Cycling: On July 7th the Tour of France 2018. But ambitious class riders should already have visited the decisive sections - and there are quite a few of them in 2018. We count no fewer than eleven Tour de France stages where gaps between the yellow jersey contenders are likely. We haven't even considered slightly wavy profiles and the danger of wind edges. Is the most exciting Tour de France awaiting us in many years?
The fight against the clock forms the bracket for the Tour de France 2018
The Tour de France 2018 manages with only a few time trial kilometers. However, they are not unimportant, because on the one hand every second can count and on the other hand the timing of the stages plays a major role. While the first two sections are reserved for the sprinters, it counts Day #3 the team performance. In the 35,5-kilometer team time trial, we can expect distances. Above all, Sky for Chris Froome and BMC for Richie Porte are hoping for the first time gains here. 19 days or 17 Tour de France stages later, another time trial ensures the final time gaps. In a 31-kilometer individual time trial are on Stage #20 but now the individualists are asked. It's quite possible that the yellow jersey is already sitting securely on the shoulders of a professional - but alas if not.
Toxic hills, lots of wind and 15 pavé sectors demand all-round qualities
Actually, good ranking riders have to be strong in the high mountains and in time trials. However, this will probably not be enough for this year's Tour of France. Because some of the Tour de France stages in 2018 also promise a lot of excitement apart from these two disciplines. A wind crest could already cause a selection on day one, because the peloton drives for many kilometers directly along the coast. The classification drivers are definitely challenged on the Stages #6 and #14. Then it goes up the Mur-de-Bretagne or to Mende shortly before the finish. Above all, those climbers will have problems here who do not have a poisonous start and prefer to ride at an even rhythm instead of changing pace when pedaling out of the saddle. Completely different qualities are up again Stage #9 necessary. Then the field of riders races over 15 pavé sectors and a total of 21,7 kilometers of cobblestones in the direction of Roubaix. It seems almost guaranteed that there will be huge gaps here and that one or the other ambitious classification driver will have to bury all his hopes.
The short mountain stages promise an exciting live event
For years, the cycling scene has been thinking about how the sport can become even more interesting. An answer seems to have already been found: short stages! The past has shown that stages over around 100 kilometers contain significantly more action than sections over 200 kilometers. This knowledge will also be put to the test this season with two Tour de France stages. Stage #11 has 108,5 kilometers with two HC mountains, one mountain in the first category and one in the third category. It gets even more extreme Stage #17: Two mountains of the first category and one of the HC category are crossed in just 65 kilometers. The start should be in the order of the overall ranking, so that the leaders are placed at the front right from the start and do not have any helpers directly at their side. However, it cannot really be assumed that this is the case "Formula 1 Start" actually have any effect on the course of the race. However, these two short Tour de France stages will still be decisive.
Four "normal" mountain stages don't allow for a bad day
We've already counted seven crucial Tour de France stages, and we haven't even mentioned the traditional mountain stages. In addition to the two short sections in the high mountains, four classic mountain stages await us. But these are not that common either. The beginning opens directly Stage #10 the fact that a few kilometers of driving is on a dirt road. Just two days later waiting on Stage #12 three very prestigious mountains on the pros. It goes up the Col de la Madeleine, the Col de la Croix de Fer and Alpe d'Huez. Anyone who has to make a correction before the time trial on the penultimate day could, due to a high willingness to take risks, pyreneanEtap #16 and #19 to use. These are not mountain arrivals, but target arrivals after long descents. Romantics are also happy: the climbs Col d'Aspin, Col du Tourmalet and Col d'Aubisque are on the program. Once they have overcome this, the drivers can celebrate on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.
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