheels and given it an overhaul. Brompton delivered a brand new T-Frame to him but it only arrived on Wednesday, too late to test and check for the race.

He was able to find another Brompton but t was only a four speed one as opposed to the modified 12 speed that he was riding and differences in tubing meant that he couldn't move his transmission over to a new bike.

This is a real shame. If anyone could have completed this ride on a Brompton while wearing sandals, it was James. I hope he will be back for another crack (sorry not the right word) next year.

Good luck Frank.

Look out for James Houston #132. He is riding on his Brompton in sandals. Has just done the Pan Celtic. He rides with the London Clarion and is a thoroughly good chap.

Separated at birth?

Hello! Sorry I don't recognise you. I was looking at the bike

Sadly, he was unable to oblige when I DASed him.

His tyres thanked him.

Back in the day, I saw someone riding along Great Eastern Street on a brakeless single speed. Now that was cool.

Must have confused Clarkson with Piers Morgan.

Having Clarkson as a fellow supporter is bad but when you put it that way, not having Morgan is better.

The Etonians, Harrovians, Wykehamists, Westminster and St Paul's alumni I know seem to be Arsenal to a man. Also, posh celebs from Jeremy Clarkson to Jeremy Corbyn.

Clarkson, sadly, has a season ticket at Chelsea.

Also not sure it is fair to criticise Corbyn for supporting the club which is located in his constituency and which is a very short walk from his home.

Also Abramovic still trying to get his loan back, endangering the Chelsea sale. Best case scenario is that Putin refuses to allow Abramovic to accept any resolution that allows the money to go to their enemies (read: victims) and Chelsea cease to exist.

Appears to be no evidence for this assertion; indeed all the evidence is to the contrary.

The government's handling of sanctions has been as incompetent as everything else they have done. Much of what they are doing is in an attempt to show that they are taking robust action when in fact there handling of issues such as continuing to trade with Russia, accepting donations from Russians, failing to sanction Russian assets, screwing over refugees etc has been abysmal.

I know it suits those who fear that their teams cannot compete with Chelsea to dream of Chelsea's demise, but to buy all the crap that the ludicrous Culture Secretary and other ministers are throwing out does you no service whatsoever.

@Clever_Pun I fully understand and applaud the booing of the bald adulterous Sloaney type and GSTQ but why Abide with Me?

Saw CliveO making his way up to wembley, good to see you again mate

Great to see you as well. A lone high point in the day.

I used Komoot for the ride there. It was rather convoluted going over the North Circular but I was able to park my bike just off Wembley Way right by the bottom of the stairs going up to the stadium. With police and security milling around, I wasn't too nervous about locking up. On the way home I decided to try the Garmin most direct route which was fine except that it tooko me not only up over Hampstead Heath but at one point into the Heath and up a steep climb on a gravel track. Certainly took my frustrations out of me. The descent from Highgate to Islington was pleasant though and I arrived home in a hot and sweaty state.

For the third time in as many months we were at the sunny end. Had the sun in my eyes until the 90th minute. I got sunburnt to add to my other woes.

One (and possibly the only) joy from Saturday came while cycling to Wembley Stadium through Kilburn, when I heard my name shouted. I looked around to see the ever charming @Clever_Pun drinking outside a pub with some chums. Really good to see you. Suspect you enjoyed your afternoon more than I did.

That said cycling to Wembley was a lot nicer than the tube and meant that i got home in half the time albeit that my Garmin routed me home over Hampstead heath and off road and up a climb on a gravel track for a while.