FAVORITES STAGE 7 TOUR DE FRANCE 2024 | VINGEGAARD, EVENEPOEL AND POGACAR WILL BATTLE IT OUT IN THE TIME TRIAL
The first Friday stage of the 2024 Tour de France is already upon us, and it’s not just any stage: we face the first individual time trial. Spanning 25 kilometers, it’s a day when the classification riders need to be on their toes. IDLProCycling.com tells you everything you need to know!
Route stage 7 Tour de France 2024
The individual time trial runs from Nuits-Saint-Georges to Gevrey-Chambertin, mostly heading north. We can roughly divide the TT into three parts, starting at Nuits-Saint-Georges. From that point, it’s an 8.5-kilometer push to the first checkpoint in Messanges.
From there, the road begins to rise slightly, with the main challenge being the Côte de Curtil-Vergy (1.6km at 6.1%). From the top of this climb, the route continues harshly for several kilometers to Curley, where the second checkpoint will be set up.
Next, the riders face a five-kilometer descent to the third point in Morey-Saint-Danes, followed by a final demanding five kilometers to the finish in Gevrey-Chambertin. In the final kilometer, riders need to stay focused, as there are several turns to navigate.
Times
Start first rider: 1:05 p.m.
Finish last rider: around 5:29 p.m.
Weather stage 7 Tour de France 2024
26 degrees Celsius, hardly any chance of rain, and mostly tailwinds: the meteorological conditions do not seem to have much influence on the outcome of this time trial.
Favorites stage 7 Tour de France 2024
If there is one man who will start this time trial with his game face on, on Friday, it's Remco Evenepoel of Soudal Quick-Step. The world champion in time trialing is eager to achieve success in his first Tour de France, and what better stage than this time trial, in his rainbow jersey? Returning from his altitude training, he has already scouted the course, so the circuit no longer holds any secrets for him.
Evenepoel's major rival might be easy to predict, as this time trial should also suit Tadej Pogacar of UAE-Team Emirates. The Slovenian may not have the most impressive power on the flats, but in climbing – which this time trial also involves – he always holds his own.
The other seven men of UAE-Team Emirates are also strong against the clock, but we especially expect something from the two guys who, like Pogacar, are well-placed in the GC: Juan Ayuso and Joao Almeida. Both gentlemen have recently won major time trials and could well be close to a stage win again.
Then there are the men from Visma | Lease a Bike, who after their injuries may have lost some of their prowess against the clock. Jonas Vingegaard, impressive in last year's time trial to Combloux, has not been able to complete the planned time trial training, according to his team, while Wout van Aert sees this as a very interesting test case heading towards the Olympics. And then there's Matteo Jorgenson, who finished fourth in the Critérium du Dauphiné.
Second there was Primoz Roglic, who this year in the Tour of the Basque Country was the only one to beat Evenepoel in a time trial. Like in every time trial, we also place him among the good contenders for a top spot. He really needs to, as Roglic already has time to make up.
As for the rest, it's hard to predict who might be up to the task, there might be a surprise here and there. What about the fallen Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and on a good day, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), knowing that they have two stages this weekend that suit them? Can the Swiss time trialists Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) and Stefan Bissegger (EF) make an impact?
Among the general classification riders, we are keeping an eye out for Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious), who has specifically worked on his time trialing. Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost), Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R), Oier Lazkano (Movistar), Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa - B&B Hotels) and Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) are named as long shots, based on their performances in recent similar time trials.
Favorites stage 7 Tour de France 2024, according to IDLProCycling.com
Top favorites: Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) and Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates)
Outsiders: Primoz Roglic (BORA-hansgrohe), Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike), Joao Almeida and Juan Ayuso (UAE-Team Emirates)
Long shots: Jonas Vingegaard, Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious), Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost), Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R), Oier Lazkano (Movistar) and Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech)
2024-07-04T17:48:46Z dg43tfdfdgfd