Cycling will once again come under the global spotlight with the Tour de France and Bahrain’s representatives will be aiming to impress.
This will certainly be a race the likes of which the French and cycling enthusiasts have never seen before. Shorn of its usual start date in July, Covid-19 has also robbed it of its fans, while race organisers, the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) have been forced to introduce a raft of measures designed to combat the spread of the disease.
Teams have been limited to a total of 30 riders and staff, all of whom will be required to be tested by a mobile unit twice per day. Two positive tests will see the team removed from the race.
And yet with all the best laid plans … the tournament is due to start today in Nice at a time when the R-rate has exploded, leading to rumours of an enforced lockdown!
As the Irish sprinter Sam Bennett said earlier in the week: “I wouldn’t be surprised if it (the race) did make it to Paris, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t make it past the weekend.”
The Tour de France has history for failing to race at the time of a global influenza-based pandemic. Admittedly, it coincided with the first World War yet the 1918 Spanish flu sent shockwaves across the globe.
While researchers and analysts at Johns Hopkins Hospital claim that, comparing baseline mortality rates, the latest virus is deadlier, race organisers Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) are determined to ensure the race must go on.
Team Ineos (formerly Team Sky) has won seven of the last eight races. The only race they did not win was in 2014 with the successful rider Vincenzo Nibali, who subsequently raced for Bahrain Merida.
In a possible attempt to finally unlock this stranglehold ASO has designed a route that breaks past moulds. The irony is that they have reduced the number of time trials (individual and team) to a single 36km slog on the penultimate day. Previously Team Sky has excelled in these although their leader this year, Egan Bernal, is not known for his strength in this area. A short hill climb in this specialist discipline should ensure that any losses are minimised.
It is based up La Planche des Belles Filles which is close to the home of one of France’s homegrown hopes, Thibaut Pinot.
Traditionally, le Tour takes its time to crank up the excitement levels allowing the sprinters a number of stages at which they can make their mark and allow their team the honour of protecting le maillot jaune as the peleton rolls across stunning countryside. However, this year the road heads uphill as early as the second stage.
The 21 stages of the tour will visit all five of France’s mountain ranges with the first category cols and summit finish (presenting an opportunity for the General Classification (GC) riders to stake their claim) on Day 4. There is an adage that you won’t win the race this early but you can certainly lose it so expect all those with high hopes to stay close! Given the length and positioning of the climbs it is perhaps more likely that a breakaway will be allowed to form although the top teams will be wary of allowing a potential race winner to get too far away.
While the 29 categorised ascents do not include the famous Mount Ventoux or Alpe d’Huez, the most decisive of these will come on stage 15. With three climbs in the final 70km the hors-categorie finish up the Grand Colombier will be a real test.
The highest finish is on stage 17 at 2,304m with the first 17km up to the ski resort of Meribel relatively routine. The final section of 4km has only just been laid and with oxygen scarce at that altitude the 20 per cent gradients will be particularly testing.
The line-up is one of the strongest seen for years as evidenced by the fact that the race favourites, Team Ineos, have dropped two past-winners from their eight-man squad. Both Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas were seen as potential winners although neither was showing strong form in the build-up.
Team Ineos (formerly Team Sky) have previously adopted a strategy whereby they manage a lead, eschewing the glory from stage wins with their collective eyes firmly focused on crossing the finishing line at the Champs Elysee wearing the maillot jaune (yellow jersey).
Indeed Chris Froome, winner of four titles, has won only six stages in these years while Egan Bernal, reigning champion and only rider in le tour to have won before, has won none and only took the lead on the penultimate stage last year.
One of the masterminds of this success, Rod Ellingworth, has now joined the Bahrain McLaren team (although this name is likely to become a future quiz question with the manufacturer better known for its F1 links withdrawing from its support of cycling).
This year Ineos will be chased by a swarm of “killer wasps”, the Dutch team Jumbo-Visma (as described by Richie Porte who has aspirations of his own as leader of Trek-Segafredo, who have allowed Nibali to focus on the Giro d’Italia). The Dutch team has a jumbo-sized hole as they too have lost a leading contender (Steven Kruijswijk fractured a shoulder).
Ineos have, for the first time in years, gone with a single race leader while Jumbo-Visma have two potential winners. Tom Dumoulin, Dutch winner of the 2017 Giro, and Primoz Roglic, Slovenian winner of the 2019 Vuelta a Espana and current No.1 ranked UCI cyclist, both backed by climbers van Aert, Martin and Kuss, will be a genuine threat.
Of course, domestically France will be hoping for a home winner for the first time since Bernard Hinault, ‘the badger’ in 1985. In addition to Pinot French eyes will be on Quickstep’s Alaphilippe, and Mondiale’s Bardet.
Further afield, as earlier highlighted on GDNonline, Bahrain’s Mikel Landa and Colombian Nairo Quintana will feel that they are suited to the course, although possibly lack the backing to compete for the overall win and so may focus on individual stages.
Yet not all of the 22 teams that have entered this year seeking the main prize. Some will lead breakaways that leave the peleton miles behind to be caught within sight of the finish, content with the television coverage for their sponsors and an award for “most aggressive ride of the day”. Others will target the King of the Mountains or green points jersey while every day is considered to be a mini-race with a stage win held in high regard.
Last year Bahrain Merida secured two such stage wins after a disappointing 2018 that saw Nibali crash on Alpe d’Huez and Sonny Colbrelli edged out in a sprint finish by Peter Sagan.
Dylan Tuens opened Bahrain’s account in the Grand Boucle on La Planche des Belles Filles while Nibali, known as ‘the shark’, smelt blood up to Val Thorens two weeks later.
This year Landa will be well supported by Wout Poels, Damiano Caruso and Matej Mohoric and will be easily identifiable in their uniforms that combine the colours of Bahrain and the traditional papaya associated with McLaren.
Another exciting talent is Sonny Colbrelli whose multi-faceted talents make him a threat in all formats. In the sprints he may have to plot his own path, hopping from wheel to wheel although it is also possible that he could challenge Peter Sagan in the green jersey points race if permitted.
Normally teams have had several months of racing allowing riders the opportunity to fine-tune their preparations and peak at the right time. This year it is difficult to gauge.
The 107th edition of le tour, first raced in 1903 when a local newspaper l’Auto tried to improve its circulation, will struggle to prevent fans appearing along the whole 3,470km. I doubt that the flag-waving lunatics getting too close to riders battling steep inclines will be missed by the leaders though.
However, while Lebron James purchased an interest in Cannondale in 2007 he has rarely been seen roadside. The likes of Didi Senft, seen cheering the riders while dressed as El Diablo since 1993, will be, along with others appearing as musketeers, beefeaters and various farm animals.
A race that has historically defied terrorist attacks, angry farmers and other saboteurs will do all that it can to defy the odds and deliver daily doses of excitement and intrigue.
It will be well worth watching!