Cycling: Finally! Tomorrow the pros will set off at the 107th Tour de France. A mass sprint is expected at the Grand Départ in Nice. Who gets to wear the first yellow jersey?
Tour de France 2020: Nice - Paris instead of Paris - Nice
The 14th Tour de France begins on Saturday at 15:107 p.m. with a sharp start in Nice. Postponed because of the corona virus, the Tour of France is the first Grand Tour of the season – and that at the end of August. The professionals drive over 21 stages from the Grand Départ in Nice to the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The other way around, we know the route better, because the Paris – Nice long-distance trip takes place every year in March. Therefore, we are also familiar with the wavy profile in and around the capital of the Côte d'Azur. And also for the start of the 2020 Tour de France, we will see some waves near the fifth largest city in France. However, these will not be decisive for the race. The experts expect that after the end of the stage between 17:45 and 18:15 a sprinter will be allowed to put on the first yellow jersey.
Who will conquer the classification jerseys at the start?
As usual, the Tour de France is not just about winning the stage and the yellow jersey. The green, white and polka dot jerseys are also looking for their first wearer. Nothing has changed in this regard compared to the previous year. For the points classification, the first 15 drivers receive both at the finish (70, 50, 30, 20, 18, 16, 14, ...) and in the intermediate sprint (20, 17, 15, 13, 11, 10, 9, ...) Points. It can therefore be assumed that the stage winner will not only take over the yellow jersey, but also the green one. The mountain jersey will probably go to a driver from the first breakaway group. In the two mountain classifications in the third category, the first can look forward to 2 points and the second to one. At the finish, the first three pros collect 10, 6 and 4 seconds for the overall ranking. Interesting: If a mass sprint is to be expected, the rules now apply that a time gap between two drivers or two groups is only counted if there is at least 3 seconds between them. This should ensure more security.
The highlights of the 1st stage of the Tour de France 2020
- 14:00 Neutral start in Nice city centre
- 14:15 Sharp start
- 116,5 km from the finish: 1st finish passage in Nice
- 107,5 km before the finish: mountain classification 3rd cat, Côte de Rimiez (5,8 km at 5,1%)
- 68,0 km before the finish: intermediate sprint and 2nd finish passage in Nice
- 59,0 km before the finish: mountain classification 3rd cat, Côte de Rimiez (5,8 km at 5,1%)
- Arrival after 156,0 kilometers in Nice
Fingers crossed: Please no falls at the start
The Grand Départ in Nice will be a true cycling festival for the spectators - hopefully with masks and a safe distance. In the hinterland there are three circuits to be completed, one of which is used twice. This special route planning ensures that the fans on site can watch their heroes practically the whole day. After 156,0 kilometers, the start of the 2020 Tour de France should end in a classic mass sprint despite two mountain classifications. The wide road to the Promenade des Anglais takes drivers straight to Nice Beach. Despite the usual nervous peloton, falls should hopefully not be provoked. However, it is important to be vigilant when the peloton meanders through the winding and narrow streets of Nice's hinterland.
Velomotion Prediction: Sam Bennett vs. Caleb Ewan?
Unlike usual, this year's Tour de France is missing several top sprinters. Arnaud Démare, Pascal Ackermann, Mark Cavendish, Fernando Gaviria, Fabio Jakobsen, Dylan Groenewegen, and Jasper Philipsen are all absent for various reasons. Nevertheless, we can look forward to some thrilling sprint finishes. Based on the overall quality and recent results, a duel between Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) and Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) is particularly likely. Both can rely on a first-class lead-out train, although we see Deceuninck-Quick-Step's preparation as slightly stronger and therefore predict Sam Bennett will win the opening stage. The Irishman has already won stages at the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España, but never at the Tour de France. It's about time he changed that! Besides Caleb Ewan, he should also be wary of Giacomo Nizzolo (NTT). The newly crowned Italian and European champion is in the form of his life. His compatriots Matteo Trentin (CCC) and Elia Viviani (Cofidis) are currently almost underestimated, which could prove to be a grave mistake. Of course, we must always reckon with Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma). However, in a flat sprint, they would likely be outmatched by the aforementioned fast men. Their stages are yet to come.
☆☆☆ Sam Bennett
* *Caleb Ewan, Giacomo Nizzolo
* Elia Viviani, Peter Sagan, Wout van Aert
Ladies: La Course by le Tour de France
Even though the focus is now entirely on the 2020 Tour de France, we shouldn't forget that the women will also be delivering a top-class race on Saturday. In La Course by le Tour de France, the women will also be tackling the circuit, covering a total of 96,0 kilometers. Past editions have shown that this women's race is taken very seriously by the participants and offers spectators a true spectacle. You can watch both the men's first stage and the women's La Course by le Tour de France live on Eurosport and the Eurosport Player.