A sprint finish although the crosswinds could play their part again.
Tour de France Stage 2 Preview
A trip to the seaside but no picnic as another nervous stage awaits with crosswinds and rain too. The final has a series of wall-like climbs.
Tour de France Stage 1 Preview
The Tour de France starts with the yellow jersey awaiting the sprinters for the first time since 2020. Light crosswinds are forecast which could just be sufficient to split the peloton too.
Tour de France Contenders
This year’s preview feels too easy to write with the podium finishers from last year set to gather again in Paris, and quite possibly on the same step again. Is July is a fête accomplie?
It’s conceit to establish the hierarchy at the start and hopefully it gets scattered to the wind by sport across the next three weeks.
Green Jersey Contenders
After previewing the mountains competition, time for the points competition and the green jersey contenders where a tricky course awaits the pure sprinters.
Small Changes, Big Differences?
There are a few changes to the rules this year which could be worth note at this year’s Tour which range from feeding to sprinting and the mountain stages. To save you a click you don’t have to read this today but it might a useful reference in the coming weeks…
Polka Dot Jersey Contenders
It’s the 50th anniversary of the polka dot jersey and whether or not you knew this already, you might be tired of hearing this repeated many times in the coming weeks.
Anniversary or not it’s something to celebrate. The jersey is genuinely iconic and it along with the rider wearing it can enjoy mythical status at times too. Here’s a look at the competition and the contenders.
Tour de France iCal calendar
Want to know when every Tour de France stage is on, even need to plan daily life around them for the next month? Here’s the calendar to view or download to your phone.
Total Sponsorship with Ineos
TotalEnergies will join Ineos as a co-sponsor, with the French oil major appearing on the jersey in time for the Tour de France next week.
There’s no news from the team on this yet but it is on the Total corporate website. The size of the logo should tell us something about the size of ambitions.
World Tour Relegation
Oscar Onley’s great week in the Tour de Suisse has given Picnic-PostNL plenty of points; but so did Alexis Renard’s second place in the Copenhagen Sprint World Tour one day race as both teams jostle to avoid relegation.
It’s too close to call and sets up a tense Tour de France. The high pressure event of the year will be even more stressful for some team managers, including those at Intermarché-Wanty as the team slips down the rankings.