We start heading South. Pogatchar (🇸🇮 UAE) has already crushed the race: with 2 victories in -4- 3 stages, he leads the 3 classifications...
Rankings after stage #4.
General time classification
Tadey Pogatchar 🇸🇮 UAE
Primoj Roglitch 🇸🇮 Bora @ 3′21″
Enric Mas 🇪🇸 Movistar @ 3′32″
Sepp Kuss 🇺🇸 Visma @ 3′44″
Oscar Onley 🇬🇧 Ineos @ 3′45″
Richard Carapaz 🇪🇨 EF @ 3′50″
Felix Gall 🇦🇹 Decathlon @ 3′57″
Matias Skjelmose 🇩🇰 Lidl-Trek @ 4′06″
Jarno Widar 🇧🇪 Lotto-Int. @ 4′06″
Jay Vine 🇦🇺 UAE @ 4′11″
Points
Tadey Pogatchar 🇸🇮 UAE: 82 pts
Ethan Hayter 🇬🇧 Soudal-QS: 37
Matthew Brennan 🇬🇧 Visma: 30
Mountain
Tadey Pogatchar 🇸🇮 UAE: 23 pts
Lorenzo Fortunato 🇮🇹 Astana: 10
4 riders with 6 pts
Stages
Stage 5, Wednesday 26
173 km, D+ 1700m*
Whith the hills that start 60 km from the line and end 20-30 from it, this should be a game of sprinters vs punchers. Therefore we should see punchers-sprinters having their day.
NB: the profile exaggerates the steepness of the slopes.
Stage 6, Thursday 27
177 km, D+ 3600m*
Another mountain stage, another Pogatchar day. To make sure of it and remind him of his 3 Stade Bianche victories in a row, there will be 2 km on a gravel road at 12% near the summit of the last climb. Shall the first group to ride down towards the finish line be a one-man group or shall he get a few companions?
The Tour of Spain (Vuelta a España) starts tomorrow Saturday. In Monaco...
As we can see on the general map, despite starting in France and its dependent principalities, most of the tour will happen in the South of Spain, which is rather unusual (I believe?). In fact, there is not a single mile of stage in the Spanish Pyrenees, their foothils, or the Cantabrian Range!
Riders
The coming of Pogatchar (🇸🇮 UAE) leaves little hope about the final victory to other riders (and spectators), unless something bad happens to him. Gall (🇦🇹 Decathlon) will try to get his second 2^nd^ place in GC this year after the Tour of Italy. Will Skjelmose (🇩🇰 Lidl-Trek) and Carapaz (🇪🇨 EF) aim for the podium, after taking part in the Tour of France?
Therefore, most teams will aim for stage victories, and bring the personnel accordingly. Van Aert🇧🇪, Laporte🇫🇷, Brennan🇬🇧 and Kuss🇺🇸 for Visma! M. Pedersen🇩🇰 for Lidl-Trek. Bora brings Roglitch🇸🇮 for his vacation package.
The first 4 stages
Stage 1, Saturday 22: 🇲🇨Monaco🇲🇨
9,4 km, ITT
The distance is barely over the limit for a prologue, and they managed to avoid any sort of climb.
Stage 2, Sunday 23: 🇲🇨Monaco–Manosque🇫🇷
214 km, D+ 3000m
The first of the two French stages proposes a very hilly course, over a distance longer than any of the Tour de France stages this year. The finish may be (I don't know) the same we often see on the Tour de la Provence in the beginning of the season, where it is usually won by sprinters who can handle punchy courses or strong uphill false-flat finishes.
Stage 3, Monday 24: 🇫🇷 Gruissan–Font Romeu🇫🇷
175 km, D+ 2600m
After a very long transfer along the French Mediterranean coast, this stage arrives already in the Pyrenees. Amusingly, the destination is basically the same as where the Tour de France entered France from Spain in July. Most of the approach is made of unbearable dozens of kilometres of a slightly then strongly uphill false-flat highway road. The final climb is pretty much the same.
Stage 4, Tuesday 25: 🇦🇩Andorra la Vieja–Andorra la Vieja🇦🇩
105 km, D+ 3000m
Familiar climbs with a finish at the bottom. The first half of the course consists of climbing the Envalira pass and coming back, which involves a lot of false-flat both ways. Riders better be ready for a direct, fast start over the uphill false-flat.
This ProSeries race takes place on the scorched by the sun plateaus around the city of Burgos in Castile.
This year, it doesn't look like there will much space for sprinters on this punchy race, the GC of which goes to a climber. The first stage is the traditional hectic finish in Burgos (sprinters-punchers have a chance there together with punchers-climbers), and the last one the traditional mountain finish at the lakes of Neila.
The official website is very thorough, and the technical guide even more: for example, for stage #1, it contains over 100 photos of the various curves, crossings and even of the manholes covers and cracks in the road!! 👍 👍
Riders
This is Gaudu's comeback to actual (?) competition. Since May, he's only started the National Championship in June, and the San Sebastian classic on Saturday, for 2 DNF... Let's see if he can put out this week something that justifies a bit of his salary...
There are quite a number of rather high profile contenders!
F. Gall (🇦🇹 Decathlon), J. Vine (🇦🇺 UAE) if he can survive the usually stressing finishes of the first days without crashing, G. Ciccone (🇮🇹 Lidl-Trek), Pellizzari (🇮🇹 Bora), M. Rondel (🇫🇷 Tudor).
As outsiders, P. Sivakov (🇷🇺🇫🇷 UAE) already won the race, A. Eulalio (🇵🇹 Bahrain) will try to find his crazy Giro legs, J. Nordhagen🇳🇴 and B. Tulett🇬🇧 will defend Visma's chances, L. Bisiaux (🇫🇷 France) will supplement Gall, and M. Beloki (🇪🇸 EF) has just won the (much, much weaker) Tour de l'Ain.
Stages
Stage 1
165 km, D+ 1500m
The traditional punchy finish on the castle hill in Burgos, after the flattest stage.
::: spoiler Press to see the map
:::
Stage 2
177 km, D+ 2300 m
A finish for long punchers on this murito.
::: spoiler Press to see the map
:::
(yeah, I know, the less important climb got a larger picture 🙂)
Stage 3
183 km, D+ 3200 m
This stage and its almost-on-top-finish will very likely start sorting GC favourites. They won't be able to hide on this difficult Puerto del Escudo (a new one on this race, but it was apparently ridden a few times on the Vuelta).
Stage 4
178 km, D+ 1900 m
Can sprinters make it through this one in a front group? Otherwise, it looks like a good chance for breakaways, between 2 mountain stages.
Sorry, I haven't given any attention to this race and prepared anything so far, so I'll just say that this year, it is more of a Tour of Rhône or 'around the Alps', only reaches France along the 3^rd^ stage; and point you to the PCS pages (the official site being linked already):
The third and last week stays in the Alps – that we already reached on Sunday, except for the last day which suddenly 'jumps' to Paris.
Standings after week 2
General Classification:
Unless he undergoes an accident, the race is already won for the Slovenian rider. The battle for podium is however still open, after the unfortunate withdrawal of Vingegaard🇩🇰. The top-10 didn't change much, but it 'stretched', and Pidcock and Jegat entered it.
Tadej Pogatchar 🇸🇮 UAE
Remco Evenepoel 🇧🇪 Bora: +5′00″
Isaac Del Toro 🇲🇽 UAE +5′58″
Paul Seixas 🇫🇷 Decathlon: +6′23″
Florian Lipowitz 🇩🇪 Bora: +6′48″
Juan Ayuso 🇪🇸 Lidl-Trek: +7′28″
Mattias Skjelmose 🇩🇰 Lidl-Trek: +9′38″
Lenny Martinez 🇫🇷 Bahrain: +10′28″
Thomas Pidcock 🇬🇧 Q36.5: +11′19″
Jordan Jegat 🇫🇷 Total : +19′12″
5 other riders follow close to Jegat, at less than 25 minutes, and can thus hope to enter top-10: Voisard🇨🇭, Carapaz🇪🇨, Van Wilder🇧🇪, A. Yates🇬🇧, and Piganzoli🇮🇹 (Visma) who will have to make up for Vingegaard's withdrawal. The rest is farther than 40 minutes.
Points classification (Green jersey):
Merlier🇧🇪, who was in 4^th^ position, couldn't finish the race in time on Sunday and withdrew. Philipsen did the best 2^nd^ week.
Mads Pedersen 🇩🇰 Lidl-Trek: 417 pts (+149)
jasper Philipsen 🇧🇪 Alpecin: 191 (+195)
Biniam Girmay 🇪🇷 NSN: 361 (+138)
Max Kanter 🇩🇪 Astana: 271 (+99)
Olav Kooij 🇳🇱 Decathlon 210 (+100)
Mountain (Polka Dots jersey)
Those who try to fight for points cannot seem to be able to beat Pogatchar who doesn't, and other GC guys aren't far either. Martinez didn't go for points this week, and Baudin disappeared.
Tadej Pogatchar 🇸🇮 UAE: 67 pts (+39)
Valentin Paret-Peintre 🇫🇷 Soudal-QS: 45 (+33)
Richard Carapaz 🇪🇨 EF: 39 (+38)
Paul Seixas 🇫🇷 Decathlon: 34 (+22)
Remco Evenepoel 🇧🇪 Bora: 31 (+26)
Isaac Del Toro 🇲🇽 UAE: 30 (+20)
Stages
Stage 16, Tuesday 21
26 km, D+ 500 m, Individual Time Trial
This ITT presents an unusual profile, with an horrible 4,5% strongly uphill false-flat right from the start which lasts for 10 km (!), then a steeper descent and only finally a flat section.
::: spoiler Press to see the map
:::
Stage 17, Wednesday 22
175 km D+ 2400 m
This stage will probably be disputed between a breakaway which could leave in the small/medium climbs of the first 60 km, and sprinter teams. Perhaps Pedersen will attempt to go into the breakaway.
::: spoiler Press to see the map and the finish profile
:::
Stage 18, Thursday 23
186 km, D+ 3900 m
Many climbs, long and short, but never too steep. There is a finish on top, but it might still be good for breakaways if GC guys wait for the 2 harder stages which follow.
NB: the way the profile is drawn makes it look almost flat, but there is almost 4000 m of total elevation to climb, it is really a medium mountain stage.
::: spoiler Press to see the map
:::
Stage 19, Friday 24
128 km, D+ 3600 m
The first Alpe d'Huez stage presents climbs in the beginning and in the end, with smaller and smoother hills in the centre part. It is short. A breakaway might succeed if Pogatchar doesn't want the stage (who else would ride for it after the withdrawals of Vingegaard and Lipowitz?).
::: spoiler Press to see the map and the profiles of Noyer Pass and Alpe d'Huez.
:::
Stage 20, Saturday 25
171 km, D+ 5600 m
Another finish at the Alpe d'Huez after 3 Hors-Catégorie climbs for the main and last mountain stage. As the stage also starts from the bottom of the Alpe d'Huez, I fear about the crowd being too important, as it will also be compacted on this reduced version of the climb, and those risks come on top of the race staying 2 days in the same place and this stage being on a week-end.
Stage 21 (final), Sunday 26
133 km, D+ 1600 m
Last year's experiment is renewed: 4 laps of Champs-Élysées only (7 km) and then 3 longer (16 km) laps including the climb to Montmartre and its somewhat scary downhill. The finish is located a bit farther from the last top: 11 km instead of 6, which may cause more regrouping and favour punchers a little bit less.
Special regulations: if the streets are deemed slippery, times shall be taken on the 1^st^ crossing of the finish line, or any later crossing of the line. Riders must complete the full distance in any case. Only one car per team is allowed on the circuits.
The race restarts on the National Day, and it will be as hot as the first week which cooked many riders who will spend Monday in an ice pool. The temperature will not decrease until Thursday perhaps, or Friday more surely, when it will not even be cool but just 'more normally' hot.
Weeks are shorter now, 6 days only. This one starts with a medium mountain stage, then presents 2 easy days, before getting harder over 3 mountain days, with a finish on top on the two week-end stages.
Standings after week 1
General Classification:
While the Slovenian detached a bit already, there are still many contenders (8) for the podium, and they all are expected favourites.
Tadej Pogatchar 🇸🇮 UAE
Jonas Vingegaard 🇩🇰 Visma: +2′42″
Isaac Del Toro 🇲🇽 UAE +3′27″
Remco Evenepoel 🇧🇪 Bora: +3′30″
Juan Ayuso 🇪🇸 Lidl-Trek: +3′34″
Paul Seixas 🇫🇷 Decathlon: +3′55″
Florian Lipowitz 🇩🇪 Bora: +4′00″
Lenny Martinez 🇫🇷 Bahrain: +4′21″
Mattias Skjelmose 🇩🇰 Lidl-Trek: +4′57″
Egan Bernal 🇨🇴 ineos : +9′12″
Points classification (Green jersey):
Mads Pedersen 🇩🇰 Lidl-Trek: 268 pts
Biniam Girmay 🇪🇷 NSN: 223
Tim Merlier 🇧🇪 Soudal-QS: 213
jasper Philipsen 🇧🇪 Alpecin: 191
Max Kanter 🇩🇪 Astana: 172
Olav Kooij 🇳🇱 Decathlon 110
Mountain (Polka Dots jersey)
Few points were scored so far.
Tadej Pogatchar 🇸🇮 UAE: 28 pts
Jonas Vingegaard 🇩🇰 Visma: 19
Lenny Martinez 🇫🇷 Bahrain: 16
Alex Baudin 🇫🇷 EF: 13
Valentin Paret-Peintre 🇫🇷 Soudal-QS & Paul Seixas 🇫🇷 Decathlon: 12
Stages
Stage 10, Tuesday 14
167 km, D+ 3800 m
The stage in the Massif Central looks a bit like the previous (Ussel) stage, but the climbs are significantly more substantial and there is even less flat for recovery, so a breakaway of climbers more than punchers can be expected (if UAE doesn't decide to win it from the peloton).
::: spoiler Press to the finish profile
:::
Stage 11, Wednesday 15
161 km, D+ 1100 m
This is a sprinters stage.
::: spoiler Press to see profile and map
:::
Stage 12, Thursday 16
179 km, D+ 1400 m
This one is a bit more hilly than the previous one, but those hills look far from enough to prevent another sprinters stage.
::: spoiler Press to see profile and map
:::
Stage 13, Friday 17
206 km, D+ 2300 m
After 2 days of sprint, we are progressively getting back in business with this pilgrimage into the land of Pinot. Because the following two days will be finish-on-top stages, this one is likely to be granted to a breakaway. As always these days, it means that a ton of riders will try to join it. The two (not very difficult) climbs only start after 150 km of slightly hilly terrain, and this is the longest stage in this Tour.
::: spoiler Press to see the map and the profile of the main climb (Ballon d'Alsace)
:::
Stage 14, Saturday 18
155 km, D+ 3900 m
This Alsatian mountain stage is a loop in the Vosges. It climbs again the same side of the Ballon d'Alsace that was climbed the day before. The almost final Haag Pass is basically a different road to get to the same point as the Grand Ballon climbed early in the stage.
::: spoiler Press to see the map and the profile of 2 climbs (Grand Ballon & Haag)
:::
Stage 15, Sunday 19
184 km, D+ 4100 m
This weeks ends up as this year's Dauphiné did (when Del Toro (🇲🇽 UAE) beat badly the rest of the field). The final climb is the same but the whole course which starts in the Jura mounts, before bypassing Geneva by staying on the French side, is very different, much more varied.
::: spoiler Press to see the map and the profile of 2 climbs (Croisette Pass & Solaison Plateau)
