Tour de France and 2010 winner Andy Schleck returns one week to give his analysis and opinion on the top-10 contenders.
Saxo Bank’s East Lata gave CyclingNews On the eve of the race and the opinions of experts on the nine stages of its journey, it is very accurate with predictions of who will be near the top of the GC.
On the day of the first rest of the race, we checked with Schlake to see if his predictions worked and whether he was surprised by the overall contenders for the yellow jersey.
★★★★★ – Primo ž Roguelys (Jumbo-Visma)
Previous rating: 2
I still have Rogli as my favorite for the race. I think Tadej Pogasar will be his closest rival now but Rogli is still getting five stars, and I think it will be incredibly difficult to defeat him.
Rogley just seems confident, and I know we already had something to climb on the tour, but there has only been one HC climb, and that peak wasn’t over. I wouldn’t say Rogelis is invincible, but he has run a strategically excellent race so far without making any mistakes. What impresses me most about Jumbo-Wizma is that they have also turned riders around Rogli. Three weeks is really important when it comes to saving energy and it’s a little different from what Akash or Inios did in the past.
At the same time, they are like the Sky in those early years, when they would take the lead and control the entire pilot. That trick had to change a bit because there are only eight riders on the team but when your team has riders like Watt van Art, who can pull big mountains, spreading the effort for the rest of your climbers.
☆☆☆☆ – Thibut Pinot (Groupma-FDJ)
Previous rating: ★★★★
Well, the GC is over for Pinot but now the pressure is completely off and he can run his own race and not worry about time or the yellow jersey. Of course, a lot depends on his back injury and if he can solve this problem during the rest of the day and the next few stages that come over the next few days, but he is a very good candidate for a stage win in my opinion.
His form of taking part in races was good but like every year there always seems to be a problem. Last year it was his thigh, this year it’s his back after his crash but on the day of the crosswinds he was there and ahead and I’m not sure what that means. After this race, I think he needs to change his attitude towards Giro again and he needs to win because he is still a good player.
☆ – Egan Bernal (Inios Grenadiers)
Previous rating: ★★★★
He looks more than okay but he was definitely at Pearsorde’s limit as he fell at one point and, although he only lost a few meters, it was an important sign that suggested to me that his form was still not that good. Some of its competitors.
When you ride to win the tour and you’re in your best form, you don’t leave any ground, not even a meter, and you don’t say at that stage that you were just riding on your own. Tempo. If you are good enough, you just stay in the cycle and you don’t let yourself go. This showed a component of weakness but on the 9th stage he stayed with the best on the chai which was ep bho and really suited him, and in the end, he fought there for bonus seconds so you definitely can’t rule him out, even if he It is not the biggest threat to the disease when it forms more than real-time gaps.
I think Bernal will do well in the Alps, but I think Rogli also has a long way to go.
☆☆☆☆ – Julian Alaflip (Dysunic-Quickstep)
Previous rating: ★★★ ½
For the Frenchman it’s all about the stages because he’s lost so much time, but the problem for him is that once he gets to the break I doubt a lot of players will turn him around because he’s too dangerous in the final.
It’s still good to climb with the best 20 boys if he’s focused, so is the form, and if he ends up in a small group, a lot of people can’t trust him in the sprint. This means that his best chance may come at a stage that ends with a climb but a break is caught.
½ – Tadej Poghaar (UAE Team UAE)
Previous rating: ★★★ ½
Since things stand out too, I think Pogasar is the only person who can leave Ropley in the Alps. He spent a lot of time on the piersord and it’s not like his rivals have stopped for a pass – they were also going full gas.
He lost a minute at Crosswinds, but he said immediately L’Aquip That he did not worry about the distance because the mountains were coming up. To me, he showed that he is still very young yet he is an incredibly reliable player. He clearly believes in himself and he is backed up with two important performances in those mountains.
I know he’s young and doesn’t have the experience of some of his rivals but Bernal won when he was younger, so it’s hard to see Pogasar break up in the third week.
☆☆ – Michael Landa (Bahrain McLaren)
Previous rating: ★★★ ½
He’s clearly in shape – he showed up on Stage 9 when he went with the leaders, and he attacked with Richie Porte the day before – but I think he lost a fair percentage even when he went against the very best Is. Riders. I think he’s good enough to follow and I can see him squeezing on the Paris podium but I can’t see him making a difference.
For me, there is little sleep at that time, and you will often see him riding in a place where you can see G.C. Even if it is not a person, it should not be. It is very light at times and I often worry about its concentration.
½ – Nairo Quintana (Archia-Semesic)
Previous rating: ★★★
It has been surprisingly good. He is always in good condition and has shown that he can climb with the best, although there was a slight weakness at stage 9 when he could not go with the Rogli and Poghahar group to run the next day.
His problem, however, could be his team. They actually protected it really well on the flats, but in the mountains, Quintana looks a little different. They’ve lost Diego Rosa in the crash, and Warren Barguil isn’t at the same level as his leader, so that means Quintana should be really careful when the right move is made. If he goes too fast and gets caught, he could be in serious trouble.
☆☆☆ – Rigoberto á run (EF Pro cycling)
Previous rating: ★★
I still think he’s on Two Stars because nothing really changed my opinion about Urun. It can be good, it can be bad, and we’ve seen it there. I think he’s going to end up in the top 10, but I can’t see him making the podium at this stage.
☆☆☆ – Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo-Visma)
Previous rating: ★★
He’s there for Rogley and his ambitions for GC ended at Stage 8 when he sacrificed in search of opportunity and a yellow jersey for his leader. He has a huge amount of talent but Jumbo’s goal is now clear with the only and undisputed leader Rogli.
☆☆☆☆ – Emanuel Buchman (Bora-Hansgrohe)
Previous rating: ★★
It has not been at the level I expected it to be and the crash at Cratrium du Daphne has clearly taken it out of it. 10 days ago wondered what the team’s plan is because the break, the green jersey is hard to target and then the GC battle is to mount but Buchman has now lost a lot of time in being considered more of a contender. If he can come around, I see him trying to win a stage in the final week. To do so, he would actually have to lose a lot more time.
½ – Roman Bardet (AGR La Mond Nadial)
Previous rating: N / A
That’s fine but for the most part it’s been good. I always feel like something is missing from his arsenal, though, and he’s not the perfect rider when it comes to three weeks of racing.
I think this year’s level is too good for him to reach the podium in Paris but he deserves credit for the way he has reached for this year’s race. Originally he landed in the Giro race but he got his attention and he is doing a better job than many people expect, including me.
Previous rating: N / A
It’s a surprise to the tour and a rider that was overlooked at the start of the race because I haven’t seen him race as much, but he seems to be class on the bike and I’m really impressed with how I rode for the GC. It’s a big hope for Coffeidis and I’m really excited to see how it goes in the Alps and that tough final week.
He has shown natural progress since his results last year and he knows what steps need to be followed. I have a question mark on him because he may have had a bad day in the final week when he pushes himself to the final but so far he has been excellent and fully deserves where he is on GC.