Cycling
Tour: a Spectacle – with safety
Something in the shadow of the football championship starts on Saturday, the Tour de France. A safety double burden for France. Sporty the race voltage does not promise how long.
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Preview of the Tour de France
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Preview of the Tour de France
Heavy military truck rattling through the streets, olive-green Jeeps with an American star on the hood, follow and American GIs patrolling with a steel helmet. What’s been going on in Northern France, Saint-Lô, is not about the repetition of the D-Day, anno 1944, but the invasion of the Tour de France. On the load of the old Army land-Trucks are the ancestors of the best cyclists in the world. Because the little Church in Normandy, which was destroyed during the landing of the allies almost completely, is the backdrop for the team presentation of the tour de France this year. It is a historically-sounding spectacle as a prelude to a sports event wants to remember this Time with the launch of the Normandy, to the landing of the allies in the Second world war, and have always been happy to historical bonds. The military Scenery of Saint – Lô is at the same time, but a probably unintended touch of a Finger on the theme that will accompany this Tour as strong as ever: safety.
EM and the Tour – a double burden for France
Invasion to world war II-vices: world champion Peter Sagan (above) and Alberto Contador
Because, in the Background of the GI-performers had also been to the team presentation of special forces to guard the national Shrine of the Tour de France. The special unit GIGN, in the French vernacular as “Super-police”, guarding the Tour de France and face a mammoth task: to identify common, with approximately 23,000 police officers and gendarmes along the 3500-kilometre-long route, and the Tour entourage to stop. Since the Aschlägen of 13. November 2015 will also be the national figurehead of the Tour de France is regarded as a possible attack target. This is because, unlike the parallel European football championship, a bike race mobile, the monitored area is immense, and the audience at the track can’t be controlled. A huge folk festival under the open sky. And an easy target, fear of security experts. And given the double burden of the EURO and the Tour is a real tour de force for France, the locking part of the police units Leave in the summer, prescribed.
The security this time is also a big issue in the Peloton of the Tour. However, it is less the fear of a possible attack, rather than the dangers in the race. These have increased rapidly recently, criticizing many of the riders such as André Greipel and Tony Martin, are calling for a reduction in the support vehicles in the race. In the past few months, collisions with vehicles were thrown several athletes out of the race. In some cases, the consequences were even more dramatic: The Belgian Stig Broeckx is a clash with an accompanying motorcycle at the tour of Belgium in a coma, and his compatriot Antoine Demoitié died in the spring classic Gent-Wevelgem, because a motorcycle ran over. Tour boss Christian Prudhomme announced a target to reduce the number of motorcycles in the Tour and promises that car and motorcycle drivers “hand-picked” and special training courses would have to go through.
Fragile security: police subdue a protester. The Tour is a possible attack target.
Can Degenkolb compete with the Best?
The Teams with the numerous accompanying show by itself a part of the problem, respond to the increasing number of Falls, which include, in particular, to the nervous first week. The German Team Giant-Alpecin used in the shirts and pants, more recently, special tear-proof materials to prevent Falls injuries, or to minimize. “To Plunge the body has to expend a lot of energy for wound healing,” explains Team Coach Adriaan Helmantel, “the new clothing can have an impact directly on the performance”.
One of his proteges, such textile technology has not helped: John Degenkolb suffered in January in a head-on crash with a car while Training in Spain, the consequences of severe injuries and almost lost a Finger. Now he is back: “In the last few weeks, my Form is become by the race better, I’m happy with my Constitution. After the setback to the start of the season, I’m here to get my first stage win,” said Degenkolb, who have failed so far, always close to the goal of success.
To start off Yellow for Germany?
Degenkolb must stand on the flat stages of a strong competition – especially from their own country. André Greipel won in the previous four stages and proved last weekend with the victory at the German Championships in Erfurt in his top form. There is almost beaten, but throughout the entire season with impressive results, is presented Marcel Kittel in full force. The eight-time Tour stage winner in his black 2015 with his new Etixx Team back in the top of the world. And offers perhaps the fastest man in the world on two wheels the big Chance for the Yellow Jersey. Because the Tour starts with a prologue, but with a flat stage to Utah Beach, Yellow for Kittel “, a giant wish.” His mate Tony Martin is one of the most important helpers. Since the time trial of the Tour this year are to be mountainous, will it have the all-rounder hard to put up so brilliantly in scene like in the previous year.
Marcel Kittel (center), switched to the kick-off to the Yellow Jersey – his strongest opponent is a country man
Not only the time trial, the mountain stages are tailored this year to a type of driver: the mountain the driver. The tour organiser ASO hopes on spectacle and, of course, to the native driver. With Thibaut Pinot, Romain and Warren Barguil, the hosts have Bardet three exceptional talents in the game to finish on the podium. The top tier is likely to still be a little too high for the emerging French. The Trio approaches the peak, but the current Tour is there-Scores: last year’s winner Chris Froome, has also increased again this year like clockwork its shape to the highlight of the season and again favorite. He is a powerful Sky-Armada, which is reminiscent, at least in terms of their dominance on the road to Lance Armstrong’s US Postal squad is not available-hopefully with similar success secret.
So a lot of podium candidates, as long
Froomes toughest rival of the Colombian mountain flea Nairo Quintana, who wants to rapture his Cycling-loving country once again with attacks on the mountain, and in the years to come, Alberto Contador. The Leader of the dissolving Tinkoff-is racing difficult to assess. At the Dauphiné, he showed strong Form – but at the age of 33 years, for three weeks? It is questionable as to how well the Italian double head of the Astana-will travel: the winner of The tour of 2014, Vinzenco Nibali, to assist the much younger Vuelta winner of 2015, Fabio Aru,. Whether the assured loyalty of the promise of the three weeks will survive, remains to be seen. The fact that it is with the American Teejay van Garderen, the Australian Richie Porte, the Dutchman Bauke Mollema and the never to underestimate the Spanish veteran Alejandro Valverde in this year, as many contenders as long as not on the Podium jostling, lets hope. This Tour will be exciting, that’s for sure.