The Calm Before The Storm

Sprinters and GC riders alike referred to the relative serenity of the Tour’s first week but the description would prove a hostage to fortune.

- Sophie Hurcom

With seven of the opening nine stages of the Tour de France reaching over 200 kilometres in distance and with heat that topped 38°C midweek, the peloton enjoyed what many called one of the least stressful introductions to the Tour de France seen in recent years.

The race enjoyed a slow jaunt towards France before it finally arrived on stage three, having travelled through Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg to get there. And despite the first summit finish coming on stage five — slap-bang in the middle of the opening week — the level of angst among the peloton only really ramped up when the race hit the Jura Mountains last Saturday.

Crosswinds and cobblestones, which have caused havoc in the peloton in recent years, were nowhere to be seen and the feeling among the riders once the first day was in the bag was that fewer riders were taking risks due to feeling nervous.

“It’s probably not been the hardest ever, with the wind and weather and everything,” said Quick Step Floors directeur sportif Brian Holm.

“The sprinters’ stages are more controlled now, people sort of know what’s going to happen. It’s not easy, it’s never going to be easy — it’s the Tour — but I’ve seen worse years when you keep in mind the cobblestones we’ve had in the past. Of course it’s always stressful but not crazy.”