It is stage 17 of the Tour de France, and the race is just about over for sprinters. That is it, job executed. There’ll nearly positively not be one other bunch dash on the Tour till subsequent July. There isn’t a Paris stage this 12 months to fret about. Toes up then, proper?
Properly, no. Not likely. The Tour has one among its hardest endings in current reminiscence, with three mountain-top finishes and a hilly time trial to come back, with little or no aid. The race can also be on, with Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) chasing Tadej Pogačar (UAE Staff Emirates) for each second. It will likely be removed from straightforward.
It appears a bit merciless, actually, to pressure the most effective sprinters over this brutal course simply as a way to end the race, far more of a Giro d’Italia end than one for the Tour. Even Pogačar, the person within the yellow jersey, who’s at dwelling within the mountains, feels a bit sorry for them.
“They might want to survive, particularly the final time trial,” the UAE rider stated in his stage 16 press convention. “I hope the organisers will set a pleasant time restrict on the final TT, so the sprinters don’t must go full fuel on this time trial in Good. It’s a little bit of a disgrace that there’s no dash within the ultimate for them, and at present was the ultimate dash stage. I feel it’s over for the inexperienced jersey. It’s a disgrace for them that they miss the Champs-Élysées. I hope the bulk gained’t abandon after at present.”
It might be fairly the clock watch over the subsequent few phases for most of the sprinters, none extra so than Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan), who’s aiming to complete his ultimate Tour, however solely simply made the time reduce on Sunday’s stage 15. As Pogačar stated, if the organisers aren’t type on this Sunday’s hilly time trial, there is likely to be a couple of individuals exterior the time restrict on the ultimate day.
For Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), winner of stage 16 and two different phases at this 12 months’s Tour, there’s motivation past simply ending – he’s nonetheless in competition for the inexperienced jersey, though he gave himself only a 5% probability of taking it off the shoulders of Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty).
“I’ve to seek out some motivation and search for a motivation,” The Belgian stated of his try to finish the Tour. “After all, you wish to end the Tour de France. Additionally, when you’re nonetheless fairly near the inexperienced jersey, it’s an additional motivation to remain within the Tour. I’m completely satisfied we have now one other objective, fairly than simply filling up the bunch.”
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If Philipsen is to problem for the inexperienced jersey, he’s going to must go after intermediate sprints, one thing made greater than a little bit bit troublesome by the presence of the Alps.
“I’m not having my finest climbing legs, let’s say it like that,” Philipsen stated. “I undergo lots within the mountains. Particularly the primary week. With the extent these days it’s actually arduous for us. I’ve to push my finest numbers within the grupetto simply to be in time. In entrance, they race extraordinarily arduous. It’s not so good for us as sprinters.”
For Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility), veteran of 11 Excursions and third on stage 16, motivation will come from being in a very good place for the remainder of the season, and, maybe extra crucially, having his kids with him throughout the time trial.
“I want to seek out my legs from 2015, after I gained Flanders, as a result of I may climb then,” the Norwegian joked. “It is a few years in the past.
“All the time earlier than you’ve got the Champs-Élysées you battle for. And now, it is roughly only a coaching camp for sprinters. Possibly a couple of greater than regular will likely be stopping, however hopefully we may have some sprinters ending the Tour.
“Often I get good condition after a Grand Tour, so for the remainder of the season it is a good suggestion for me to proceed.
“For me, it is boring [the time trial], however I will have my children, they’re going to be within the automobile cheering for me. I’ll battle that I can expertise that. It is a small objective.”
With no Champs to battle for, solely respect for the Tour, it is likely to be troublesome to summon sufficient drive to get by means of what might be a few of the hardest days ever seen on the race – together with France’s highest highway, the two,860-metre tall Cime de la Bonette. Nonetheless, the sprinters will attempt. Take note of the race for the time reduce daily.
