favourites stage 18 tour de france

• High School
• Motorsports
• Collectibles
• SI.COM SI.COM SI.COM
• SI SWIMSUIT SI SWIMSUIT SI SWIMSUIT
• SI SPORTSBOOK SI SPORTSBOOK SI SPORTSBOOK
• SI TICKETS SI TICKETS SI TICKETS
• SI SHOP SI SHOP SI SHOP
• BETTING BETTING BETTING
• Home Home Home
• News News News
• North Carolina Sports Betting North Carolina Sports Betting North Carolina Sports Betting
• March Madness 2024 March Madness 2024 March Madness 2024
• Promo Codes Promo Codes Promo Codes
• Odds Odds Odds
• Fantasy Fantasy Fantasy
• Responsible Gambling Responsible Gambling Responsible Gambling
• Casinos Casinos Casinos
• Social Social Social

2023 Tour de France Stage 18 Predictions, Picks & Odds: Thurs, 7/20

• Author: Luke Lindholm, Spotlight Sports

The 2023 Tour de France continues on Thursday, as the riders prepare for Stage 18. Beginning in Moutiers and ending in Bourg-en-Bresse, the 184.9 KM (114.9 miles) course is a hilly terrain but won’t be nearly as strenuous as Stage 17. Since the event is winding down this week, we analyzed Thursday’s race and made Tour de France Stage 18 predictions with odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook.

All new users that join FanDuel today can fade or follow any of our picks to earn a $100 bonus. Click any of the links in this article to get started in time to bet on Thursday’s race, which begins at 6:20 AM ET.

TOUR DE FRANCE STAGE 18 PREDICTIONS: Dylan Goenewegen (+550 at FanDuel) or Wout Van Aert (+600 at FanDuel) to Win

CLICK HERE to sign up for a new FanDuel account in time to fade or follow any of our Tour de France Stage 18 predictions. By risking $5, you will receive $100 worth of bonus bets.

Tour de France Stage 18 Predictions & Profile for Thursday, 7/20

Thursday’s race will be an intense ride after the group tackled 165.7 kilometers in Stage 17 on Wednesday . AG2R rider Felix Gall won the stage, but more importantly, Jonas Vingegaard extended his lead by five minutes and 45 seconds on Tadej Pogacar. The two riders have been neck and neck through 16 stages, but it's now Vingegaard’s yellow jersey to lose, as he now maintains a seven-minute and 35-second lead over Pogacar in the general rankings.

Pogacar spoke after the race and said that he struggled to consume energy while riding and never felt like anything reached his legs. He also was involved in a minor crash at the start of the stage, which could have affected his energy levels as well. It seems very unlikely that he’ll overtake the Dane in the last few days, and we don’t anticipate either rider winning Stage 18.

We expect the general classification riders to drop back in the pack on Thursday, which should pave the way for sprinters’ teams. Jasper Philipsen (-125 at FanDuel ) will try to add to his points classification tally, as the Belgian holds a 137-point lead over Mads Pederson. However, there are 13 teams yet to win a stage at this year’s Tour de France, so we wouldn’t be surprised if there is a large fight on Thursday, which could lead to a breakaway during the final stretch.

Tour de France Stage 18 Picks & Best Bets

Philipsen will aim to win his fifth stage at this year’s competition, but we don’t think there’s too much value in backing him at his current -125 price. We anticipate Thursday’s race coming down to the wire and would prefer to back a rider looking to win their first stage. Two major challengers to Philipsen will be Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen and Belgian Wout van Aert, who are both yet to win a stage this year.

Therefore, our Tour de France Stage 18 predictions feature either Dylan Goenewegen (+550 at FanDuel ) or Wout Van Aert (+600 at FanDuel ) winning. The Dutchman finished in the top 10 in four different stages so far and just came short of winning Stage 11, as he finished in second. Meanwhile, Van Aert has seven top-10 finishes and has been knocking on the door after finishing Stage 15 in second and Stage 16 in third.

How to Bet on Dylan Goenewegen or Wout Van Aert at FanDuel Sportsbook & Earn a $100 Promo Code

You can use our Tour de France Stage 18 predictions to earn a $100 bonus if you use this link to join FanDuel Sportsbook . All new FanDuel members can sign up for a new account, make a first-time deposit and risk $5 on any sporting event to earn $100 in bonus bets. The best part is that no promo code is required to claim this $100 sign-up bonus.

Whether you want to use either of our Tour de France Stage 18 predictions as your $5 qualifying wager or have another event on your radar, make sure you become a FanDuel member using any of the links in this article. That way, you won’t need to find a FanDuel promo code.

Tour de France Stage 18 Odds & Betting Lines Powered by Caesars Sportsbook

The latest odds surrounding our Tour de France Stage 18 predictions are provided by FanDuel Sportsbook. We focused on the Stage 18 winner market, which can be seen here:

• Jasper Philipsen -120
• Dylan Groenewegen +550
• Wout Van Aert +600
• Mads Pedersen +1300
• Mathieu van der Poel +2000
• Sam Welsford +2900
• Magnus Cort Nielsen +2900
• Bryan Coquard +3200
• Biniam Girmay +3400
• Jordi Meeus +5500
• Alexander Kristoff +5500
• Christophe Laporte +5500

A $12 bet on Philipsen nets $10 in profits if he wins another stage, while a $10 bet on Groenewegen returns $55 of winnings if he wins his first Tour de France stage. Remember, if you risk $5 on any of these riders after signing up for a new account at FanDuel, you can earn $100 worth of bonus bets.

2023 Tour de France Stage 17 Results & Recap

As we stated above, the main storyline for the Tour de France Stage 17 was Vingegaard gaining nearly six minutes of breathing room from Pogacar. Additionally, Felix Gall was a +2000 longshot to win the stage, yet he pulled it out. Here were the top 10 riders from Stage 17:

• Simon Yates
• Pello Bilbao Lopez
• Jonas Vingegaard
• David Gaudu
• Tobias Johannessen
• Chris Harper
• Rafal Majka
• Wilco Kelderman

Join FanDuel now and you can use any of our Tour de France Stage 18 predictions to unlock a $100 new-user bonus.

If you or a loved one has questions or needs to talk to a professiona l about gambling, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net for more information.

The Arena Media Brands, LLC and its partners may receive compensation for links to products and services on this website. The Arena Media Brands editorial team is not involved in the creation of this content.

Caesars Palace Casino Promo: Use Code FNATION2500 to Earn Over $2,500

Best North Carolina Sports Betting Promo Codes: Score $1,900+ in Bonuses

Best NC Sportsbook Promotion Codes Today: Score $1,000+ in Bonuses

BetMGM North Carolina Bonus Code FANNC: Bet $5, Get $150 Instantly

FanDuel NC Launch Day Promo Code: Unlock $250 in Bonus Bets Guaranteed

Caesars North Carolina Bonus Code FANNATIONNC Scores $250 in Bonus Bets

Toronto Maple Leafs St. Pat's Jersey, how to buy your St. Pat's Maple Leafs gear

Caesars nc pre-live offer for seven 100% profit boosts with code fannationdbl.

Bet365 North Carolina Bonus Code for New Users: Score $100 Bonus Today

• CBSSports.com
• Fanatics Sportsbook

Men's Brackets

Women's Brackets

Fantasy Baseball

Fantasy football, football pick'em, college pick'em, fantasy basketball, fantasy hockey, franchise games, 24/7 sports news network.

• CBS Sports Golazo Network
• Masters Live
• PGA Tour on CBS
• UEFA Champions League
• UEFA Europa League
• Italian Serie A
• Watch CBS Sports Network
• TV Shows & Listings

The Early Edge

A Daily SportsLine Betting Podcast

With the First Pick

NFL Draft is coming up!

• Podcasts Home
• The First Cut Golf
• Beyond the Arc
• Eye On College Basketball
• NFL Pick Six
• Cover 3 College Football
• Fantasy Football Today
• My Teams Organize / See All Teams Help Account Settings Log Out

Tour de France 2022 odds, field, predictions: Proven cycling expert locks in surprising picks, best bets

Sportsline's gene menez correctly predicted the winners of the yellow, green and white jerseys in the 2019 tour de france.

A band of challengers will try to end Tadej Pogacar's reign in the world's most famous bike race when the 2022 Tour de France begins on Friday in Copenhagen, Denmark. The 23-year-old Pogacar has won the Tour the last two years but will need to fend off several rivals to win his third Tour. Those include the runners-up the last two years, Jonas Vingegaard ('21) and Primoz Roglic ('20), 2018 champion Geraint Thomas and Russian upstart Alexander Vlasov. 

Pogacar is the -170 favorite (risk $170 to win $100) in the latest 2022 Tour de France odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Vingegaard is second in the odds at +450, while Roglic is +500. The Tour de France 2022 ends on July 24 with its traditional finish on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. With so many variables in the 2022 Tour de France, you'll want to see the latest 2022 Tour de France predictions from SportsLine senior writer Gene Menez . 

A former reporter and associate editor for Sports Illustrated, where he covered an array of sports for almost 14 years, Menez has been obsessed with the Tour de France for almost four decades. He has been following the iconic three-week race since the mid-1980s when Greg LeMond was riding to three yellow jerseys. In 2019, Menez correctly predicted the winners of the yellow, green and white jerseys, and last year he nailed the winner of the white jersey.

Menez has analyzed the 2022 Tour de France favorites, route, and top contenders and has picked his top-three finishers for the yellow jersey, as well as the winners of the green jersey (best sprinter), polka dot jersey (best climber) and white jersey (best young rider). He's sharing all of his expert Tour de France 2022 picks only at SportsLine . 

Top 2022 Tour de France picks

One shocker: After studying the route and the results of the contenders in the race, Menez has landed on Fabio Jakobsen (+550) taking home the green jersey even though he is not the betting favorite. (Wout van Aert is, at -140.) Jakobsen has been the best and most consistent sprinter in the world this year, with 10 victories. He also has won the green jersey in three stage races this year: Valencia, Algarve and Hungary.

Menez prefers Jakobsen over van Aert because the latter will likely be asked to help teammates Vingegaard and Roglic in the mountain stages, which could take a lot of starch out of his legs. On the other hand, Jakobsen's team will dedicate all of its resources to Jakobsen's green jersey quest. "I'll gladly take +550 on the fastest man in the race," he says.

How to make 2022 Tour de France picks

Menez's pick to win the Tour de France is a rider who "is in terrific form." He's also is high on a "strong climber" at "nice odds" to win the King of the Mountains jersey. He is sharing all of his 2022 Tour de France picks only on SportsLine .

So which rider wins the Tour de France 2022? Who finishes on the podium? And who captures the green, polka dot and white jerseys? See the 2022 Tour de France odds below and  visit SportsLine to see Menez's detailed Tour de France expert picks , all from the SportsLine senior writer who has been intensely following the sport for more than three decades.

2022 Tour de France favorites, odds, top contenders

See Tour de France picks, predictions and best bets here Tadej Pogacar -170 Jonas Vingegaard +450 Primoz Roglic +500 Geraint Thomas +2200 Alexander Vlasov +2200 Daniel Martinez +3500 Ben O'Connor +5000 Adam Yates +8000 Enric Mas +8000 Romain Bardet +8000 Nairo Quintana +10000 Jakob Fuglsang +10000 Johan Esteban Chaves +12500 Rigoberto Uran +12500 David Gaudu +15000 Wout Van Aert +15000 Louis Meintjes +15000 Jack Haig +15000 Damiano Crauso +15000 Thibaut Pinot +17500 Sepp Kuss +17500 Alexey Lutsenko +20000 Brandon McNulty +25000 Michael Storer +25000 Michael Woods +25000 Chris Froome +25000 Lennard Kamna +25000 Thomas Pidcock +30000 Guillaume Martin +30000 Guilio Ciccone +30000 Steven Kruijswijk +30000 Pavel Sivakov +40000 Warren Barguil +40000 George Bennett +40000 Rafal Majka +40000 Marc Soler +40000 Andreas Leknessund +40000 Mathieu Van Der Poel +50000 Bob Jungels +50000 Ion Izagirre +50000 Pierre Latour +50000 Patrick Konrad +75000 Maximilian Schachmann +75000 Mattia Cattaneo +75000 Joseph Dombrowski +100000 Matej Mohoric +100000 Marc Hirschi +100000 Tiejs Benoot +100000 Matteo Jorgenson +100000

Our Latest General Stories

2024 Kentucky Derby odds, futures picks, exotics

Cbs sports staff • 4 min read.

2024 Apple Blossom odds, horse racing expert picks

Cbs sports staff • 3 min read, 2024 lexington stakes odds, horse racing picks, bets, cbs sports staff • 2 min read.

Legendary sumo Akebono dies at 54

Shakiel mahjouri • 1 min read.

NAIA bans transgender athletes from women's sports

Dennis dodd • 3 min read, 2024 santa anita derby odds, horse racing expert picks, share video.

Tour de France 2022 odds, picks, predictions

Co-leader Scheffler again golfer to beat at Masters

College spring games to watch Saturday

NFL Mock Draft: AFC lands potential steals

UFC 300 predictions and expert picks

Report: Coyotes players told team is moving to Salt Lake

Former Yankee known for wife swap dead at 82

What happens if Nuggets, Wolves, Thunder finish tied?

James leads Lakers to crucial win in playoff race

Aiyuk unfollows 49ers on social media amid rumors

• No Deposit Bonus
• Free Spins No Deposit
• Football Tips
• Horse Racing Tips
• Cheltenham Tips

• Predictions >  
• Other Sports >  

Tour De France Stage 18 Predictions, Betting Tips & Odds (Lourdes > Hautacam - 21.7.2022)

• Wednesday, 20 July 2022 20:02
• Written by David Bet

Stage 18, a 143.2 km route from Lourdes to Hautacam, is the final day in the mountains. It will offer the final chance to specialist climbers to gain ground in the GC before a 40km time trial on stage 20. Looking for betting tips? This post contains our Tour De France Stage 18 predictions , odds, recommended bets on Winner, Top 3 & Head to Head, free bets & no deposit bonuses!

• 5 /5 Bet365 - Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets Promo Code: BAS365 Free bets credited as bet credits New Customers only. Bet £10* & Get £30* in Free Bets. Sign up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in Free Bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settled. The bonus code BAS365 can be used during registration, but does not change the offer amount in any way. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits. Min odds/bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply. begambleaware.org. Registration required. #ad Largest Bookmaker in the world Bet Builder Free-To-Play Prediction Games Daily Bonuses & Boosts Unrivalled Odds & Betting Markets £30 Claim
• 4.5 /5 Ladbrokes Sports - Bet £5 Get £20 Free Bets Bonus Code: 20FREE Win Up To £100 With 1-2-FREE predictor game 18+ New UK+IRE customers. Paypal and certain deposit types and bet types excluded. Min £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 4 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply. T&Cs apply. Extra Places Acca & Odds Boost 5-A-Side Best Odds Guaranteed Betting Exchange £20 Claim

TOUR DE FRANCE STAGE 18 BETTING PREVIEW 

Another short-but-sharp day in the Pyrenees includes the mythical Col d’Aubisque in combination with the Col de Spandelles for the very first time in Tour history.

After 58 kilometers of mostly pan-flat roads, there will be fireworks as the peloton will need to conquer two Hors Categorie climbs and one 1st category climb in the final 80 kilometres.

The first is one of the hardest of the race, the Col d’Aubisque (17.1Km at 7% average gradient), cresting with 76.5 kilometres to go.

The route continues with a long descent before the riders enter the Col de Spandelles (10.3 kilometres at 8.3%). This ascent will certainly be used to deal further damage in all riders.

Then, long descent leads to Argelès-Gazost, and that’s the base of the finish ascent - the legendary Hautacam (13.6 kilometres at 7.8%).

The second half of the Hautacam is extremely demanding with kilometres 8, 9 and 11 standing out – respectively with gradients at 10.3%, 11.3%, and 10.4%.

Here, there will be a huge chance for the best riders to gain minutes on their opponents.

Will the Yellow Jersey defend his leadership? Will GC contenders fight for the stage win too?

Stage 18 Favourites

Tadej Pogacar has only two teammates left and will do his best to isolate his rival Jonas Vingegaard , so we expect a huge battle since the early kilometers of this stage.

This strategy will probably see eventual breakaways gaining few minutes at maximum, not enough to succeed at the end of the day.

As a result, Pogacar and Vingegaard are expected to contest the stage win. Of course, if they arrive in final meters together, the Slovenian is faster than the Dane.

Other GC contenders look well beaten against the front duo.

Team Ineos captains Geraint Thomas and Adam Yates both lack the ability to change the pace when Pogacar and Vingegaard go full gas.

Alexandr Vlasov is not brilliant as he was at the Tour de Suisse before retiring becuase of COVID, while David Gaudu can only run conservatively at the moment.

Another French hope Romain Bardet , was right up with the leading GC contenders ahead of Stage 16, but it was to turn into a "terrible" day for the Frenchman, who said he suffered fever-like symptoms throughout. We expect him struggling to keep the pace of the best climbers.

Nairo Quintana looks one of the few riders that could pose a threat here. The Colombian has plenty of experience, knows how to save energies and could anticipate the two favorites.

Louis Meintjes, Alexey Lutsenko and Neilson Powless have chances close to zero.

Looking for a long shot?

So, if not Pogacar and Vingegaard, who else can win this stage.

A combination of riders just outside the Top 10 in the GC, polka-dot contenders, good climbers and stage hunters could from a strong breakaway.

In this case, the likes of Tibaut Pinot, Tom Pidcock, Michael Woods, Bauke Mollema, Bob Jungels, Patrick Konrad, Matteo Jorgenson, Rigoberto Uran and Damiano Caruso can't be overlooked.

Other possible attackers could be stage 16 winner Hugo Houle, Dylan Teuns, Carlos Verona, Nicholas Schultz, Michael Storer, Simon Geschke, Alberto Bettiol, Gorka Izaguirre, Chris Froome and Giulio Ciccone .

French riders are still winless in this edition and riders such as Franck Bonnamour, Valentin Madouas, Tony Gallopin , and Pierre Rolland could make an attempt at ending the drought.

Picking the right rider is not easy task.

TOUR DE FRANCE STAGE 18 PREDICTIONS

• Tour De France Stage 21 Predictions: Winner, H2H Tips & Odds (Champs-Élysées - 23.7.2023)
• Tour De France Stage 20 Predictions: Winner, H2H Tips & Best Odds (Belfort > Le Markstein - 22.7.2023)
• Tour De France Stage 19 Predictions: Winner, H2H Tips & Odds (21.7.2023)
• Tour De France Stage 18 Predictions: Winner, H2H Tips & Odds (Moutiers > Bourg-En-Bresse - 20.7.2023)
• Tour De France Stage 17 Predictions: Winner, H2H Tips & Odds (Saint-Gervais > Courchevel, 19.7.2023)
• Football Predictions
• No Deposit Free Bets
• Terms of Service

BeGambleAware.org and Remote Gambling aim to promote responsibility in gambling. They provide information to help you make informed decisions about your gambling. Problem gambling? Call the National Gambling Helpline: freephone 0808 8020 133 8am to midnight, 7 days a week. We are committed to responsible gambling and have a number of ways to help you stay in control and keep gambling fun.

Tour de France 2023 Part 2: Favorites To Win Each Stage

View the tour de france favorites to win each of the next 6 stages before the second break.

• Five Stages Prior to the Second Break

It’s Part 2 of the Cycling Stages! We continue profiling likely champions per stage for your betting benefit; these next 6 stages before the second break are very telling regarding the winner for this year’s Tour de France ; at the end of Part 3 we will be taking a look at the betting odds they bring with them for an integral Tour de France Betting Preview.

Six Stages Prior to the Second Break

We now continue profiling the second 6 stages prior to the second resting point, for the Tour de France favorites to win.

Odds to Win Stage 10:

Vulcania-issoire (july 11, 167 km):.

After a day of rest, racers push uphill in a bid to secure the lead, but the downhill finish towards Issoire could be a pivotal point, likely to be a hunting ground for Alaphilippe, Cort, Richard Carapaz, and Daniel Martínez, who may seize the opportunity to claim a stage victory.

Odds to Win Stage 11:

Clermont ferrand – moulins (july 12, 180 km):.

With a group sprint almost certain, sprinters will battle it out to brave the Massif Central.

Odds to Win Stage 12:

Roanne – belleville en beaujolais (july 13, 169 km):.

A blend of medium-difficulty climbs, this unpredictable terrain is ideal for stage hunters like Alaphilippe, Cort and others, and a chance for redemption for some riders. Still, it might be a tough day in the vineyards.

Odds to Win Stage 13:

Châtillon sur chalaronne – grand colombier (july 14, 138 km):.

A straightforward stage featuring a major climb mid-stage and a fierce ascent to the finish. Eyes will be on Pogacar, Vingegaard, and perhaps, Tom Pidcock as they do battle on a daunting 17-km ascent.

Odds to Win Stage 14:

Annemasse – morzine (july 15, 152 km):.

The Col de Joux Plane proves to be a challenging arena with its long, steep ascent. The final 6 km is one of the Tour’s trickiest descents to the finish line. Mikel Landa may have a chance to shine, but it seems like Pidcock may take the reins on the final descent.

Odds to Win Stage 15:

Les gets – saint gervais mont blanc (july 16, 179 km):.

Climb, climb, and climb some more! This stage is packed with numerous uphill challenges. David Gaudu is tipped by fans to follow in the footsteps of Bardet and leave his mark.

After this second resting point, cycling odds might already be looking a bit different than the projected ones; keep your eyes open and come back to Point Spreads for more insights and betting tips.

Feel like you need a bit more info for betting on cycling events ? Check us out at our Betting Academy to get the most out of the Tour de France favorites to win!

Also, check out what happened at the first 9 stages !

Stay tuned with PointSpreads for the next and final phase, which comes with winner odds!

Want more articles like this? Check these out:

• Tour de France 2023: Favorites To Win Each Stage – Part 1
• RideLondon Classique 2023 Standings: Back With the Three-Day Format
• Giro d’Italia Standings and 2023 Race Results
• Volta a Catalunya Betting Preview

WHO WILL WIN?

vote all you can

Bet like a PRO!

Subscribe now and get Weekly Expert Free Picks

Will the Tour de France be won by the last man standing?

With Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič hitting the deck at Itzulia Basque Country, all three now face battle to get their seasons back on track

• Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

News editor at Cycling Weekly, Adam brings his weekly opinion on the goings on at the upper echelons of our sport. This piece is part of The Leadout, a newsletter series from Cycling Weekly and Cyclingnews. To get this in your inbox, subscribe here . As ever, email [email protected] - should you wish to add anything, or suggest a topic.

Juan Ayuso might have stood atop the podium at Itzulia Basque Country as the overall winner last week, but the biggest winner was possibly not the Spaniard, but his UAE Team Emirates teammate Tadej Pogačar .

The 25-year-old wasn’t present in the north of Spain, and so dodged the misfortune and injuries that befell his rivals for the Tour de France . It’s counterintuitive that avoiding racing makes you more of a favourite, but at Itzulia, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step), Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe) were all impacted to different extents by the horror crash on stage four .

Evenepoel broke his collarbone and shoulder blade, while Roglič escaped serious injury, just receiving a lot of bruises and road rash, but it was Vingegaard who looked the worst off . The Dane remained motionless on the floor for a significant amount of time; it later transpired that he had broken his collarbone, several ribs, and suffered a collapsed lung. His plans for a defence of his Tour crown remain uncertain as a result.

It takes around six to eight weeks to bounce back from broken ribs and collarbone, but it isn’t so much the time away from racing, as the time away from training which could cause more concerns for three of the favourites for the Tour. In a video message, Evenepoel said his “long term goals”, ie the Tour, would not be impacted, but hard earned training gains could well be lost through the layoff.

Vingegaard was described as getting “a little bit better every day” by Richard Plugge, his team boss, at the weekend, but it will take a couple of weeks for the true extent of his injuries and the impact of them to be realised. 

On Tuesday, Visma-Lease a Bike reported that he had had a successful operation on his collarbone. However: "He will now spend the next few weeks recovering. It is not yet clear how long this will take. He is doing well and expresses his gratitude to everyone for their kind words over the past few days."

Pogačar then, the fourth member of this quad of Tour de France favourites, is the one who moves into the virtual lead, three months out from the race actually taking place. Of course, he has to race the Giro d’Italia in between now and then, in which anything could happen, but if he stays upright, it might be swinging towards the Slovenian. Perhaps, though, this is the year for someone out of the blue to win, the first surprise winner in years. Nothing can be predicted.

Get The Leadout Newsletter

The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!

Bike racing is often decided as much by fortune as by design. This is nothing new. How often have we been excited about a potential Tour for the ages, only for something to come up? The expectation is often better than the reality. That could well be the case with the 2024 Tour de France, which has been shaped already.

Visma-Lease a Bike, especially, cannot catch a break at the moment. The dominant squad of 2023 lost Wout van Aert to a crash ahead of the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, and now have Vingegaard out of action for an unclear amount of time.

Away from the impact on the Tour, the crash was a reminder that something needs to be done to lessen the outcome of these racing incidents. As well as Vingegaard, Evenepoel, and Roglič’s injuries, Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) suffered a cervical and two thoracic spine vertebral body fractures, while Steff Cras (TotalEnergies) also came away with a collapsed lung, broken ribs and a two fractured vertebrae. These kinds of injuries should not be normal.

Gino Mäder’s crash and subsequent death last June forced the UCI to create the SafeR project, which looked to study crashes and other parts of races to make them less dangerous. Because, as Vuelta stage winner Nicholas Roche said after the Itzulia crash , “it's not normal that riders should risk their life”.

Crashes are a part of cycling, and crashes mean injuries. However, they shouldn’t be life threatening, or so regular. Riders will not slow down, organisers will not want to be constrained in their route choices, and the money isn’t there to put crash protection on every descent. Action is needed. The lottery cannot go on.

This piece is part of  The Leadout , the offering of newsletters from  Cycling Weekly  and  Cyclingnews.  To get this in your inbox,  subscribe here .

If you want to get in touch with Adam, email [email protected] .

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Adam is Cycling Weekly ’s news editor – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling on tarmac, he's happy. Before joining Cycling Weekly he spent two years writing for Procycling, where he interviewed riders and wrote about racing. He's usually out and about on the roads of Bristol and its surrounds. Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.

All that glitters may not be gold, but silver doesn't half look good on a bike

By James Shrubsall Published 10 April 24

Patrick Casey got his chance to ride the Hell of the North after going through the Red Bull Junior Brothers programme

By Adam Becket Published 10 April 24

British rider crashed during recon of opening stage time trial last weekend and injured his right hip

By Tom Thewlis Published 3 April 24

The win was impressive, his record-breaking too, but I missed a true tussle

By Adam Becket Published 2 April 24

Cavendish will ride Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye later this month, Astana Qazaqstan confirms

By Tom Thewlis Published 2 April 24

The British squad is one of the richest in cycling - but Ineos still won’t stump up for a women’s team

By Adam Becket Published 19 March 24

Dutchman starts his 2024 road season at Italian Monument on Saturday

By Tom Thewlis Published 15 March 24

US star grabbed his first ever Grand Tour win at last year’s Giro d’Italia

By Tom Thewlis Published 8 March 24

The American could step into the leaders yellow jersey on Tuesday evening after stage three’s team time trial in Auxerre

By Tom Thewlis Published 5 March 24

Colombian snapped up key bonus seconds in the general classification battle on run in to Les Mureaux

By Tom Thewlis Published 3 March 24

Useful links

• Tour de France
• Giro d'Italia
• Vuelta a España

Buyer's Guides

• Best road bikes
• Best gravel bikes
• Best smart turbo trainers
• Best cycling computers
• Editor's Choice
• Bike Reviews
• Component Reviews
• Clothing Reviews
• Contact Future's experts
• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Cookies policy
• Advertise with us

Cycling Weekly is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site . © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Preview - Tour de France 2022 stage 18

Stage 18, the final day in the mountains of the Tour de France . The formula is exactly the same as today’s, with a flat start, short distance and a long sequence of very similar climbs in the second half of the stage. The first 60 kilometers have little to describe, with mostly pan-flat roads leading into the intermediate sprint, and into the hattrick of climbs.

This will be the final opportunity for many to fight for a stage win, aswell as the final opportunity for some of the climbers to make a difference in the race, which makes this a crucial journey.

Click here to create your own team for the Fantasy Tour de France stage 18 and win 154 euro!

Tadej Pogacar wins summit finish at Peyragudes as Jonas Vingegaard protects Tour de France lead

The first is one of the hardest of the race, the Col d’Aubisque, with 17.1Km at 7% average gradient, a very consistent ascent deep into the mountains, with it’s summit with 76.5 kilometers to go. An inconsistent descent follows, but leads directly onto the second climb of the day.

Tour de France 2022 Prize Money | How much do Tour de France riders make? €2.282.000 available

Which is the Col de Spandelles. Not as famous as Aubisque, however a tough climb in it’s own right, averaging 8.3% throughout 10.2 kilometers. It summits with 33.5 kilometers to go and will certainly be used to deal further damage in all riders.

The final climb will be to Hautacam, the final true climb of the race. It is imagined by the organizers to be the climax of a three-week race in the mountains, with 13.5 kilometers at 7.9%. In evert scenario, a climb hard enough to make serious differences, specially on the 18th day of a Grand Tour.

Cycling UpToDate prediction:

**** Tadej Pogacar

*** Jonas VIngegaard , Geraint Thomas

** Nairo Quintana , David Gaudu , Sepp Kuss

* Adam Yates , Enric Mas , Louis Meintjes , Romain Bardet

Read more about:

Place comments.

You are currently seeing only the comments you are notified about, if you want to see all comments from this post, click the button below.

Confirmation

Are you sure you want to report this comment?

UNDER_ARTICLE

Fri 12 Apr 2024

Sat 13 Apr 2024

Official games

2023 Edition

• Stage winners
• All the videos

Tour Culture

• Commitments
• key figures
• Sporting Stakes
• "Maillot Jaune" Collection
• The jerseys

2023 Rankings after stage 18

• General ranking
• Stage ranking

Receive exclusive news about the Tour

Accreditations

Privacy policy, your gdpr rights.

Your cart is empty

Tour de France 2023 stage 16 preview - the one and only time trial

For those riders who excel at time trials, this is their only chance to gain some time on their rivals

Words: Stephen Puddicombe

Photos: Zac Williams/SWPix.com

Distance: 22.4km ITT Start location: Passy Finish location: Combloux  Start time: 13:05 CEST Finish time (approx): 17:36 CEST

From the town of Combloux, where the 22.4km individual time trial sets off from, you can enjoy spectacular clear, full views of Mont Blanc in all of its glory. It’s a sight to behold. A wonder of nature that prompted Victor Hugo to describe the town as ‘the pearl of the Alps’, but might be received from certain riders in the peloton as a mocking gesture from the ASO organisers who designed this year’s Tour de France route. From the perspective of time trial specialists, it’s a reminder of just how mountainous this race has been, at the expense of more stages like this that would have benefited their GC bids.

As has been much discussed, this is the only ‘race of truth’ in the whole edition, amounting to the least amount of individual time trial kilometres since 2015. It’s a decision that’s had big ramifications, with some of the peloton’s top stars opting to target the Giro instead, and others who usually skip the Tour making a rare appearance. For the time trial-favouring GC riders who have decided to ride the Tour anyway, it’s imperative to squeeze everything they can out of these 22.4 kilometres to maximise their gains, while time trial specialists will have battled their way through the first two weeks of racing all for this one shot of a stage win. 

Stage 16 profile sourced via ASO

Yet even now the organisers have to some extent denied the time trialists, as the route contains too much climbing to be one for the purists. Nestled within the Alps, it does not steer clear of climbing altogether, and after a flat opening two-thirds the final 6km are all uphill. First the riders will climb to the top of the 2.5km, 9.4%-averaging Côte de Domancy, the climb that was the centrepiece of the 1980 World Championships road race, and was hard enough to be used by Bernard Hinault as the basis for what was the only world title of his career. Then comes an uncategorised continued rise for the final 3.5km to the finish at Combloux.

It’s reminiscent of the final time trial of the 2016 Tour de France, which also travelled through Combloux via the Côte de Domancy. On that occasion the amount of climbing significantly mitigated the advantage of the specialists, producing no changes in the top six of the GC, none of whom (even noted time trial-averse Romain Bardet) lost more than 1-30 to stage winner and yellow jersey Chris Froome. This route isn’t quite so hilly, but enough to ensure that no lighter rider will lose too much. 

This is the only opportunity for those who specialise in racing against the clock, aftering enduring a gruelling two weeks battling through the challenging stages in the Pyrenees, the Massif Central and now the Alps. 

Only 10 seconds separate first and second place, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo Visma), and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates). Both riders have shown exceptional strength in the mountains, but with this the first time trial of this year’s edition, it remains to be seen how they will perform against the clock. They have both proven themselves against the clock at the Tour; Pogačar twice a time trial stage winner while Vingegaard finished second to his team-mate Wout van Aert in last year's final TT. Like the mountains, the time trial could be an exceptionally close affair between the Tour's top two rivals.

Although Groupama-FDJ are yet to win a stage at this year’s Tour, Stefan Küng may change that for the French team. He is a strong time trialist and recently won the ITT in this year’s Tour de Suisse. However, the climb at the end of the stage might hinder his chances. As someone who has never won a stage at the Tour, Küng will be eager to use his expertise to secure a victory for himself and his team. 

French national time trial champion Rémi Cavagna (Soudal-Quick-Step) is a rider to keep an eye on as he seeks a stage win in his home country. He displayed good form at the Critérium du Dauphiné last month, finishing third behind Vingegaard and Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates). Bjerg will certainly be a contender for stage 16, having claimed first place at the Dauphiné. However, his weaker climbing abilities might put him at a disadvantage compared to some of his rivals. 

Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) is a formidable time trialist who also excels on uphill terrain, as is Fred Wright (Bahrain-Victorious). Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), Nelson Oliveira (Movistar) and Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) could also be strong contenders for the stage.

Prediction 

We think Jonas Vingegaard will take the stage. Not only is he an excellent time trialist and climber, but he will want to put a bit of distance between himself and Tadej Pogačar before they head back into the mountains for the final week. 

Team Cars | Service Des Courses - Organic Unisex T-shirt

Rouleur Team Cars Bone China Mugs

Rouleur ELITE Jet Water Bottle Bidon - 550ml

Rouleur Logo Organic Unisex T-Shirt - Black/White

Team Cars | Campagnolo - Organic Cotton Unisex T-Shirt

Rouleur Logo Organic Unisex T-Shirt – White

Rouleur Logo - Organic Sweatshirt - Unisex - Burgundy

Team Cars | Peugeot - Organic Cotton Unisex T-Shirt

Colours of the Peloton - Short Sleeve Base Layer - Men's

Rouleur Logo Organic Unisex T-Shirt – Tonal Grey

Team Cars | Raleigh - Organic Cotton Unisex T-Shirt

Rouleur Logo Organic Sweatshirt - Unisex - Grey

Coppi - Rouleur Notebook

Rouleur Logo - Organic Sweatshirt - Unisex - French Navy

Rouleur Logo - Organic Hooded Sweatshirt - Unisex - Heather Blue

Rouleur Logo - Organic Jogger Pants - Unisex - French Navy

Rouleur x Kaweco Rollerball Pen - Black + Gold foil logo

Allez - Organic Cotton Unisex T-Shirt

Tours Issue - Rouleur Tote Bag

Dai! - Organic Cotton Unisex T-Shirt

True Grit - Rouleur Notebook

Rouleur Water Bottle Bidon - Ride Fast, Read Slow - Cream + Green

Rouleur Water Bottle Bidon - Green + Pink

Rouleur x Kaweco Rollerball Pen - Brass + Black etched logo

Rouleur Embroidered Organic Cotton Unisex T-Shirt - Natural Cotton + Green

!Vamos! - Organic Cotton Unisex T-Shirt

Colours of the Peloton - Short Sleeve Jersey - Women's

Rouleur Logo Women's T-Shirt - Navy

Rouleur x Kaweco Aluminium Rollerball Pen - Silver + Engraved logo

Rouleur Logo - Organic Jogger Pants - Unisex - Heather Grey

Tour de France 2023 – Analysing the contenders

The final form ranking for the yellow jersey contenders

Most of the hard work has been done and there is precious little time to conjure up form, condition or confidence for the 2023 Tour de France favourites. The big race, starting in Bilbao on July 1, is almost here.

That means it’s final tune-up time: the Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse have given us the final display of form for the WorldTour’s best, with only their final preparations separating them from La Grande Boucle.

As ever, Cyclingnews has its form ranking for the favourites, with regular updates through the season and into the Tour itself.

We rank the Tour de France contenders by their performances and as the months have now trickled down to scant days before the Grand Départ in Bilbao, it's time to run the rule over the contenders for the maillot jaune for a final time.

1. Tadej Pogačar

• Team: UAE Team Emirates
• Tour experience: Winner in 2020 and 2021, runner-up in 2022
• 2023 results: 1st at Jaén Paraíso Interior, 1st with three stage wins at Ruta del Sol, 1st with three stage wins at Paris-Nice, 4th at Milan-San Remo, 3rd at E3 Classic, 1st at Tour of Flanders, 1st at Amstel Gold Race, 1st at La Flèche Wallonne, DNF at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 1st at Slovenian Nationals Time Trial, 1st at Slovenian Nationals Road Race 

It was a spring campaign for the ages from the voracious and versatile Pogačar. However, it ended unceremoniously when a fractured wrist at Liège-Bastogne-Liège led to several weeks off the bike, though he was soon putting in long indoor training sessions to compensate.

In late May, he went out to Sierra Nevada (later than his teammates) to do more preparation. He then headed to Sestriere for a final bit of training and recon in the rarefied air.

It remains to be seen whether the injury affects him or if his glorious, tiring spring has any impact but Pogačar indicated that he’s not worried in his latest interview with Cyclingnews . The only races on his schedule between Liège and the Grand Départ were the Slovenian national time trial and road race, both of which he won hands down, which hardly augers badly. 

Get The Leadout Newsletter

The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!

Pogačar will have to be at his best to beat Vingegaard, but revenge has likely been on his mind ever since the finale of last year’s race. You’d be a fool to write him off.

=1. Jonas Vingegaard

• Team: Jumbo-Visma
• Tour experience: Winner in 2022, runner-up in 2021
• 2023 results: 1st with three stage wins at O Gran Camiño, 3rd at Paris-Nice, 1st with three stage wins at Itzulia Basque Country, 1st with two stage wins at Critérium du Dauphiné

With Pogačar out of racing sight and more out of mind for much of the build-up to the Tour, Jonas Vingegaard was the focal point for rivals and observers alike with his strength and ease. They’re so closely-matched, we’ve put the pair in equal first.

After a three-week altitude camp at Sierra Nevada, he passed his last test at the Critérium du Dauphiné with flying colours, winning a brace of stages and the overall, with the biggest winning margin since Charly Mottet in 1987. As if that wasn’t enough, after the race the defending champion indicated he can still improve.

Back in March, Pogačar got the better of Vingegaard at Paris-Nice . Both he and Pogačar have similar remarkable win rates this year but of course the Tour de France is the one that counts above all others. The form book and results suggest it’ll be their duel for glory. All roads lead to Bilbao and a renewal of hostilities between the two titans of the 2022 edition.

3. Jai Hindley

• Team: Bora-Hansgrohe
• Tour experience: none
• 2023 results: 16th at Tour Down Under, 32nd at Cadel Evans Race, 13th at Volta ao Algarve, 32nd at Ardèche Classic, 53rd at Drôme Classic, 15th at Tirreno-Adriatico, 8th at Volta a Catalunya, 12th at Amstel Gold Race, 83rd at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 4th at Critérium du Dauphiné

Hindley’s season has shifted up a gear at the perfect time. Following finishes on the fringes at Catalunya and the Amstel Gold Race, he was among the strongest at the Critérium du Dauphiné .

Consistency on the climbs at this mini Tour de France was complemented by one of the best time trial rides of his career, laying the foundations for fourth overall.

With Vingegaard and Pogačar looking like a cut above the rest, it is likely to be a fierce scrap for the third step of the podium. Tour debutant Hindley will have to get through the hubbub of the first week unscathed, but the 2022 Giro d’Italia winner appears to be in pole position to be the best of the rest.

4. Mikel Landa

• Team: Bahrain-Victorious
• Tour experience: Five appearances, 4th in 2017 and 2020
• 2023 results: 7th at Volta Valenciana, 2nd at Ruta del Sol, 7th at Tirreno-Adriatico, 5th at Volta a Catalunya, 2nd at Itzulia Basque Country, 3rd at Flèche Wallonne, DNF at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 22nd at Critérium du Dauphiné

We’ve been accustomed to Landa lighting up spring stage races, showing his face at Tirreno-Adriatico , the Volta a Catalunya and Itzulia. His steady run of stage race contention, however, came to an end at the Dauphiné with a particularly poor showing in the time trial. The experienced Basque knows what he’s doing and acknowledged he wasn’t in the best shape before the race. Not ideal, but he’s still on course for a high finish at a TT-light Tour de France.

5. David Gaudu

• Team: Groupama-FDJ
• Tour experience: Five appearances, 4th overall in 2022
• 2023 results: 7th at Tour du Var, 2nd at Ardèche Classic, 4th at Drôme Classic, 2nd at Paris-Nice, 4th at Itzulia Basque Country, DNF at Amstel, Flèche and Liège, 30th at Critérium du Dauphiné

Gaudu was off the pace at the Critérium du Dauphiné in the mountains and against the clock. To boot, he copped social media abuse after a few stages. There’s no cause for panic after one poor performance for France’s big hope.

His spring campaign was strong, finishing next best to Tadej Pogačar at Paris-Nice. It also bears remembering that, though he won a stage, Gaudu wasn’t in the frame at last year’s Dauphiné GC either, and that preceded a career-best result.

6. Enric Mas (crashed out on stage 1)

• Team: Movistar
• Tour experience: Four appearances, 5th in 2020, 6th in 2021
• 2023 results: 5th at Ruta del Sol, 6th at Tirreno-Adriatico, 5th at Itzulia Basque Country, 17th at La Flèche Wallonne, DNF at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 17th at Critérium du Dauphiné

Mas looked like every bit like a Tour de France podium contender eight months ago. He matched his second places in the Vuelta and Il Lombardia with a fan-pleasing, attacking style.

Still, there was little of that on display at the Critérium du Dauphiné. Dropping three minutes to winner Mikkel Bjerg in the time trial was no big surprise; of greater concern was losing nearly that same amount to a flying Vingegaard on the race’s queen stage.

There’s clearly a bit of work to be done to make sure it’s a case of más rather than menos at the Tour de France. Mas wanted to put his COVID-19 abandon of last year’s race well behind him but crashed on stage 1 of the 2023 Tour and was forced out of the race again .

7. Romain Bardet

• Tour experience: Nine appearances, 2nd overall in 2016, 3rd in 2017
•  2023 results: 8th at Tour du Var, 11th at Ardèche Classic, 11th at Drôme Classic, 7th at Paris-Nice, DNF at Volta a Catalunya, 9th at La Flèche Wallonne, 15th at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 7th at Tour de Romandie

Bardet is Mr. Steady of the stage races, rarely terrible or incandescent. The experienced Frenchman sat fourth overall at the Tour de France last summer until an off-day in the blazing sun to Foix put paid to his podium hopes.

COVID-19 in April didn’t seem to slow him down at the Tour de Romandie , where he was seventh. A fifth place at the Tour de Suisse suggests altitude has honed his condition, and he enters the race as a valuable GC contender for DSM.

8. Ben O'Connor

• Team: AG2R Citroën Team
• Tour experience: Two appearances, 4th and a stage in 2021
• 2023 results: 6th Tour Down Under, 46th Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, 13th Tirreno-Adriatico, 14th Volta a Catalunya, 11th Classic Grand Besançon Doubs, 5th Tour du Jura, 50th Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 3rd Critérium du Dauphiné

The Australian climbs into our top ten after his third place finish at the Critérium du Dauphiné, repeating his result from twelve months ago. Coming off an altitude camp, O’Connor was the surprise factor in the time trial, delivering AG2R-Citroën’s first-ever top-five performance in a WorldTour race against the clock.

Last year’s Tour was a bust for O’Connor , dropped on the cobbled stage and abandoning with a torn glute. The first week, with its hillier Basque Country start, may well suit the rider from Perth better as he hopes to improve on his landmark 2021 showing.

9.   Giulio Ciccone

• Team: Trek-Segafredo
• Tour experience: Two appearances, wore the yellow jersey in 2019
• 2023 results: 2nd and stage win at Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, 5th at Tirreno-Adriatico, 7th and stage win at Volta a Catalunya, 5th at Flèche Wallonne, 13th Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 11th and stage win at Critérium du Dauphiné

After storming the Bastille in Grenoble for triumph on the last day of the Dauphiné, the little Italian surges into our top ten. Ciccone has talked of going for a Tour de France stage victory and the King of the Mountains this summer. Consistency has been his big problem in Grand Tours.

It could be different this summer. Ciccone has had three victories and barely been out of the top 10 in 2023, in spite of COVID-19 dumping him out of a Giro d’Italia team he was due to lead.

His self-belief will be sky high and he’ll be in a positive frame of mind, getting married weeks before the race. With few time trial kilometres in the 2023 race, a top-10 finish is within his reach.

10. Dani Martínez

• Team: Ineos Grenadiers
• Tour experience: Three appearances, stage win and 28th in 2020
• 2023 results: 25th at Vuelta a San Juan, 1st at Volta ao Algarve, 25th at Paris-Nice, 34th at Itzulia Basque Country, 23rd at Critérium du Dauphiné

With the Tour on the horizon, there is no clear leader for Ineos Grenadiers.

Dani Martínez has been targeting that spot since the start of the season, but the last day of the Critérium du Dauphiné likely knocked the Colombian’s confidence. He was the race’s big loser, losing 10 minutes and tumbling down the GC from sixth overall.

A simple jour sans or indicative of a bigger problem? The Colombian was flying on the way to first place at February’s Volta ao Algarve but hasn’t broken the top 10 on GC since.  Martínez has had a poor start to the Tour, losing 3:13 on stage 1 and a further 7:00 on stage 2 to fall out of overall contention.

Third with Geraint Thomas last year, Ineos Grenadiers are at risk of having their most peripheral Grande Boucle in years. But the kids could step up. Tom Pidcock , who finished a disappointing 22nd at the Tour de Suisse, showed his off-road form in recent weeks, winning in Nove Mesto. In an interview with Cyclingnews the Briton laid out his stage goals but was reticent to see himself as a GC contender just yet.

Former Spanish national champion Carlos Rodríguez’s ninth overall in the Alps eclipsed Martínez’s performance. Rodríguez was the silver lining on a poor opening stage for the British team and was the only Ineos rider in the top 10 after the brutal Grand Depart in the Basque Country.

Bubbling under

Put out a search party for Simon Yates. The Jayco-Alula man has not raced since stomach problems forced him to abandon the Tour de Romandie on stage 2. This summer, less is evidently more for the Briton. He is set to go straight from training at altitude to the Grand Départ. He was second at the Tour Down Under and fourth at Paris-Nice, but his form is unknown.

EF Education-EasyPost leader Richard Carapaz was on the attack at the Critérium du Dauphiné and sprinted to second place behind Julian Alaphilippe. The Olympic champion is flying under the radar a little; he’s not finished in the top 10 in a GC since being runner-up at last year’s Giro d’Italia.

Unfortunately, Carapaz was involved in the same crash that forced Enric Mas out of the Tour, and abandoned before stage 2 with a fractured patella.

Neilson Powless showed his all-round power through Paris-Nice and the spring Classics, and he gives a potential other option for EF.

Louis Meintjes (Intermarché Circus Wanty) showed he’s ticking along nicely, finishing seventh at the Dauphiné. Cofidis captain Guillaume Martin was a few seconds and a place higher. Sergio Higuita could be a backup option for Bora-Hansgrohe. Expect those three to be in the mix come July.

2019 Tour de France champion Egan Bernal also performed well in the Critérium du Dauphiné high mountains to finish twelfth overall. Given his knee problems this year, it’s surely too soon for Tour contention, but with confirmation of his team selection it's clear his recovery from his life-threatening crash appears to be going well.

With his withdrawal from the race with illness, Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan Team) didn't give us a showing of his form at the Tour de Suisse, having finished top 10 in the past two editions, but he did win both the road race and time trial in the Kazakh Nationals. Lutsenko's GC hopes were ruined on stages 1 and 2 where he lost a combined 18 minutes to the leaders and he will likely now chase stage wins.

As for the Giro d’Italia giants?  Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) and Primož Roglič  (Jumbo-Visma)  won’t be at the Tour , which makes sense, but it’s a shame for the fans. The sport’s blue riband event also comes too soon for Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) who crashed out of the Giro d’Italia with a fractured hip.

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Formerly the editor of Rouleur magazine, Andy McGrath is a freelance journalist and the author of God Is Dead: The Rise and Fall of Frank Vandenbroucke, Cycling’s Great Wasted Talent

'Unless I'm in an ambulance, I'm finishing this race' – Cyrus Monk, the last man home at Paris-Roubaix

Behind the scenes at Paris-Roubaix: What it’s like to report on the most chaotic race of the year

YT launches more affordable Szepter gravel bike

Most Popular

By Josh Croxton April 07, 2024

By Will Jones April 07, 2024

By Dan Challis April 07, 2024

By Will Jones April 06, 2024

By Stephen Farrand April 05, 2024

By Fabian Cancellara April 05, 2024

By Will Jones April 05, 2024

By Tim Maloney April 05, 2024

By Tom Wieckowski April 04, 2024

By Laura Weislo April 04, 2024

• Tour de France
• Stages - Results
• Previous winners
• Football Home
• Fixtures - Results
• Premier League
• Champions League
• Europa League
• All Competitions
• All leagues
• Snooker Home
• World Championship
• UK Championship
• Major events
• Tennis Home
• Calendar - Results
• Australian Open
• Roland-Garros
• Mountain Bike Home
• UCI Track CL Home
• Men's standings
• Women's standings
• Cycling Home
• Race calendar
• Vuelta a España
• Giro d'Italia
• Dare to Dream
• Alpine Skiing Home
• Athletics Home
• Diamond League
• World Championships
• World Athletics Indoor Championships
• Biathlon Home
• Cross-Country Skiing Home
• Cycling - Track
• Equestrian Home
• Figure Skating Home
• Formula E Home
• Calendar - results
• DP World Tour
• MotoGP Home
• Motorsports Home
• Speedway GP
• Clips and Highlights
• Olympics Home
• Olympic Channel
• Rugby World Cup predictor
• Premiership
• Champions Cup
• Challenge Cup
• All Leagues
• Ski Jumping Home
• Speedway GP Home
• Superbikes Home
• The Ocean Race Home
• Triathlon Home
• Hours of Le Mans
• Winter Sports Home

Chris Froome: Another Tour de France stage win would be an 'amazing' way to end glittering career

Published 10/04/2024 at 10:20 GMT

Chris Froome was once the dominant force at the Tour de France, but after suffering serious injuries in a crash at the Criterium du Dauphine in 2019, his objectives have changed. Now 38, Froome has spoken about wanting to ride until he is 40 and also his hope to win another stage at the Tour de France. He has also given his thoughts on the "very impressive" Tadej Pogacar.

'An absolute machine!' - O'Sullivan responds to Froome question in 'Voice Notes'

Pogacar ‘could pay the price’ for his early season feats ahead of Giro-Tour double - Indurain

29/03/2024 at 18:27

• Amstel Gold Race 2024: How to watch on Eurosport
• Blythe: Cap-throwing incident could have ended Van der Poel's season

Watch ‘absolutely magnificent’ Pogacar’s four stage wins at Volta a Catalunya

Tour of Flanders 2024: When is it? Who is riding? How to watch

28/03/2024 at 09:28

'Close to something historical' - Van der Poel aiming for cyclo-cross record in 2025

26/03/2024 at 11:44

'Never seen anything like this' - Pogacar leaves rivals in awe at Volta a Catalunya

25/03/2024 at 14:53

Sioux Eachelle

Tour De France Stage 6 Highlights 2024

Tour De France Stage 6 Highlights 2024 . Join cyclingnews' coverage of the 2024 tour de france with live coverage, race reports, results, photo galleries, news and race analysis. Starting in tarbes, the peloton climb the cöte.

Tour de france 2024 route. Here are our pick of the most promising stages of next year’s tour

Tour De France 2024 Route Revealed.

The 2024 tour de france starts on june 29 in florence, italy, with a road stage.

5 Unmissable Stages Of The 2024 Tour De France.

Map, stage profile, timings, route notes, favourites and more hedgehogcycling.co.uk

Jonas Vingegaard Is Aiming To Win The Tour De France For A Third Successive Year In 2024, But The Dane Is Expecting A Tougher Challenge Than.

Images references :, there will be three full stages in italy, before the fourth heads into france..

Updated 22/02/2024 at 11:18 gmt.

Relive stage 6 highlights from the 2023 tour de france.

Club 2024 Route 2024 Teams 2023 Edition.

Related posts, usc convention 2024.

Usc Convention 2024. This serves as a one stop shop…

Redken Hair Show 2024

Redken Hair Show 2024. Strengthen and fortify damaged hair with…

Santa Train Tickets 2024

Santa Train Tickets 2024. Please note that goathland station will…

Tour de France 2023 Favourites stage 17: Double digit denouement

The Courchevel and Peyragudes finishes are similar in all sorts of ways. Very short, inhumunaly steep, and both situated on an altiport. The best riders of last year’s Tour, Vingegaard and Pogacar, were crawling side by side to the line in Peyragudes. The Slovene took the spoils with a winning dash to the line at some 10 kilometres per hour.

This year’s finale is even harder, as the preceding climb is a monster. The Col de la Loze is wildly irregular in the last 5 kilometres, but still, the average gradient sits at 10% in that section. The most brutal stretch goes up at 24%.

In the run-up to the Col de la Loze the riders are to conquer the Col des Saises (13.4 kilometres at 5.1%), Cormet de Roselend (19.9 kilometres at 6%) and Côte de Longefoy (6.6 kilometres at 7.5%). The route stays at altitude after that last KOM sprint. In fact, the route continues to climb at shallow gradients for 5 kilometres.

After reaching mountain village Notre-Dame-du-Pré the route descends to Moûtiers and moments later the Col de la Loze kicks in. The first half is nothing special and the second half is also not the issue. That is, at first. The first part of the second half goes up at 7%, but it really comes down to the last 5 kilometres. Even in the relatively easy sections the climb is a killer while nearing the summit. The 24% slope we mentioned appears 2 kilometres under the top.

The rider who reaches the crest in first position is not home yet. Far from it. The 6 kilometres descent – with a short uphill at 5% halfway – ends abruptly at the foot of a Wall that doubles as the finish – 600 metres at 10.8% and with a 18% ramp just before the line.

Is Pogacar able to bounce back after the ITT blow? Until now he never dropped Vingegaard properly, the time he gained was always limited to handfuls of seconds. So, if he wants to win the Tour he has to strike early on the Col de la Loze. After all, he is 1.48 minutes in arrears.

We hope the two Tour de France starts will battle it out for the stage win, but of course, it’s just as likely that the breakaway will succeed. Jumbo-Visma will not control the race, but maybe UAE Emirates will in the hope to distance Vingegaard eventually and take the time bonuses at the Col de la Loze and at the line.

Favourites 17th stage 2023 Tour de France

*** Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard ** Mikel Landa, Giulio Ciccone, Wout Poels, Thibaut Pinot * Sepp Kuss, Tom Pidcock, Rafal Majka, Dylan Teuns, Mattias Skjelmose

Another interesting read: route 17th stage 2023 Tour de France.

Tour de France 2023 stage 17: profiles

Click on the images to zoom