BARCELONA, 4 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
After the northernmost start in the history of the Tour de France from Denmark, with three stages full of people in the ditches and Danish towns, the 109th edition of the French round arrives on French soil for the dispute of six stages in which it stands out the dreaded pavés, capable of putting an end to anyone’s party, and with ‘La Super Planche des Belles Filles’ as the first top finish.
After the transfer trip from Denmark to France on Monday, the action will return on Tuesday with the 171.5-kilometre route between Dunkirk and Calais. A medium-mountain stage with up to six fourth category climbs, in an ideal setting for a breakaway if the peloton allows it.
Leader Wout van Aert and his Jumbo-Visma team may have a red mark on this day, as well as on Wednesday’s fifth stage with Pavés. A day not new in the Tour, but still atypical, with airs of ‘classic’ in which van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and company will seek to mess it up.
With up to eleven cobbled sections, the stage between Lille and Arenberg (157 kilometres) could be decisive, because some ‘rooster’ could be left out of the final fight if he is not attentive to the cuts or if he suffers a mechanical mishap. Three of the eleven paved sections are over 2 kilometres, the longest being 2.8 kilometres.
On Thursday, the sixth stage will start from Binche and will reach Longwy after a long 219.9 kilometers on steep terrain and with two walls in the last 6 kilometers that could go a long way if the forces accompany. An explosive attack could trigger hostilities between the favourites.
The next day, in the seventh stage, the first hilltop finish of this 2022 Tour de France arrives. It will be at La Super Planche des Belles Filles, which they will reach after 176.3 kilometers from the start in Tomblaine.
Two category 3 ports (Col de Grosse Pierre and Col des Croix) will give way to the final climb to La Super Planche des Belles Filles, a 7-kilometre ascent with an average gradient of 8.7 percent and many long stretches. and longs above 10 percent, and a final ramp at 24 percent to seal.
Saturday will be unknown, after previous efforts. It is a mid-mountain stage between Dole and Lausanne, with an excursion to Switzerland that will end at the Cote du Stade Olympique, a tricky climb with a 12 percent section and a false-flat finish, biting upwards.
To end this first long run of competition, another half-horse mountain stage will take place on Sunday between Switzerland and France, starting in Aigle and finishing high up in Chatel les Portes du Soleil, after having to overcome the Col de la Croix ( 1st, with 8.1 kilometers at 7.6 percent) and the long Pas de Morgins (1st, 15.4 kilometers at 6.1 percent), which will link up with the final climb and the second rest day of the Monday.