Stage 1 Favorites
Tadej Pogačar (UAE), Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck).
Stage 1 Profile
tour Talk
“YELLOW JERSEY IN BILBAO WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR MATHIEU VAN DER POEL” – Wielerflits (Dutch)
Wielerflits analysts Jouri and Maxim discuss the stage 1 chances of Van der Poel and Van Aert: “The effort required on the Puerto de Pike is more or less equal to that of the Wall of Huy in the Waalse Pijl. Do we see Mathieu van der Poel winning there? Not at the moment.” And what about Wout van Aert’s chances? “Neither, conclude both men. In other words, it will be a difficult job for the Belgian and the Dutch.”
Philippe Gilbert discussed his recon. of the final climb of stage 1, Côte de Pike: “It’s very slippery with the trees. I’m sliding. It’s even steeper in the last 700 meters. It’s a little bit like the Wall of Huy with this S corner. It’s gonna be a really hard part. Now we’re almost 500 meters from the top, it’s a little bit more flat … so here you’re gonna see the best riders of the day sprinting out of the saddle to the top.”
Jens Voigt, made his Tour de France GC prediction to the Flemish newspaper, Nieuwsblad: “Tadej Pogacar is the man, he is going to win this Tour de France. He is still angry and disappointed about last year when he lost to Vingegaard. Now he’s back. He’s the man.” And what about Jumbo/Visma having a stronger team than UAE? “Jumbo-Visma is indeed the stronger team,” Voigt concedes. “[But] In the end, it will be a man-to-man fight.”
