The greatest occasion on the biking calendar, and one of the crucial noteworthy sporting occasions on the earth, is upon us: the 2024 Tour de France will begin this weekend.
The 111th version of the race will probably be kicked off within the Italian metropolis of Florence on Saturday, June 29. A complete of 21 phases and a couple of,170 miles will take riders to Nice on the French Riviera.
This yr’s Tour tasks to be as memorable a Grande Boucle as any in latest historical past. Look no additional than a star-studded begin record that features a number of the greatest names within the sport — together with the so-called “large 4” of Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, Primož Roglič and Remco Evenepoel going at one another for the primary time ever.
So, who will come out on prime? That is anyone’s guess at this cut-off date, however right here is our overview of who to control over the subsequent three weeks.
The phenomenon
Given what has transpired thus far this season, there’s one out-and-out favourite for this race. It’s none apart from the very best rider of his era.
1. Tadej Pogačar (SLO), UAE Team Emirates: A two-time Tour de France winner already, the 25-year-old wunderkind is in the midst of what may find yourself being a historic season. His 2024 palmarès thus far consists of some dominant victories, together with on the Giro d’Italia in May. Will he present any indicators of fatigue after beating his competitors by nearly 10 minutes within the first grand tour of the season? Or was it only a three-week appetizer for what lies forward? For what it’s value, Pogačar himself — who modified his coaching routine and private coach because the final Tour de France — appears to assume his best is yet to come. A scary thought.
The defending champion
One large motive why Pogačar is the favourite is that his major rival of the final three editions of the Tour de France was concerned in a devastating crash in early April. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to by no means depend one other two-time champion out both.
2. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN), Visma | Lease a Bike: Vingegaard was capable of beat Pogačar in back-to-back years, and at a full 100% ought to be capable of problem the Slovenian megastar but once more. The query is: will he be at a 100%? The Dane suffered a punctured lung in addition to rib and collarbone fractures on the Tour of Basque Country lower than three months in the past, and hasn’t raced since. His type is a thriller, and one thing his rivals may need to attempt to exploit early on within the Tour. If the 27-year-old is ready to preserve issues shut heading into the ultimate week, nevertheless, his excellent climbing skills may put him proper again into the dialog in spite of everything.
The unsure stars
The final three years particularly have been the Pogačar and Vingegaard present, and when at their greatest they’re a transparent step above the remainder of the peloton so far as stage racing is worried. However, two different riders are literally inside placing distance themselves — though they crashed alongside Vingegaard in April.
3. Primož Roglič (SLO), Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe: Vingegaard’s former teammate nonetheless has some unfinished enterprise in France after narrowly shedding the 2020 Tour to his compatriot Pogačar and failing to complete the race in each 2021 and 2022. At age 34, nevertheless, time is working out for the ex-ski jumper. Despite being on the older facet in comparison with his closest rivals, Roglič continues to be a world-class rider — one thing he confirmed within the lead-up to the Tour de France when he received the Critérium du Dauphiné, regardless of a severe wobble on the ultimate stage.
4. Remco Evenepoel (BEL), Soudal Quick-Step: Evenepoel was among the many riders overwhelmed by Roglič on the Dauphiné, however he appeared to focus extra on his personal build-up towards the Tour de France moderately than the lead to that exact race. Considering that he too crashed at Basque Country, this is smart, but it surely creates an aura of uncertainty across the Belgian — particularly when evaluating himself to the Pogačars and Vingegaards of the world in a grand tour setting for the primary time. Still, the gifted teen is a practical podium contender on this race and may even be capable of push for the highest spot himself because of his time-trialling capabilities.
The outsiders
It can be fairly a shock if the winner wasn’t one of many large 4 of Pogačar, Vingegaard, Roglič or Evenepoel. That stated, something can occur in a three-week race and groups is perhaps compelled to adapt because of crash, crack, or sickness. If so, a member of this group may find yourself on the highest step of the rostrum when all is alleged and executed.
5. Carlos Rodriguez (ESP), Ineos Grenadiers: Rodriguez could lack the star energy of the top-ranked riders on this record, however he’s no slouch both. He completed second, first, and fourth in his final three stage races this season, and was fifth within the Tour final yr. With a powerful Ineos Grenadiers crew supporting him, he may bounce onto the rostrum in 2024 in case the large 4 present some weak spot.
6. Adam Yates (UK), UAE Team Emirates: Fresh off a win on the Tour de Suisse, Yates will function Pogačar’s right-hand man and prime lieutenant the subsequent three weeks. He is a top quality basic classification racer in his personal proper, nevertheless, and completed third behind his captain and Jonas Vingegaard in 2023. Another podium consequence isn’t out of the realm of risk even with a help function as his main job.
7. Matteo Jorgenson (USA), Visma | Lease a Bike: With Vingegaard’s type greatest categorised as “TBD” and with fellow American Sepp Kuss scratched from the Visma | Lease a Bike begin record because of medical causes, the 24-year-old Jorgenson is perhaps half backup chief, half tremendous domestique beginning off the race. Regardless of his function, he’s greater than able to a top-three end contemplating how his season has been going thus far: he received Paris-Nice in March, and completed solely 8 seconds right down to Roglič on the Dauphiné earlier this month.
8. Juan Ayuso (ESP), UAE Team Emirates: Ayuso can be a frontrunner on most groups, however being on the one headlined by Tadej Pogačar means he too must work for the large boss. That doesn’t imply he won’t compete for a basic classification spot as properly, and be stored near the race lead as a doable break-glass-in-case-of-emergency possibility.
9. Egan Bernal (COL), Ineos Grenadiers: One of 4 former Tour de France champions to start out this yr’s race alongside Pogačar, Vingegaard, and Ineos Grenadiers teammate Geraint Thomas, Bernal is in the midst of a very good season. He has but to win, sure, however for the primary time since a career-altering crash in 2022 is competing at a prime stage once more. A podium end may nonetheless be out of attain, particularly with Carlos Rodriguez forward of him within the pecking order, however stranger issues have occurred.
10. João Almeida (POR), UAE Team Emirates: Almeida has completed within the top-10 in 13 of his 15 profession stage races, together with as No. 2 on the Tour de Suisse earlier this month. He continues to be solely the fourth favourite amongst a stacked UAE squad, however just like his teammate Ayuso is perhaps stored within the working for so long as doable particularly after exhibiting some promising type in Switzerland.
11. Aleksandr Vlasov (RUS), Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe: Vlasov was Primož Roglič’s prime helper on the Dauphine, and himself driving a very good race to complete sixth general. It was his fourth top-10 lead to a stage race this yr, and he may find yourself making some noise on the Tour de France as properly if allowed to go for his personal consequence on prime of serving to shield Roglič.
The better of the remainder
Despite a transparent hierarchy to the record of favorites, basic classification ambitions won’t finish with the names above. In reality, loads of riders will think about a top-10 consequence as a hit and will even have their eyes on the rostrum underneath the suitable — or flawed, relying on the way you have a look at it — circumstances.
That being stated, the probabilities of any individual like Felix Gall, Tom Pidcock, Geraint Thomas, Enric Mas, Jai Hindley, Mikel Landa, Simon Yates, or Derek Gee successful and even podiuming this yr’s Tour de France are pretty low. That doesn’t imply they received’t play their half in making the race thrilling, however they haven’t proven they will persistently problem the highest canine.
