At the Start of the Tour de France 2019 in Brussels all the talk about the chances that the injury-related Absence of Chris Froome offers. But just the dominance of his team, Ineos, is not likely to be break.
The streets of the centre of Brussels, are seductive. It smells of crispy fried French fries and in front of the little Friterie near the Central Grand Place, has already formed a queue. It is evening time and, as always, crowds of tourists with students and suit mix here, carriers from the EU district. This scent can hardly stand up to someone again. Right next to sweet sins curls for fine bakery: cupcakes, chocolates, Flan Pâtissier, and Macarons to decorate the well-lit displays. And to these temptations, you will need to pass, the driver of the Tour de France. On the way to the team presentation on the Central square of Brussels, you will pass through crowds of people and the sweet-savory smells of the city, loves the food. What for a dirty trick. Because to prepare the Tour a strict diet for the driver for a long time. Not a gram of fat too much of the mountains is to be towed so today is competitive, especially on the mountain. Some pros eat their pasta without sauce, others weigh your food beforehand meticulously, and most of them have stirred long-no candy more.
The waiver belongs to the Tour de France. This has always been so. While in France enjoy the summer, have to toil the “heroes of the road”, as they are called since the first edition of the Tour de France in 1903. The sport of Cycling, which emerged from the work environment, defined never about pleasure and beauty, but about the capacity for suffering and endurance. And these are also to the 106. Edition the basic conditions for the victory.
The Rebellion of the tracker
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Who will win the Tour de France?Who makes the race?
Even without the hard-to-ousted Chris Froome it will be a thrilling race. The Tour de France promises to be a voltage, even if the current Sky Team (sponsors exchange is now Ineos) again the strongest. Our candidates check shows, who could be the British dangerous…
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Who will win the Tour de France?10 Enric Mas (Deceuninck-Quickstep)
Sunken cheeks, deeply seated eyes, spindly limbs and short cropped head of hair – Enric Mas many a viewer’s horror. However, the 24-year-old Spaniard is very healthy and extremely in shape. As a strong climber, he was drove to 2018, surprisingly Second in the Vuelta, this year, but so far unremarkable. Forecast: It’s not enough for the whole of the front.
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Who will win the Tour de France?9 Nairo Quintana (Movistar)
The time from Nairo Quintana is already over? From 2013 to 2016, he rode at the Tour, Giro and Vuelta will always be on the places one to four, was on the mountain a Power. But lately, the silence of Colombians, the media appointments falters shy and usually is shielded, of all the serious climbs. It is likely to be his last Chance as a captain in the Tour. Forecast: He doesn’t use them.
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Who will win the Tour de France?8 Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale)
Hopes weigh heavy Bardet on the narrow shoulders of Romain. The lanky climber is to end the long losing streak to the Frenchman in the Tour. In the last few years, it looked as if he could come closer to this goal. However, currently Bardet, who has a University degree in Management follows, its Form and the opponents. Prediction: Lose in the time trial too much time.
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Who will win the Tour de France?7 Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott)
“We have taken different paths, but we are very close and talk daily to each other,” says Adam Yates, over his relationship with his twin brother, Simon. Both are talented contenders for the overall classification. In France, Simon was at the Giro captain will continue, probably for Adam. In the mountains, well, in the time trial and solid. Forecast: you Can play, but not win.
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Who will win the Tour de France?6 Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe)
From the talented riders to podium candidate Emanuel Buchmann has in preparation a strong impression of the race left. The mountain of silence Schwabe is now one of the Best in the time trial, he has improved. What is missing from the 26-year-old, is the Punch and self-confidence for a great victory. Forecast: His curve continues upwards.
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Who will win the Tour de France?5 Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida)
The Double of Giro and Tour has proved in the last few years, always too demanding. Also experienced the “shark of Messina” is to point out the hardships of the tour of Italy, which he also lost because of a tactical error, still. But with its constancy and suffering of the 34-Year-old points. Forecast: The shark a couple of teeth for a powerful bite missing.
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Who will win the Tour de France?4 Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ)
The fear of the descents is defeated, his time trial weakness, he has worked in – it is Pinot Thibaut is now finally ready for more than a good placement? Almost. The Frenchman chose a continuous structure and is focused again for the first time on the Tour. His Team is good, but others are better. Forecast: Pinot is to attack his opponents but not all of them can shake off.
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Who will win the Tour de France?3 Geraint Thomas (Ineos)
The title defenders had at the Tour de Suisse, a scary moment: After a severe fall, the dream of a second tour victory out seemed to be already dreaming. But the 33-year-old Welshman can start. His preparation of delivery is not ideal – it’s the lightness of the previous year is missing. Forecast: But to the Podium, it’s still enough.
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Who will win the Tour de France?2 Jakob Fuglsang (Astana)
For years, the Dane was in the employ of other Top riders: Jakob Fuglsang rode for the Schleck brothers, as a helper, and also in Astana, mostly in the shade. Now he is captain, and rightly so. This year, he was the most consistent of the Tour candidates, has increased on the mountain once again. Forecast: the Yellow Jersey is very close.
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Who will win the Tour de France?1 Egan Bernal (Ineos)
Viva Colombia! The Cycling-mad Nation, is looking forward to the next Star, the raptured in July, the home. And this Time it may really. Egan Bernal has exceptional performance data, and driving at Ineos in the strongest Team. At the Tour de Suisse, he was unbeatable, now he could push up the Tour of his stamp. Prediction: He leaves Colombia cheer.
Who is this the best way to torture? This question is electrified to the Start of the Peloton and the Fans. Indeed, the Absence of Chris Froome, who crashed out of the Critérium du Dauphiné hard and long fails, opens up possibilities and inspires the imagination. “I think this will be a very open Tour. In the absence of Chris Froome some of the drivers will be brave and attack,” says Vincenzo Nibali in an interview with DW. The Italian was 2014 the last, could the dominance of the Sky team (that is now Ineos) and won – because said Froome had to give up after a fall. At that time, the Tour was unpredictable, the race seemed to be less controlled. A similar scenario is also 2019 conceivable?
Opinions differ on this point. On the one hand, with Froome and Tom Dumoulin, two of the currently most tour specialists, and the economical handling of the Tour-organization with time trial kilometers, is the top-of-the box closer together. On the other hand, the strength of the British Ineos Team once again with two winning candidates – and could continue to own Era is quite.
Last year’s winner Geraint Thomas from Wales, and the 22-year-old Colombian Egan Bernal are available at almost all bookmakers at the very top of the list. “Who wants to bet on who it is, means nothing to me,” says Geraint Thomas, who also had a heavy fall in the preparation, but without the broken bones got away. “I was lucky, and I feel good. My fall didn’t leave any permanent damage.”
Addressed to the question of how the will with the double-top with the boy’s exceptional talent, Bernal work, says the eleven-year-older Briton: “Egan Bernal is a honest and correct type. As long as we talk to each other and honest with each other, as Froome Chris and I were last year, it is a great advantage to have two riders for the final.”
A new generation of sprinters
Dylan Groenewegen (in the middle) could dominate the Sprints
So it’s no wonder that the other candidates push to the Podium in Paris, the favorite role of the Ineos-Duo. The Dane Jakob Fuglsang, who dominated with his strong Astana team many race of the season sees the 40 million Euro heavy Ineos-the Ensemble of the responsibility to make the race. However, in the statements of Respect is also something Rebelliousness mixes. His Team wool challenge Ineos, whose strength test, and “to create an open race. We are pursuing a more aggressive approach,” says Fuglsang. Also, the Spanish Movistar Team, with its three-to-peak from Nairo Quintana (Colombia), Alejandro Valverde and Mikel Landa (both of Spain) is looking for gaps in the Ineos-the wall, the British Yates twins, Adam and Simon, and France is again hoping for the climbers Pinot and Romain Thibaut Bardet, which seems to apply the brakes, the pressure of the high expectations but. And then a young German: Emanuel Buchmann, who is in the DW-Interview-combative, and in the overall classification, Kloden is the first German since Andreas in the year 2006 on the Podium could be to create is still there.
Before the favorites for overall victory, joined for the first time on the sixth stage in the Vosges mountains, in appearance, belongs to the stage but the sprinters. Traditionally, the Tour starts on flat Terrain, and is also in Brussels is not different. It is striking that the names of the favorites are on the first victory of the day new. The German squad is no more after years of dominance on the Front line: Marcel Kittel is currently on a career break, John Degenkolb was not nominated by his Team, and the now 37-year-old André Greipel runs behind his Form of earlier days. This is also true for Superstar Peter Sagan, the shape, the lightness is missing.
Instead, one must note the stocky Australian Caleb Ewan, who is in the Sprint so low over the Handlebars, that you are afraid he might be the front tip over. Or the Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen, a beefy and pretty fearless representative of his field, the track, the long thirst of the low countries, the wait, since 1989, in a Yellow Jersey, to finish. For this purpose, the Italian Tour debutant Elia Viviani to come with his strong Deceuninck Team, the experienced Norwegian Alexander Kristoff and the versatile Australian Michael Matthews. In view of the question mark behind Sagan’s Form is also the battle for the Green Jersey seems to be more open than in previous years.
Hardly anyone talks about Doping
Continues Ineos his dominance in the Tour de France? Thomas (center), and Bernal, two of the winning candidates are available
Doping is to Start in the streets of Brussels is not an issue, anyway, the Belgians are thrilled to has always been Cycling, can scandals ticking faster, as an example, the German Public and pay homage to way awesome your Radhelden. In particular, of course, the Belgian icon Eddy Merckx, is hailed for his response to a mobile TV-Studio and the the Start to the Tour is dedicated to.
50 years ago, he won for the first time on the Tour, four more wins also two positive doping tests followed, however. Everything long ago, if you ask Belgian Fans. The year-on-year because of its Salbutamol affair out pfiffene Chris Froome is missing this Time, the Tour de France, more carefree and more open start than in previous years. The organisers might like.