The Tour de France is set to begin in Florence, Italy, on Saturday with a thrilling showdown anticipated between the top contenders. Tadej Pogacar, fresh off his victory at the Giro d’Italia, is aiming to achieve the historic feat of winning both the Giro and Tour in the same year. This would be a first since Marco Pantani in 1998, the year Pogacar was born. Meanwhile, reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard, who is seeking a third consecutive title, is looking to defend his crown despite a recent injury that has sidelined him since his last race.
The 21-day race will feature a grueling 3,498-kilometer route, traversing the Alps twice and ending on the French Riviera, a change from the traditional finish on the Champs-Elysees due to the upcoming Paris Olympics.
The 2024 Tour is expected to be a fierce battle between four formidable cyclists: Vingegaard, Pogacar, former Vuelta and Giro champion Primoz Roglic, and Tour newcomer Remco Evenepoel. Evenepoel, who clinched both the Vuelta and the world championships in 2022, has expressed confidence in Pogacar’s dominance if he remains injury-free.
The first two days of the race are expected to see a fierce fight for the yellow jersey between Wout Van Aert and Mathieu Van der Poel. However, both riders have downplayed their chances, with Van Aert citing his current form as the worst he has ever experienced during the Tour and Van der Poel indicating that the early stages might be too challenging for him.
The inaugural stage will take riders over seven climbs as they journey from Florence through Italy to Rimini, a picturesque seaside resort known for its beaches and lidos.
Director Christian Prudhomme has promised a competitive start, and Team UAE, who launched a successful attack on last year’s opening stage, could potentially be a force to be reckoned with. Adam Yates, one of four UAE riders considered “superstars” by team leader Pogacar, appears well-suited to snatch the yellow jersey, having previously beaten his twin brother Simon to the line on day one of last year’s race.
Other riders to keep an eye on during the opening stage include Tom Pidcock, Roglic, and even Pogacar himself. Among the Italian contenders, Alberto Bettiol of EF Education First is poised to make a bid for the yellow jersey, as his American team has a history of success on day one.
The seven climbs on the initial stage are relatively short, averaging a 6.5 percent incline, setting the stage for explosive racing.
Mark Cavendish, the 39-year-old British sprinter, is making a comeback to the Tour de France, documenting his quest for one last stage win before retirement in a Netflix documentary. Cavendish, who was knighted this month by King Charles III, holds 34 Tour de France stage wins, equaling Eddy Merckx’s record.
Pogacar, the victor of the 2020 and 2021 Tour de France, dominated the Giro d’Italia in May, and his recent COVID-19 diagnosis could potentially affect his performance. However, with the longer time trials in this year’s Tour—stage seven features a flat 25km course through vineyards and the final stage boasts a stunning 35km chase along the Riviera—Pogacar has a significant advantage.
Despite the promising outlook, as Pogacar himself acknowledges, anything can happen over the course of 21 days and 3,498km of grueling competition. The Tour de France promises to be an enthralling spectacle, with the battle for the coveted yellow jersey set to be intensely fought until the very end.
