A lot of the discuss forward of Saturday’s opening stage of the Tour de France centred on two-time winner Tadej Pogačar, his UAE Workforce Emirates group, and whether or not they would search to check – and even deal the primary blow towards – major yellow jersey rival Jonas Vingegaard.
Come the day, there would not be any main GC strikes on stage 1, and positively no signal of Pogačar placing main time into the reigning champion, who was within the peloton for the primary time since his season-threatening Itzulia Basque Nation crash.
UAE did push the tempo over the Apennine hills that crammed out the center of the 206km stage throughout Italy, nonetheless, blowing the peloton aside and dropping sprinter after sprinter earlier than Visma-Lease A Bike took over to guide what would in the end be an unsuccessful pursuit of the successful breakaway.
Talking after the stage end in Rimini, Pogačar mentioned that he and his group “examined the legs somewhat bit”, whereas including that he “wasn’t so fortunate” within the ultimate as he sprinted dwelling for fourth place behind DSM pair Romain Bardet and Frank van den Broek, in addition to third-placed Wout van Aert.
“First day was tremendous good. We examined the legs somewhat bit on the climbs,” Pogačar mentioned. “It was a great tempo and I felt good even with the warmth in order that’s an enormous bonus.
“Ultimately, I attempted to do a dash additionally. I noticed a gap; I virtually beat the 2 quickest guys within the race – Mads Pedersen and Wout – however I wasn’t so fortunate within the ultimate. Additionally, chapeau to the winners as we speak, Bardet and Van den Broek, they went a extremely good tempo and deserved the victory, I believe.”
Pogačar mentioned that was positive that his chase group, led by Lidl-Trek on the flat run to Rimini, would catch the DSM pair earlier than the end. However they’d dangle on, even after passing the flamme rouge with simply 10 seconds in hand, to disclaim Van Aert and Pogačar the possibility to dash for the yellow jersey.
“I used to be pondering at 4km to go that they’d 25 seconds if I am not incorrect and I assumed we had been going to catch them,” Pogačar mentioned. “That is why I attempted to dash as a result of if I can get a podium I can get bonus seconds. But additionally, I actually like decreased bunch sprints, so it was, all-in-all, an attention-grabbing day.”
Now, the main focus turns to stage 2 and one other hilly day in Italy. Sunday takes the peloton north to Bologna and two ascents of the steep San Luca climb, a centrepiece of the Giro dell’Emilia.
Even with the second of the climbs peaking 13km from the end line, it’s going to host maybe the primary GC showdown of the 2024 Tour.
“Tomorrow is San Luca and I believe it’s going to already be extra open and extra fights on the climb than as we speak,” Pogačar predicted. “Additionally, on the climb, I believe we’ll see extra gaps than as we speak.”
