Cycling: What a sensational start to the Tour in Rimini! Tomorrow the Tour de France continues with fewer meters of elevation – but excitement is still guaranteed.
Again nothing for the pure sprinters?
The second stage of the Tour de France 2024 is also a tough one and is not a matter for the classic sprinters. On the 199,2-kilometer course from Cesenatico to Bologna The professional cyclists will have to contend with six mountain classifications. All of them are in the third or fourth category, which is why the climbs are more like hills than mountains. Nevertheless, they will ensure that the day's winner is not a classic sprinter.
Who is attacking on the Côte de San Luca?
While the Monticino Coast, that Côte de Gallisterna, that Côte de Botteghino di Zocca and the Côte de Montecalvo will not yet have a decisive influence on the race, this will be the case at the latest Côte de San Luca (1,9 km with 10,4%). This hill will be ridden twice. With its length of almost two kilometers and an average gradient of over ten percent, the wheat will be separated from the chaff here. Even hill-resistant sprinters like Jasper Philipsen, Arnaud de Lie and Mads Pedersen will only be able to keep up on a very good day. Attacks from strong punchers are guaranteed 12,5 kilometers from the finish.
Velomotion forecast: Van der Poel wins as a soloist
Tomorrow's Tour stage is made for the classics hunters. We should also have someone who can win Milan-Sanremo in our sights for tomorrow. Mathieu van der Poel is made for this section. The Dutchman was able to conserve his energy today so that he is now in top shape. He could attack on the last climb and get away from everyone. But the list of his opponents is long. In the sprint he could face Wout van Aert. But we shouldn't write off Mads Pedersen, Arnaud de Lie and his team-mate Jasper Philipsen either.
* * * Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin – Deceuninck)
* * Wout van Aert (Visma – LaB), Mads Pedersen (Lidl – Trek)
* Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin – Deceuninck), Arnaud de Lie (Lotto – Dstny), Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers)