Cycling: Tomorrow is finally the day. The Tour de France 2024 begins. This time the Grand Départ is in Italy. From Florence to Rimini, the pros have to cover over 200 kilometers - and climb many mountains. Many experts are talking about the toughest Tour start of all time.
Tour de France 2024: Easy warm-up? Not an option!
The start of a Tour de France is never boring. Riders are nervous, team bosses are tense and spectators are full of anticipation. It is rare for all the professionals who start to make it through the Grand Départ unscathed. This time, however, the start of the Tour de France is special in a completely different way. Instead of a prologue, a flat stage or a slightly undulating section, it's straight to the point. Seven mountain classifications have to be completed on the 206-kilometer stage from Florence to Rimini. Although none of them are in the first or even highest category, the climbs are nevertheless serious. Col de Valico Tre Faggi The first breakaway group of this tour will form. It will already provide information about which riders have their eye on the mountain jersey. The whole thing is tricky, however. Really strong climbers will not be tolerated in the breakaway group in the peloton. So it could take quite a while until the composition of the breakaway group is set and the main field is satisfied with it.
The Côte de Barbotto heralds the finale
Once the escape group has stopped, they cross the Côte des Forche and the Côte de Carnaio. Then the finale begins. The Côte de Barbotto The leading group will break up and the pace in the peloton will also noticeably increase. Everyone wants to know how well defending champion jonas vingegaard (Visma – LaB) really works. The Dane doesn’t like these short climbs anyway and after his fall at the Tour of the Basque Country, many team bosses and experts doubt that he can even be in top form at the start. So if you can make up time on him right on the first stage – you will do it. The Côte de San Leo or the last two climbs, the Montemaggio Coast or the San Marino Coast. After that, it's all downhill and then flat to the finish line in Rimini. It will be difficult here as a soloist. But if a strong group has formed that works together harmoniously, the riders who have been left behind will not be able to catch up again.
Velomotion forecast: Pogacar will immediately take the yellow jersey
Admittedly, this tip is boring. Tadej pogacar dominated the Giro d'Italia and now he is trying to win the Tour de France. The Slovenian could be the first rider to win the Giro/Tour double after Marco Pantani in 1998. We do not know how well he has recovered. But we know even less how well jonas vingegaard And that is exactly what the UAE Team Emirates will want to find out tomorrow. Therefore, they will set such a high pace with their strong climbing team that in the end only a few riders will be able to get over the last mountain together. It is also possible that Pogacar will aim for a legendary solo to immediately clear the situation. Then it will be a case of: save yourself if you can. But the competition must join forces to stand up against this UAE superiority. If the pace does not pick up – contrary to expectations – riders like wout van aert or Mathieu van der Poel survive this stage.
* * * Tadej pogacar (UAE)
** Primois Roglic (Bora – hansgrohe), tom pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers)
* wout van aert (Visma – LaB), Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin – Deceuninck), Remco Evenepoel (Soudal – Quick Step)