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The long list of riders who have dropped out of the 2021 Tour de France

A number of cyclists won't be finishing the race.

tour de france riders left

The 2021 Tour de France has reached its second rest day. 37 of the 228 riders that started the race (16 per cent) have dropped out and won’t be returning for the sixteenth stage of the Tour. Some teams such as UAE-Team Emirates, Israel Start-Up Nation, Trek – Segafredo, Deceuninck – Quick Step, Cofidis and EF Education – Nippo still have their full eight-rider squads. Others have far fewer riders left: Groupama – FDJ and Lotto Soudal only have four riders standing and Arkéa Samsic is down to three.

Here is the list of withdrawals so far:

[Updated July 12, after Stage 15]

Cyril Lemoine (B&B Hotels-KTM) Jasha Sutterlin (Team DSM) Ignatas Konovalovas (Groupama-FDJ)

On Stage 1, a spectator’s sign caused a major crash and brought down the bulk of the peloton. Many riders suffered through their injuries but some were forced to withdraw completely. Ignatas Konovalovas (Groupama-FDJ) suffered head trauma and Cyril Lemoine (B&B Hotels-KTM) ended up with four broken ribs, a moderate pneumothorax and a head wound.

Jasha Sütterlin (Team DSM) also left the race with an injured hand.

Marc Soler (Movistar)

Marc Soler (Movistar) finished Stage 1 despite getting caught up in the big crash, but his teammates later confirmed that he had fractured both elbows. Soler did not start the second stage.

Robert Gesink (Jumbo-Visma) Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious)

Robert Gesink (Jumbo-Visma) crashed on stage 3, and was taken to the hospital with a fractured collarbone and concussion. Bahrain Victorious team leader Jack Haig also crashed and was taken to the hospital with a fractured collarbone and concussion.

Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal)

A third rider, Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal), was taken to the hospital with a broken collarbone after the chaotic third stage , but the officials counted the Australian cyclist as finishing the stage as his crash happened within sight of the line.

RELATED: Watch: The dramatic final sprint of the Tour’s crash-marred Stage 3

There were no withdrawals from Stage 5 to Stage 8.

Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix) Jasper De Buyst (Lotto-Soudal) Nans Peters (Ag2r Citroën Team) Bryan Coquard (B&B Hotels-KTM) Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) Stefan De Bod (Astana-Premier Tech) Loïc Vliegen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) Nic Dlamini (Qhubeka-NextHash) Anthony Delaplace (Arkéa-Samsic)

The day started off with the withdrawals of Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix). Roglič, who crashed hard on the third stage, had been suffering through his injuries and made the decision to not continue the race. Van der Poel, who wore the yellow jersey for six days, left the race to focus on training for the mountain bike race at the Olympic Games later this summer.

Nans Peters (Ag2r Citroën), Jasper De Buyst (Lotto-Soudal) and Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix) all were unable to finish the mountain stage. Stefan De Bod (Astana-Premier Tech), Loïc Vliegen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), Bryan Coquard (B&B Hotels-KTM) and Anthony Delaplace (Arkéa-Samsic) did not make the time cut. Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) also didn’t make the time cut, which means Groupama – FDJ will have just five riders at the start of Stage 10.

Nic Dlamini (Qhubeka-NextHash) crashed but was determined to finish the stage. One hour and 24 minutes after Ben O’Connor crossed the line, the South African cyclist crossed the line, determined to finish despite being far over the time cut. “I wanted to honour my dream to ride the Tour,” he said.

?? #TDF2021 "I wanted to honour my dream to ride @LeTour ". Unfortunately after crashing today @nich_dlamini ?? was unable to regain contact with the group but was determined to finish despite being out of the time limit. Ubuntu – I am because we are #BicyclesChangeLives pic.twitter.com/vwxcI0mmbW — Team Qhubeka NextHash (@QhubekaAssos) July 4, 2021

Jonas Koch Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux

Tony Martin (Jumbo Visma) Luke Rowe (Ineos Grenadiers) Miles Scotson Groupama-FDJ Daniel McLay (Team Arkea-Samsic) Clément Russo (Team Arkea-Samsic) Tiesj Benoot (Team DSM) Tosh Van Der Sande (Lotto Soudal) Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka-NextHash)

A double ascent of Mont Ventoux’s imposing moonscape was always bound to put riders in trouble. 10 days deep into this years Grand Tour, eight riders were unable to finish the stage or make the time cut-off.

Peter Sagan (Borah Hansgrohe)

After a crash on Stage 3, Peter Sagan never quite looked himself. Before Stage 12, the Slovakian rider decided to stop fighting lingering knee pain and start focusing on recovering ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

Simon Yates (Bike Exchange) Lucas Hamilton (Bike Exchange) Roger Kluge (Lotto Soudal)

A crash during a fast descent on Stage 13 scattered 30 riders across the road and down an embankment. Most were able to remount and return to the race. Bike Exchange, though, suffered its first two losses of the tour. Simon Yates and Lucas Hamilton, both destined for Tokyo to represent Australia, but remounted and started to ride, but were unable to continue. Roger Kluge (Lotto Soudal) also was forced to abandon after the crash. With the these three gone, the Tour is now 31 riders short of its initial start list.

Our mechanic @D_martijn takes us right into the thick of the chaos and carnage from ???? crash @LeTour today.? #TDF2021 pic.twitter.com/YJSIgbibvH — Team DSM (@TeamDSM) July 9, 2021

Warren Barguil (Team Arkea-Samsic) Søren Kragh Andersen (Team DSM)

Two more riders withdrew overnight due to injuries sustained in the chaotic crash on Friday’s 13th stage. All of Team DSM hit the deck in the incident. The team’s doctors pulled Søren Kragh Andersen from the race after observing concussion symptoms overnight. Team DSM posted their mechanic’s view of the crash, and confusion that followed.

Nacer Bouhanni (Arkea-Samsic) Edvald Boasson Hagen (TotalEnergies)

Nacer Bouhanni’s (Arkea-Samsic) Tour came to an end on Stage 15. The French rider abandoned at the intermediate sprint, after being dropped ahead of the highest climb of the stage. The sprinter crashed on Stage 13 and seemed to be battling his wounds on Stage 14’s medium mountains.

Edvald Boasson Hagen (TotalEnergies) did not make the time cut on his eleventh Tour de France.

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Andrey Amador Led Stage 11 of the TdF Today. You Will Not Believe the Odds He Overcame to Get Here.

In 2011 the Costa Rican rider was severely beaten, robbed, and left for dead. He has recovered in a big way.

110th tour de france 2023 stage 11

Early in stage 11 of the Tour de France, Andrey Amador (EF Education–EasyPost) was in the breakaway group and then leading the race with Daniel Oss (TotalEnergies) and Matis Louvel (Arkéa–Samsic). And while he didn’t make it to a podium today, just seeing him at the front is impressive.

In early 2011, the Costa Rican rider was involved in a brutal robbery and assault while on a training ride in his home country, which resulted in significant injuries. He was left for dead, unconscious in a river bed, after the drivers of two automobiles drove up next to him and brutally beat him.

According to road.cc , after being unconscious for 6 hours, he woke up and called his family, who picked him up and took him home. They thought he was just bruised, but the following morning Amador began vomiting, so they took him to the hospital.

The incident happened on Amador’s final training ride of the year—he was 24 at the time. After being taken to the hospital in San José, doctors discovered that one of his kidneys was paralyzed, and that he had a pulmonary contusion and severe bruising on his lungs.

What could have meant the end of his career as a professional cyclist instead became a testament to Amador’s strength. After significant downtime, Amador made a full recovery from his injuries and was chosen to carry the flag for Costa Rica at the 2011 Pan American Games opening ceremony.

He also became the first Costa Rican to ever ride the Tour de France. And in 2012, Amador won a mountainous stage 14 in the Giro d'Italia. His success continued when he wore the pink jersey in the 2016 Giro d'Italia, becoming the first Costa Rican to lead a Grand Tour.

We’re happy to see the 36-year-old still out front crushing it at the biggest bike race in the world, an inspiring example of the power of not giving up.

Micah Ling is a freelance writer who lives in the mountains of Colorado. She splits her free time between mountain biking and trail running.

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Tour de France - Re-Cycle: When Abdel-Kader Zaaf collapsed in a ditch, woke up and rode off in the wrong direction

Felix Lowe

Updated 09/07/2021 at 09:41 GMT

Sunstroke and a bottle of wine made Abdel-Kader Zaaf a household name at the 1950 Tour after he passed out on his bike then, in a daze, rode back towards the peloton. A year later, the Algerian trailblazer finished last after launching the move that ended the grieving Fausto Coppi’s bid for yellow. Felix Lowe remembers a man who blurred the lines between myth and reality

Re-Cycle: when legendary Lanterne Rouge Abdel-Kader Zaaf collapsed in a ditch, woke up and rode off in the wrong direction

Image credit: Eurosport

Woman who caused Tour de France crash fined 1200 euros

09/12/2021 at 16:27

picture

Marcel Molines and Abdel-Kader Zaaf

Image credit: From Official Website

Who was Abdel-Kader Zaaf?

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French-Algerian cyclist Abdel-Kader Zaaf during the Tour de France in 1950, in France. (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystine via Getty Images)

Image credit: Getty Images

The wine myth from 1950

picture

A North African team participates in the 1950 Tour de France. The team is: Max Charroin, Custadio Dos Reis, Ahmed Kebaili, Marcel Molines, Abdel Kader Zaaf, and Marcel Zelasco. (Photo by Universal/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

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Abdel-Kader Zaaf (left) and Marcel Molinès during stage 13 of the 1950 Tour de France

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Abdel-Kader Zaaf, on the left, and Marcel Molinès, both of the same team "North Africa", pedal side by side during the 13th stage of the 37th Tour de France in Perpignan-Nimes in July 1950.

1951 Tour de France: Zaaf the Lanterne Rouge

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A crowd of spectators watches cyclist Abdel Kader Zaaf as he breaks away from the pack in the third stage (between Gand and Le Treport, France) of the 1951 Tour de France. (Photo by Universal/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

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Algeria's Abdel-Kader Zaaf and the Swiss rider Robert Lang (c.1949)

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INEOS Grenadiers announce exciting 2023 Tour de France line-up

26 Jun 2023

INEOS Grenadiers announce exciting 2023 Tour de France line-up

The INEOS Grenadiers have confirmed the eight riders who will take on the 110th edition of the Tour de France.

Starting in Bilbao, Spain, on 1 July, the race heads into France on Stage 3, culminating with the iconic Champs-Elysées finish on 23 July.

The 2023 route features one individual time trial, four summit finishes and covers 3,405km over 21 stages.  

The INEOS Grenadiers selected for the 2023 Tour de France are:

Egan Bernal

Jonathan Castroviejo

Omar Fraile

Michal Kwiatkowski

Daniel Martinez

Tom Pidcock

Carlos Rodriguez

Starting in Bilbao, Spain, on 1 July, the race heads into France on Stage 3, culminating with the iconic Champs-Elysées finish on 23 July.

The 2023 route features one individual time trial, four summit finishes and covers 3,405km over 21 stages.  

Rod Ellingworth, Deputy Team Principal

This is a great route and one which will see hard, full-gas racing right from the start. We know anything can happen over three weeks of a Grand Tour and we also know the demands of an event where heat and altitude play a big part. 

We’ve selected an exciting group of riders that bring a mix of skills and experience. The strength of this team will lie in the way we take on the race, and how we approach each stage with the options we have.

The whole team’s really thrilled for Egan, and everyone who’s supported him in his return to full fitness. It’s a demonstration of his character and resilience, and the extraordinary effort he’s put into his recovery over the past 18 months. Of course, as a previous winner, he brings invaluable insight and a winning attitude to the group. His grit and determination sum up what we’re all about as a team, and all our riders will benefit from his experience at the Tour.

Tom showed last year what a hugely exciting talent he is and his victory on Alpe d’Huez was just brilliant. We’re looking forward to seeing him progress once again, applying what he learned last year.

In Kwiato, Dani, Castro and Omar we have an abundance of experience and skill – each one of these guys knows what it takes to win at the top level. 

For Carlos and Ben, both making their Tour de France debuts, this is a big moment, and one they’re both looking to absorb and embrace. They’re both top quality bike riders, so they’ll certainly be ready to grab any opportunities along the way. 

We know there are going to be a lot of new fans watching this year given the success of ‘Unchained’ on Netflix, and whether they’re on the roadside or in their living rooms, we’re looking to give them plenty to cheer about.

Egan Bernal - 26, Colombia

Making my return to the Tour has always been a major goal for me. I'm so excited to be able to experience every kilometre of this race again. 

I’m sure many people have followed everything that has happened to me since my accident in January last year, and the journey I’ve been through to overcome the greatest test of my life. Being a part of this year’s Tour team reassures me that I’m on my way to returning to my best.

This race is also an opportunity for me to show my gratitude and commitment to the team that continually supported me throughout, to thank each person who has helped me, from the nurses who took care of me in the hospital, the doctors, my friends, family, teammates and INEOS. 

Above all I want to take this opportunity to inspire people and show them that, even if everything seems lost, we can trust in God. Be strong, because life only comes to us once and we must appreciate the second chances we’re given and take advantage of every second.

Tom Pidcock - 23, Great Britain

I’m really excited to be back at the Tour de France for what promises to be another beautiful three weeks.

To win an iconic stage and wear the white jersey in 2022 are lifelong memories, and this year I want to build on that as I continue to progress my career. We’ve got an exciting group of riders and we’ll be looking to race with intent and be tactically smart, as we execute the plans we’ve developed as a team.

As I experienced for the first time last year, the Tour is the toughest race of all, but it’s also the most beautiful and historic - which is what makes it so iconic. The opportunity to tackle it again alongside my teammates and some of the best riders in the world, in front of so many passionate fans, is one that I relish.

Jonathan Castroviejo - 36, Spain

I’m really happy to be selected for the Tour this year, especially as it starts in my home city - and the thought of racing past my house on the first stage is crazy, I’m sure it will be an incredible experience. 

I’m feeling in really good shape and hope to be able to help the Team as much as possible, and light up this race.

Daniel Martinez - 27, Colombia

To be a part of this team and ride the Tour de France is always an honour, I’m really motivated to get out there, start racing with my teammates and see what we can do.

I’m feeling good and want to do the best I can for the team, so I can’t wait to get to Bilbao and get going!

Omar Fraile - 32, Spain

To be selected for the Tour de France always feels very special, it’s my favourite time of the year. I love the build up to it and then the excitement of arriving at the Grand Départ. The Tour is always next level!

Competing for this team is also a real honour and the Tour this year is going to be one of the most special, one of the most beautiful, because it starts in the Basque Country, my home. 

That is super-motivating to think about, lining up in my town for this team in front of my family and friends. It doesn’t get more special than that.

Michal Kwiatkowski - 33, Poland

To make the team after the setbacks I went through last year is already a huge motivation for me. It will be a challenging edition with a lot of climbing and some very difficult stages.

My hope is to take it day by day, chance by chance and not get too excited early as the first stages are always quite hectic. I will be there for my teammates and if I see a chance for myself, I’ll go for it.

I'm super excited about our team line-up. I’m confident we can stand out on numerous days, with big talents like Egan, Tom, Dani and others driving us forward. This year we have the freedom to be really tactical – to seize opportunities and take calculated risks.

This dynamic might just be the unique advantage we need and perfectly illustrates our all-in mentality.

Carlos Rodriguez - 22, Spain

For me, riding the Tour is an absolute dream come true. Since I was a small boy, I watched the race on TV and always dreamed of riding it one day. 

Having the opportunity to do my first Tour de France in this team, with this group of guys, makes it even more special. I can’t wait.

Ben Turner - 24, Great Britain

It’s an absolute dream for me to start the Tour de France. I remember going to watch the start as a kid in Yorkshire so to be here now is incredible. I never thought I’d pin a number on for this race so it will be a moment I’ll always remember.”

I’m so grateful to the team for giving me this opportunity. I’ve been working really hard and feel great, and I’m so thankful to the many people who helped me recover from the crash I had at the Dauphine.

I really want to soak up my first Tour – experience every part of it and learn. Mostly I want to give everything I have to support my teammates, and finish in Paris knowing I did my best.

This is a great route and one which will see hard, full-gas racing right from the start. We know anything can happen over three weeks of a Grand Tour and we also know the demands of an event where heat and altitude play a big part. 

We’ve selected an exciting group of riders that bring a mix of skills and experience. The strength of this team will lie in the way we take on the race, and how we approach each stage with the options we have.

The whole team’s really thrilled for Egan, and everyone who’s supported him in his return to full fitness. It’s a demonstration of his character and resilience, and the extraordinary effort he’s put into his recovery over the past 18 months. Of course, as a previous winner, he brings invaluable insight and a winning attitude to the group. His grit and determination sum up what we’re all about as a team, and all our riders will benefit from his experience at the Tour.

Tom showed last year what a hugely exciting talent he is and his victory on Alpe d’Huez was just brilliant. We’re looking forward to seeing him progress once again, applying what he learned last year.

In Kwiato, Dani, Castro and Omar we have an abundance of experience and skill – each one of these guys knows what it takes to win at the top level. 

For Carlos and Ben, both making their Tour de France debuts, this is a big moment, and one they’re both looking to absorb and embrace. They’re both top quality bike riders, so they’ll certainly be ready to grab any opportunities along the way. 

We know there are going to be a lot of new fans watching this year given the success of ‘Unchained’ on Netflix, and whether they’re on the roadside or in their living rooms, we’re looking to give them plenty to cheer about.

Making my return to the Tour has always been a major goal for me. I'm so excited to be able to experience every kilometre of this race again. 

I’m sure many people have followed everything that has happened to me since my accident in January last year, and the journey I’ve been through to overcome the greatest test of my life. Being a part of this year’s Tour team reassures me that I’m on my way to returning to my best.

This race is also an opportunity for me to show my gratitude and commitment to the team that continually supported me throughout, to thank each person who has helped me, from the nurses who took care of me in the hospital, the doctors, my friends, family, teammates and INEOS. 

Above all I want to take this opportunity to inspire people and show them that, even if everything seems lost, we can trust in God. Be strong, because life only comes to us once and we must appreciate the second chances we’re given and take advantage of every second.

I’m really excited to be back at the Tour de France for what promises to be another beautiful three weeks.

To win an iconic stage and wear the white jersey in 2022 are lifelong memories, and this year I want to build on that as I continue to progress my career. We’ve got an exciting group of riders and we’ll be looking to race with intent and be tactically smart, as we execute the plans we’ve developed as a team.

As I experienced for the first time last year, the Tour is the toughest race of all, but it’s also the most beautiful and historic - which is what makes it so iconic. The opportunity to tackle it again alongside my teammates and some of the best riders in the world, in front of so many passionate fans, is one that I relish.

I’m really happy to be selected for the Tour this year, especially as it starts in my home city - and the thought of racing past my house on the first stage is crazy, I’m sure it will be an incredible experience. 

I’m feeling in really good shape and hope to be able to help the Team as much as possible, and light up this race.

To be a part of this team and ride the Tour de France is always an honour, I’m really motivated to get out there, start racing with my teammates and see what we can do.

I’m feeling good and want to do the best I can for the team, so I can’t wait to get to Bilbao and get going!

To be selected for the Tour de France always feels very special, it’s my favourite time of the year. I love the build up to it and then the excitement of arriving at the Grand Départ. The Tour is always next level!

Competing for this team is also a real honour and the Tour this year is going to be one of the most special, one of the most beautiful, because it starts in the Basque Country, my home. 

That is super-motivating to think about, lining up in my town for this team in front of my family and friends. It doesn’t get more special than that.

My hope is to take it day by day, chance by chance and not get too excited early as the first stages are always quite hectic. I will be there for my teammates and if I see a chance for myself, I’ll go for it.

I'm super excited about our team line-up. I’m confident we can stand out on numerous days, with big talents like Egan, Tom, Dani and others driving us forward. This year we have the freedom to be really tactical – to seize opportunities and take calculated risks.

For me, riding the Tour is an absolute dream come true. Since I was a small boy, I watched the race on TV and always dreamed of riding it one day. 

Having the opportunity to do my first Tour de France in this team, with this group of guys, makes it even more special. I can’t wait.

It’s an absolute dream for me to start the Tour de France. I remember going to watch the start as a kid in Yorkshire so to be here now is incredible. I never thought I’d pin a number on for this race so it will be a moment I’ll always remember.”

I’m so grateful to the team for giving me this opportunity. I’ve been working really hard and feel great, and I’m so thankful to the many people who helped me recover from the crash I had at the Dauphine.

I really want to soak up my first Tour – experience every part of it and learn. Mostly I want to give everything I have to support my teammates, and finish in Paris knowing I did my best.

Magnus Sheffield renews with the INEOS GRENADIERS

Magnus Sheffield renews with the INEOS GRENADIERS

Gallery: 2024 - The first ride

Gallery: 2024 - The first ride

Storm incoming for the INEOS Grenadiers

Storm incoming for the INEOS Grenadiers

New Job Vacancy: Partnerships Manager

New Job Vacancy: Partnerships Manager

INEOS Grenadiers choose Prologo as technical partner for road and off-road saddles

INEOS Grenadiers choose Prologo as technical partner for road and off-road saddles

INEOS Grenadiers and Gobik announce long-term partnership

INEOS Grenadiers and Gobik announce long-term partnership

Tour de France 2022 – Comprehensive team-by-team guide

All you need to know about the team lineups, from the contenders to the riders that could surprise

QUILLAN FRANCE JULY 10 Rafa Majka of Poland Tadej Pogaar of Slovenia and UAETeam Emirates Yellow Leader Jersey and Teammates during the 108th Tour de France 2021 Stage 14 a 1837km stage from Carcassonne to Quillan LeTour TDF2021 on July 10 2021 in Quillan France Photo by Chris GraythenGetty Images

From AG2R Citroën through to UAE Team Emirates, this is a complete team-by-team guide of all 22 squads and 176 riders taking part in in the 2022 Tour de France , which starts in Copenhagen on Friday, July 1.

All 18 WorldTour teams and the best-ranked ProTeam, Alpecin-Fenix, are automatically invited to the Tour de France this year. Organisers ASO have also designated wildcards to three more French ProTeams: B&B Hotels-KTM, Arkéa-Samsic and TotalEnergies.

Pre-race objectives vary enormously for each Tour team and their respective eight-man rosters reflect that. Some, like Tadej Pogačar ’s UAE Team Emirates and Ineos Grenadiers, are looking for a top general classification result. Others, like Israel Premier-Tech and DSM, are more focused on stage victories. Yet others will be trying for bunch sprints, secondary classifications, time trials or just placing riders in as many breakaways as possible. And some, like Jumbo-Visma, have multiple goals that combine some or all of these possible targets.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that teams’ goals can vary enormously once the Tour is underway and unforeseen developments, like illnesses, abandons or major changes in the GC ranking, affect the race. But there is one factor in common: the Tour de France is the biggest bike race in the world and nobody wants to watch the sun set over the Champs-Elysées on the evening of July 24 without some kind of success in the previous three weeks to their name.

There are plenty of famous faces, in-form riders and new names to watch and discover. We have analysed every team, picking out their leaders and predicting each squad’s hopes and objectives.

For everything else you need to know, read our complete preview of the Tour de France 2022 and our guide on how to watch the race .

AG2R Citroën Team

Team leader: Ben O'Connor Objective: GC and stage wins Rider to watch: Bob Jungels

The French team return for their 29th Tour de France and set out targeting a third podium finish in nine years through Ben O'Connor . The Australian was a pick-up punt at the end of the 2020 transfer market but has been a resounding success at AG2R, finishing fourth at last year's Tour and quickly becoming their focal point with a new three-year contract.

Expectations were raised but O'Connor, who has had an inconsistent career, showed it was no flash in the pan and has only strengthened his status in the build-up to this Tour. At the Dauphiné, he was the clear 'best of the rest' behind the Jumbo-Visma duo of Primož Roglič and Jonas Vingegaard. With Tadej Pogačar and Ineos Grenadiers also to enter the equation, the podium is a tall order but not out of the question. 

AG2R's squad will support O'Connor but not ignore the prospect of stage wins. Oliver Naesen will be O'Connor's henchman on the flat, in the wind, and especially on the cobbles on stage 5. Likewise Geoffrey Bouchard in the mountains, while Aurelien Paret-Peintre is more of a last-man and back-up GC rider.

The punchy Benoît Cosnefroy will look to attack wherever possible and it's worth keeping an eye on Bob Jungels, whose performance at the Tour de Suisse suggested he could be on his way back to his best after two difficult years of injury. 

Full line-up: Ben O'Connor, Geoffrey Bouchard, Michael Cherel, Benoit Cosnefroy, Stan Dewulf, Oliver Naesen, Aurélien Paret-Peintre, Bob Jungels

Alpecin-Fenix

Team leaders: Jasper Philipsen, Mathieu van der Poel Objective: Stage wins Rider to watch: The leaders

The Belgian team make their second Tour de France appearance after last year's blistering debut that saw Mathieu van der Poel win two stages and wear the yellow jersey, plus another stage win for Tim Merlier. It would have been the perfect Tour had Jasper Philipsen converted one of several near misses. 

Philipsen has been given the nod over Merlier for the sole sprinter's slot, and he'll be given a solid lead-out service. That could even include Van der Poel, who set up Merlier's win last year and has ruled himself out of any bid for the green jersey. But while Philipsen is the nominated man for the flat stages, Van der Poel is the star of the team and capable of shining wherever he feels like it.

The cobbled day on stage 5 stands out, as do punchy finishes at Longwy and Lausanne in the first half of the race, while hilly and mountainous breakaways are on the cards and even a shout at the opening time trial in Copenhagen. 

Elsewhere, Alexander Krieger will have extra lead-out responsibility in the absence of the injured Jonas Rickaert, while the likes of Silvan Dillier and Michael Gogl provide horsepower on the flat and rolling terrain.

Full line-up: Mathieu van der Poel, Jasper Philipsen, Michael Gogl, Alexander Krieger, Silvan Dillier, Kristian Sbaragli, Edward Planckaert, Guillaume Van Keirsbulck.

Bahrain Victorious

Team leaders: Jack Haig, Damiano Caruso Objective: GC, stage wins Rider to watch: Matej Mohorič

The Bahrain Victorious team ride the Tour on the back of an eventful appearance last year. They won three stages and the teams classification last year, but also saw their hotel raided by French police in an anti-doping operation.

Matej Mohorič , winner of two of those stages last year, returns as a formidable breakaway threat on the undulating days, while Dylan Teuns can do the same on the more mountainous stuff, as he did into Le Grand Bornand last year.

Meanwhile, they return with bolstered GC ambitions after Jack Haig crashed out with a broken collarbone on stage 3 last year. The Australian returns to the fold but does so alongside Damiano Caruso, who shed off his career-long domestique status with his 2021 Giro podium and has seamlessly settled into leadership life ever since. 

Caruso finished fourth and Haig fifth at the recent Critérium du Dauphiné and both go in on a similar level, in the bracket of riders looking for the top-five and maybe even the podium. They don't have quite the climbing team sent to accompany Mikel Landa at the Giro but the pair can quietly have their say. 

Full line-up: Damiano Caruso, Jack Haig, Matej Mohoric, Luis Leon Sanchez, Dylan Teuns, Jan Tratnik, Fred Wright, Kamil Gradek

BikeExchange-Jayco

Team leaders: Dylan Groenewegen Objective: Stage wins Rider to watch: Michael Matthews

The identity of the Australian team has chopped and changed over the past decade, from happy-go-lucky stage hunters to GC team. For this Tour, they're a sprint outfit, led by Dylan Groenewegen and with serious resources devoted to his success. 

Things might have been a little different had Simon Yates recovered more quickly from the knee injury that wrecked his Giro d'Italia. In his absence, Nick Schultz is the only rider who gives the team a real presence in the mountains.

Groenewegen won four stages of the Tour during his time at Jumbo-Visma and signed for BikeExchange following his ban for the crash involving Fabio Jakobsen at the 2020 Tour de Pologne. He has won five times this season and, even though they've all been in lower-level races, there's a real conviction among the management that he can deliver at the Tour. Luka Mezgec will be his lead-out man, while Jack Bauer, Amund Grondahl Jansen and Luke Durbridge are all capable of mucking in. 

That leaves Michael Matthews feeding off scraps. Once a surefire green jersey contender, the Australian's win rate has dipped dramatically in the past few years. He'll get his chance on the hillier days where Groenewegen gets dropped but will otherwise have to carve out his opportunities in the breakaways. 

Full line-up: Dylan Groenwegen, Michael Matthews, Luka Mezgec, Nick Schultz, Luke Durbridge, Jack Bauer, Amund Grondahl Jansen, Chris Juul-Jensen

Bora-Hansgrohe

Team leaders: Aleksandr Vlasov Objective: GC and stage wins Rider to watch: Max Schachmann

Fresh off their victory at the Giro d'Italia, Bora-Hansgrohe head into the Tour de France with a sharpened focus on the overall classification. That means there's no room for sprinter Sam Bennett , the Irishman who won the green jersey in 2020. Bennett returned to the team this year but has struggled for form and has been deemed surplus to requirements. 

That means the team are getting fully behind Aleksandr Vlasov , who is a legitimate contender for the final podium. 

Vlasov had to leave the recent Tour de Suisse with COVID-19. A lot will depend on how badly he was affected, and how much of his preparation training load has been written off. If fully fit, he's seen by many of his rivals as a podium threat, just below the Pogačar, Roglič, Vingegaard trio in the overall hierarchy. At 26, he's really started to hit his stride this season, with stage race victories at Tour de Romandie and Volta a Catalunya, a podium at Basque Country and a sense of 'what might have been' at Suisse. 

Patrick Konrad and Felix Großschartner provide the climbing support. Lennard Kämna, for all the attention garnered by his turn for Jai Hindley when dropping Richard Carapaz at the Giro, is more of a lone breakaway hunter. Max Schachmann is an all-rounder who can go deep into the mountains but also shine on many stages himself, while Nils Politt is a Classics-style rider for the transition-day breaks. 

Interestingly, Bennett's lead-out man Danny van Poppel has made the cut and could get involved in the sprints instead, with Marco Haller bumped up the lead-out train.

Full line-up: Aleksandr Vlasov, Max Schachmann, Danny van Poppel, Patrick Konrad, Felix Grosschartner, Nils Politt, Marco Haller, Lennard Kamna

B&B Hotels-KTM

Team leaders: Pierre Rolland Objective: Breakaways Rider to watch : Franck Bonnamour

The French team set up by Jérôme Pineau have had a trying season, with question marks over the spirit in the camp. They go into this Tour without an obvious source of success, with no GC outsider and no real sprint option after Bryan Coquard moved to Cofidis. Instead, it's all about the breakaways, and it'd be surprising to seem them miss one between now and the end of July. 

Pierre Rolland won the polka-dot jersey at the recent Dauphiné and will surely be out for more of the same from the start of the race. The Frenchman was top 10 with stage wins at the 2011 and 2012 Tours and, having hinted at retirement, will want to make the most and satisfy the fans' desire for attacks. 

Elsewhere, Franck Bonnamour was awarded the 'super-combativity' prize for his constant breakaway efforts at last year's Tour, and this year while he's looking to stay aggressive the plan is to bring in a more targeted approach by taking on the stages where there is a real chance of success. Alexis Gougeard is also never shy when it comes to a break.

Full line-up: Cyril Barthe, Franck Bonnamour, Alexis Gougeard, Jérémy Lecroq, Cyril Lemoine, Luca Mozzato, Pierre Rolland, Sebastian Schonberger

Team leaders: Guillaume Martin, Bryan Coquard Objective: GC, stage wins Rider to watch: Victor Lafay

The French team clock up their 26th Tour de France appearance, but do so looking to scratch a long and uncomfortable itch. They have not won a stage since 2008. For a respected French team, it's not ideal, especially now they're back in the WorldTour. 

The team are led by the familiar figure of Guillaume Martin , the French philosopher having earned a reputation as a 'yo-yo' man. In his recent Grand Tour appearances he has lost time in the mountains but gained it back by slipping into breakaways, and the only thing stopping him doing that here is if he decides that, after doing the Giro d'Italia, he should focus squarely on stage wins. 

Elsewhere, Ion Izaguirre is a former stage winner and quality campaigner while 26-year-old Frenchman Victor Lafay is an up-and-coming puncher who has come close to a few wins this year and could spring a surprise. 

Pierre-Luc Perichon gets the late call-up to replace sprinter Bryan Coquard, who tested positive for COVID-19.

Full line-up: Guillaume Martin, Ion Izagirre, Simon Geschke, Victor Lafay, Anthony Perez, Benjamin Thomas, Max Walscheid, Pierre-Luc Perichon

EF Education-EasyPost

Team leader: Rigoberto Urán Objective: GC and Stage wins Rider to watch: Alberto Bettiol

Rigoberto Urán has had a slow 2022, scoring a solitary top-10 finish at Itzulia Basque country – where he edged into a paltry 10th on stage 3, and 10th in the GC. It’s not a result that will put him on the radar of the Tour de France’s major GC contenders. Nonetheless, the veteran Colombian remains the highest pedigree climber and the most proven GC campaigner in the EF Education-EasyPost squad, and will likely enter the race as team leader. 

He has company, though. With his fourth place finish at the Tour de Suisse, Neilson Powless could have the potential to crack into the top 10 in the GC, while Ruben Guerreiro showed a decent level at the Dauphiné and an even higher one to win the Ventoux Challenge.

Despite some GC potential, we expect EF Education-EasyPost will be primarily hunting stage wins at this year’s Tour, where breakaways will probably offer the best opportunities. After Alberto Bettiol’s stage victory at last year’s Giro d’Italia, he’s certainly a dangerous rider when in an escape, and will be one to watch on the Tour’s more sedate transition stages.

While Magnus Cort hasn’t made much of a dent in 2022, after his three stage wins at last year’s Vuelta the puncheur will certainly have a Tour stage win on his bucket list, and in the right conditions every chance of getting one.

Finally, Stefan Bissegger is one of only a few riders with a chance of upsetting Filippo Ganna in the Copenhagen time trial.

Full line-up: Rigoberto Urán, Neilson Powless, Alberto Bettiol, Magnus Cort, Stefan Bissegger, Ruben Guerreiro, Owain Doull, Jonas Rutsch

Groupama-FDJ

Team leaders: David Gaudu, Thibaut Pinot Objective: GC and stage wins Rider to watch: Stefan Küng

Groupama-FDJ, the long-running French team run by Marc Madiot, unveiled their Tour de France plans at the start of the year and outlined a leadership trio of David Gaudu, Thibaut Pinot, and Michael Storer . At this point, it seems clear that Gaudu is the main man when it comes to the general classification. 

After two troubled years, Pinot has shown signs he's on his way back to his best – not least with his recent stage win at the Tour de Suisse – but he's surely not ready for a yellow jersey challenge. Still, mountain stage wins and, why not, the polka-dot jersey are realistic ambitions. Storer, meanwhile, has had a mixed year since signing from DSM on the back of his brace of stage wins at last year's Vuelta, and perhaps looks more suited to mountain support and stage hunting. 

There's no Arnaud Démare, so no sprint ambitions. Luxury support comes from puncher Valentin Madouas and rouleur Stefan Küng . The latter is the European time trial champion and in with a shout for the opening stage and penultimate stage, but also produced an astounding climbing performance to finish fifth at the recent Tour de Suisse. 

Full line-up: David Gaudu, Thibaut Pinot, Michael Storer, Stefan Küng, Valentin Madouas, Olivier Le Gac, Kevin Geniets, Antoine Duchesne

Ineos Grenadiers

Team leaders: Adam Yates, Dani Martínez, Geraint Thomas Objective : GC and stage wins Rider to watch: Tom Pidcock

Ineos' plans are an area of particular intrigue, and not just because Adam Yates left the Tour de Suisse with COVID-19. Even before that news, there was a sign that they were re-shaping their approach for July. For so long the dominant team with the dominant rider, the British team won seven Tours in eight years but have now run up against a Pogačar-shaped problem. 

With Bernal out due to a long-term injury, they don't have their favourite status of old, with Yates and Martínez drawn together in an open-ended leadership duo. Throw in Geraint Thomas and you have another question mark.

The Welshman has been spoken about as a domestique not even guaranteed of a start but he remains the 2018 Tour winner and, despite lengthy dips in form, has done nothing to suggest he cannot raise his level to a very competitive one when required. He sent that message with victory at the Tour de Suisse and, with Yates' preparation compromised, he has to be part of the leadership conversation, especially with more than 50km of time trialling on the route.

Beyond all that, it appears Ineos may not limit themselves to backing the yellow jersey cause as they have over the past decade. Tom Pidcock and Ethan Hayter are both on the longlist and it's not beyond the realms of possibility that both start. If so, stage wins – and not just those as a byproduct of the GC battle – enter the agenda. Hayter can compete in reduced sprints while Pidcock can do just about anything and his Tour debut would likely not be dull.

Either way, Ineos have spoken about their new adventurous racing style since becoming 'Grenadiers' and we could see it rolled out in the Tour for the first time. 

Full line-up: Geraint Thomas, Dani Martínez, Adam Yates, Tom Pidcock, Dylan van Baarle, Filippo Ganna, Luke Rowe, Jonathan Castroviejo

Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert

Team leaders: Louis Meintjes, Alexander Kristoff Objective: GC, stage wins Rider to watch: Taco van der Hoorn

The Belgian team used to be a second-division outfit and earned three Tour invites thanks to Frenchman Guillaume Martin, who's now with Cofidis. They were widely ridiculed when they took CCC's licence to step up to the WorldTour in 2021, but have looked every inch their top-tier status this year. As such, confidence will be high for the Tour. 

There's no Biniam Girmay, the new superstar of African cycling, but they do have a team that can fight on a number of fronts. Louis Meintjes looks to be on his way back after a few years in the wilderness following his back-to-back top 10s at the 2016 and 2017 Tours. He won the recent Giro dell'Appenino and placed sixth at Tour de Suisse, so could certainly have an impact this July. 

Alexander Kristoff is 34 and has seemingly been fading in recent years but always seems to pop up with big wins, as he did at Scheldeprijs this spring. The Norwegian will lead the line in the sprints, while Quinten Hermans has surprisingly been left out of the squad ahead of an expected transfer to Alpecin next year.

Dutch attacker Taco van der Hoorn could be one to watch. He doesn't take many wins but when they do they're nailbiters from the break – see last year's Giro and the Brussels Cycling Classic three weeks ago.

Full line-up: Alexander Kristoff, Louis Meintjes, Kobe Goossens, Georg Zimmerman, Taco van der Hoorn, Adrien Petit, Andrea Pasqualon, Sven Erik Bystrøm

Israel-Premier Tech

Team leaders: Michael Woods, Jakob Fuglsang Objective: Stage wins Rider to watch: Chris Froome

Israel-Premier Tech set out on their third Tour de France and in desperate need of having an impact on the race after two relatively anonymous outings. They're very much in the WorldTour relegation battle, but the recent form of Jakob Fuglsang and Michael Woods will give them hope they can shine on the biggest stage of all and lift themselves out of trouble. 

Fuglsang won the recent Classic Alpes-Maritimes and placed third at Tour de Suisse, while Woods finished second at the former and then won the Route d'Occitanie. The pair have both appeared reluctant to go for a GC bid this time around but stage wins are well within their grasp, while the polka-dot jersey will surely become an ambition for one of them. 

Hugo Houle, Krists Neilands, and Simon Clarke comprise a strong and in-form support unit. Chris Froome , meanwhile, is very much the rider to watch. A four-time winner, he has struggled badly since his massive 2019 injury but has shown glimpses of form in recent weeks. He's done enough to earn his spot but we should find out more about whether he might indeed return to his levels of old. 

Guillaume Boivin and Guy Niv got late call-ups to replace the COVID-positive Omer Goldstein and Daryl Impey.

Full line-up: Michael Woods, Jakob Fuglsang, Chris Froome, Krists Neilands, Simon Clarke, Hugo Houle, Guillaume Boivin

Jumbo-Visma

Team Leaders : Primož Roglič, Jonas Vingegaard, Wout Van Aert Objective : Yellow jersey, green jersey Rider to watch: Christophe Laporte

The Dutch team formerly known as Rabobank have joined the very top echelon of world cycling in recent years but are still searching for their first Tour de France victory. They came agonisingly close through Primož Roglič – three-time Vuelta winner – in 2020, and placed second again last year through the revelatory Jonas Vingegaard, who stepped up once Roglič crashed out.

With Tadej Pogačar a dominant double winner, Jumbo have tweaked their approach for 2022, going in with a leadership duo. Both Roglič and Vingegaard underlined their form with a one-two at the recent Dauphiné, but in order to crack Pogačar they'll likely have to play their cards more creatively. How they do so will be one of the most intriguing narratives of the whole Tour. 

On top of all that, Jumbo-Visma also have Wout van Aert to think about. The Belgian star has had to stifle his personal ambitions in recent years but has still managed six stage wins in three editions, on a wide variety of stages to boot. As such, this year he wants to target the points classification. Whether Jumbo can support a green jersey bid as well as two riders going for yellow is another of those central narratives. 

As for the rest of the squad, it's five support riders. Sepp Kuss and Steven Kruijswijk are the mountain men, while Christophe Laporte will be Van Aert's lead-out and right-hand man. Tiesj Benoot will be expected to do a bit for both camps while Nathan Van Hooydonck – a late replacement for Rohan Dennis – is set to be the engine doing the heavy lifting in the earlier phases of stages.

Full line-up : Primoz Roglic, Jonas Vingegaard, Wout van Aert, Tiesj Benoot, Sepp Kuss, Steven Kruijswijk, Christophe Laporte, Nathan Van Hooydonck

Lotto Soudal

Team leaders: Caleb Ewan Objective: Stage wins Rider to watch: Tim Wellens

The Belgian team once again go into a Tour de France targeting stage wins. In 37 starts they have never won the Tour and haven't had a GC contender since Jurgen Van den Broeck in 2012. Andre Greipel flew the flag for a long time but in the new John Lelangue-led era it's Caleb Ewan who leads the way for the third year in a row. 

Ewan won three stages in 2019 and two in 2020 but crashed out on stage 3 last year with a a broken collarbone. At his best he's one of the most dynamic and aerodynamic sprinters in the world and a key breadwinner for Lotto Soudal in their relegation fight. There is slight cause for concern as his lead-out man Jasper De Buyst is injured and Roger Kluge similarly not racing. In their absence Reinardt Janse van Rensburg takes responsibility, while Frederik Frison can also chip in. 

However, there's more of an emphasis on breakaways in Lotto Soudal's plans. Philippe Gilbert will want to make an impact in his final Tour de France, while Brent Van Moer has been touted as a new Thomas De Gendt. Florian Vermeersch can target the cobbled stage and Andreas Kron will look at the hilly ones if recovered from COVID-19.

Finally, Tim Wellens has announced he is leaving at the end of the year but retains a great deal of affection for the team where he has spent his whole career so far. The Belgian remains a top-class attacking rider who can complete the Grand Tour set of stage wins in what is only his fourth Tour appearance.

Full line-up: Caleb Ewan, Philippe Gilbert, Tim Wellens, Andreas Kron, Brent Van Moer, Florian Vermeersch, Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, Frederik Frison

Movistar Team

Team leaders: Enric Mas Objective: GC Rider to watch: Matteo Jorgenson

Movistar, the Spanish team formed in the 1980s, line up for their 40th Tour de France. They've won it seven times, five of those coming through Miguel Indurain in the 1990s, but haven't done so since Oscar Pereiro in 2006. In recent years, they've been regular winners of the teams classification but have become confused and at times chaotic in their handling of multiple leaders. 

This year, there's far more clarity. Enric Mas will lead the line and shoot for the podium. The Spaniard, a breakthrough runner-up at the 2018 Vuelta, has been a consistent if unspectacular Grand Tour presence since signing in 2020, placing fifth and sixth in the past two Tours, as well as another second at the Vuelta last year. 

While Movistar have not yet unveiled their final line-up, a key rider appears to be Matteo Jorgenson, the US all-rounder who's steadily improving. He's looking to develop into a GC rider and could become the last line of support for Mas, and he could even decide he's not going to throw away time unless he absolutely has to. 

Full line-up: Enric Mas, Carlos Verona, Imanol Erviti, Matteo Jorgenson, Nelson Oliveira, Albert Torres, Gregor Mühlberger, Gorka Izagirre

QuickStep-AlphaVinyl

Team leaders: Fabio Jakobsen Objective: Stage wins Rider to watch : Mattia Cattaneo

The Belgian squad have dominated Tour de France sprints over the years, with the likes of Marcel Kittel, Fernando Gaviria, Sam Bennett, and Mark Cavendish all sweeping up in recent years. The next man up is Fabio Jakobsen , who has been given the nod over Cavendish despite the Manxman winning four stages and the green jersey last year and tying Eddy Merckx's record of 34 stage wins. 

There's no room for sentiment or history at Patrick Lefevere's stable, however, and he has given the reins to the rider he considers the future of his team's sprinting ambitions. You can't argue with the decision on form. Jakobsen has returned from nearly losing his life at the 2020 Tour de Pologne to re-establish himself as one of the fastest in the world, winning 10 times already this season. 

As always, the bulk of the team is devoted to the lead-out, with Kasper Asgreen and Yves Lampaert and, lastly, Michael Mørkøv, widely regarded as the best in the business. Florian Sénéchal is a late call-up for the COVID-positive Tim Declercq , though it's unclear who will replace the Belgian's long stints on the front of the peloton this July.

The big hole in QuickStep's line up is in the shape of the world champion, Julian Alaphilippe, who suffered a heavy crash at Liège-Bastogne-Liège-Liège in April and hasn't been deemed fit enough to make his usual impact at the Tour. Alaphilippe has won several stages, finished top five on GC, and injected electricity into the race over the past few years.

His absence is a major blow for the team and the race, with Andre Bagioli, the Italian puncheur who's taken his spot, having a lot to live up to. His compatriot, the 31-year-old Mattia Cattaneo, has a shot at a top-10 overall place, having finished 12th last year.

Full line-up: Fabio Jakobsen, Michael Mørkøv, Kasper Asgreen, Yves Lampaert, Mikkel Honore, Mattia Cattaneo, Andrea Bagioli, Florian Sénéchal

Team leaders: Romain Bardet, Alberto Dainese Objective: Stage wins Rider to watch: Andreas Leknessund

The Dutch team formerly known as Sunweb have a general philosophy that's both open and rigid. They eschew hierarchy in favour of a collective approach where everyone gets a chance, but there's relatively little flexibility when it comes to individual preferences.

This has divided opinion, with the alarming number of riders looking to leave the team seen by many as a cause for concern. On the road, it has divided their results. The free-flowing Sunweb (as they were then called) of the 2020 Tour were great to watch and hauled in three stage wins, but they were anonymous last year and struggled for much of this season. 

They go into this Tour in typical fashion, an open and exciting line-up, but not without its controversy as Søren Kragh Andersen – not only one of their bigger-name riders but also a native of the Danish Grand Départ – has been left at home. 

In his absence, Romain Bardet returns to the Tour after a year's absence. A GC bid is no priority given he was targeting the Giro and had to pull out when in a strong position, but the Frenchman will want to add to his stage win collection from 2015, 2016, and 2017.

John Degenkolb is on the start list and returns to the cobbles where he famously won a stage in 2018, but Alberto Dainese is the team's lead sprinter. The Italian won a stage at the Giro with a fearsome sprint that suggested a breakthrough, and he will be an outsider but a danger man in the bunch finishes. Elsewhere, Kevin Vermaerke is an exciting young US talent but the Norwegian Andreas Leknessund is already hitting his stride at 23, winning a stage at the recent Tour de Suisse in a solo breakaway. Expect him to go out in search of more of the same. 

Full line-up: Romain Bardet, Alberto Dainese, John Degenkolb, Kevin Vermaerke, Andreas Leknessund, Martijn Tusveld, Nils Eekhoff, Chris Hamilton

TotalEnergies

Team leader: Peter Sagan Objective: Stage wins Rider to watch: Pierre Latour

When it comes to TotalEnergies’ 2022 objectives, it’s hard to look beyond Peter Sagan . Arguably the most exciting riders in men’s cycling, Sagan has had an unfortunate 2022, plagued by illness. The Tour de Suisse gave us a glimpse of Peter the Great at his best when he won stage 3. His positive test for COVID ahead of the final time trial seemed like a predictable kick in his run of bad luck.

However, Sagan returned to win yet another Slovakian road race title on Sunday, an indication he's on track for the Tour. He'll also have loyal lieutenants Daniel Oss and Maciej Bodnar at his disposal. Sagan will target sprints on flat and hilly days, but a record-extending eighth green jersey is complicated by the presence of Wout van Aert. 

There'll be no shortage of breakaway interest for Jean-René Bernaudeau's French team, especially after Mathieu Burgaudeau scooped a stage of Paris-Nice and Valentin Ferron and Alexis Vuillermoz took home a stage apiece from the Dauphiné. Anthony Turgis could certainly be a contender on the cobbles, but he’ll need an early break to separate himself from the fastmen such as Mathieu van der Poel to stand a chance at a win on the pavé.

Finally, there's Pierre Latour, who has so much energy he sometimes doesn't know what to do with it. The Frenchman won the white jersey and placed 13th overall while riding as an AG2R domestique in 2018 and, while his career has faded since, there remains a great deal of talent. 

The experienced and versatile fastman Edvald Boasson Hagen was called up three days out from the start after Cristian Rodríguez fell ill.

Full line-up: Peter Sagan, Pierre Latour, Mathieu Burgaudeau, Alexis Vuillermox, Daniel Oss, Maciej Bodnar, Anthony Turgis, Edvald Boasson Hagen.

Trek-Segafredo

Team leader: Giulio Ciccone Objective: Stage wins Rider to watch: Bauke Mollema

Having taken a third career Giro d’Italia win on stage 15 of this year’s race, Giulio Ciccone is showing excellent climbing form and seems sure to be Trek-Segafredo’s team leader at this year’s Tour de France. Only one year ago he lay in sixth place on the Tour’s second rest day, before crashing out on stage 17 and abandoning the race.

While a GC bid isn’t beyond comprehension, with Ciccone and Bauke Mollema’s proclivity for successful breakaways, individual stage wins in the mountains are Trek’s most likely target.

Milan-San Remo winner Jasper Stuyven and former World Champion Mads Pedersen will both be riders to watch on the cobbles of stage 5 of this year’s race. Both will also be contenders for individual stage wins on fast finishes. For Pedersen, there's the extra motivation of starting on home roads, with a strong short time trial and a fast sprint at the end of a windy day, he'll be going all-in on the Denmark days. 

US debutant Quinn Simmons will no doubt offer good support to both riders on the cobbles, and has shown an appetite for breakaways so far this season.

Full line-up : Guilio Ciccone, Bauke Mollema, Mads Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven, Quinn Simmons, Tony Gallopin, Alex Kirsch, Toms Skujiņš 

UAE Team Emirates

Team leaders: Tadej Pogačar Objective : Yellow jersey Rider to watch: Brandon McNulty

About as one-dimensional as it gets, the UAE-funded team are here to win the Tour with Pogačar for a third straight year. The rest of the team is entirely at his service, and you get the impression he could do it without them anyway. 

Not that UAE are weak. The criticism they faced last year was unfounded, and in any case they are stronger again this time around. They have added George Bennett and Marc Soler, while Brandon McNulty is another year older and – when not the victim of bad luck – has shown his strength this season. Rafał Majka, who came good last year and has been even better this season, has struck up a great relationship with Pogačar, the pair dominating the recent Tour of Slovenia. It's a super solid mountain unit. 

Beyond that, Mikkel Berg did huge pulls on the flat and in the middle mountains last year and will be pivotal again, while Vegard Stake Laengen is the big workhorse for the early phases. Pogačar is in a league of his own, but he has a team that can provide a platform for a third straight yellow jersey.

Swiss rider Marc Hirschi is a late call-up after Matteo Trentin returned a positive COVID-19 test two days before the race start.

Full line-up: Tadej Pogačar, Rafal Majka, Brandon McNulty, Marc Soler, Vegard Stake Laengen, George Bennett, Mikkel Bjerg, Marc Hirschi

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Patrick Fletcher

Patrick is an NCTJ-trained journalist, and former deputy editor of Cyclingnews, who has seven years’ experience covering professional cycling. He has a modern languages degree from Durham University and has been able to put it to some use in what is a multi-lingual sport, with a particular focus on French and Spanish-speaking riders. Away from cycling, Patrick spends most of his time playing or watching other forms of sport - football, tennis, trail running, darts, to name a few, but he draws the line at rugby.

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Tour de France STOPPED after massive crash with dozens of riders left in heap on roadside

  • Etienne Fermie
  • Published : 12:46, 15 Jul 2023
  • Updated : 13:33, 15 Jul 2023

TODAY'S Tour de France stage 14 action was interrupted by a huge crash.

Numerous drivers at the back of the peloton were left strewn across the roadside grass following a horrifying pile-up.

🚴🇫🇷 | Oh nee, wat gebeurt hier?! Een massale valpartij in het peloton en er zijn een hoop serieuze slachtoffers. De koers is voorlopig stilggelegd. 😲😲 #TDF2023 ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 📺 Koers kijk je op discovery+ pic.twitter.com/Rr0hjUn9X6 — Eurosport Nederland (@Eurosport_NL) July 15, 2023

Numerous riders were involved in a terrifying crash

In addition to causing the action to be neutralised, the crash also put an end to two riders' Tour .

Shortly after the incident, it was confirmed that unfortunate Movistar rider Antonio Pedrero had been forced to abandon the 2023 Tour de France.

In a statement posted to social media, Movistar confirmed: "Unfortunately, the 14th stage of @letour_es | #TDF2023 begins with the second retirement for the Movistar Team: @pedrero_antonio.

"The Catalan, one of the most affected in a pileup, will not be able to reach Paris in his first 'Grande Boucle'.

READ MORE IN SPORT

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"We will keep you informed."

Following the incident, ITV Cycling confirmed that "many riders" were receiving treatment.

Eurosport presenter Orla Chennaoui then reported that Louis Meintjes had also been forced to abandon the race.

She tweeted: "Louis Meintjes out now too. All the best to him.

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"The race has to wait to have enough ambulances to restart so riders still waiting for the stage to restart."

Meintjes' team Intermarche-Circus-Wanty then confirmed the extent of his injuries.

They tweeted: "We are absolutely devastated to report that Louis Meintjes fractured his collarbone following a crash early in stage 14 and leaves the Tour de France."

Belgian outlet Nieuwsblad claimed that Brit Tom Pidcock was also involved in the crash, but would be able to continue.

Following a 30 minute delay, action was able to resume.

Louis Meintjes has been forced out of the Tour de France

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Kasper Asgreen celebrates after crossing the line on the 18th stage of the Tour de France.

Asgreen sprints to thrilling stage 18 win as Vingegaard retains solid Tour lead

  • Quartet survive high-speed pursuit after joining forces
  • Belgian rider Wout van Aert leaves race to be with pregnant wife

Jonas Vingegaard retained his overall lead in the Tour de France as Soudal Quick-Step’s Kasper Asgreen won stage 18 in Bourg-en-Bresse. Asgreen was one of four riders in the day’s breakaway to survive a thrilling pursuit by the speeding peloton, as the race left the Alps behind and entered the Rhone valley.

The four-rider attack, composed of Asgreen, Jonas Abrahamsen of Uno-X and the Lotto Dstny pair of Victor Campenaerts and Pascal Eenkhoorn, joined forces with 50km to race and maintained a slim lead into the closing moments of the stage.

Racing at more than 60km/h, the quartet entered the final kilometre with only six seconds’ advantage on their chasers, yet Campenaerts’s time-trialling power kept the group ahead. Asgreen’s last-gasp acceleration to the line was enough to hold off the sprinter Jasper Philipsen, already the winner of four stages, and his Alpecin-Deceuninck team.

Asgreen was generous in victory and praised his breakaway companions. “I really couldn’t have done it without Pascal, Victor and Jonas,” he said. “We all deserved to win with the work we put out there.”

Asgreen, a former winner of the Tour of Flanders, was making a return to form after struggling for more than a year. “It means so much,” he said. “With the period I had the last year, with my crash in the Tour of Switzerland, and having to leave the Tour de France last year ... I’ve come a long way.”

Meanwhile, after his exploits in the Alps, Vingegaard enjoyed a relatively uneventful day, although his Jumbo-Visma squad lost Wout van Aert, one of his key teammates. The Belgian left the race to be with his wife, who is expected to give birth within the next few days.

“It’s not a dilemma,” the Belgian rider said. “It’s an easy decision. I always thought that I would go home when my wife indicated she needed me. That time has come.”

Jumbo-Visma’s Belgian rider Wout Van Aert cycles to the finish line of the 17th stage of the Tour de France

As Van Aert left the race, the scrutiny of his team leader continued with Olivier Banuls, head of the cycling unit at the International Testing Agency, (ITA) telling Reuters that performance had been taken into account when targeting Vingegaard for testing.

“Performance is one of the criteria and obviously Vingegaard’s performance is one of them for us, so he is obviously targeted in particular,” Banuls said. “There are also other criteria for riders, such as biological passports or information we get from our Intelligence and Investigation Unit.”

Banuls revealed that Vingegaard, who leads Tadej Pogacar by seven minutes and 35 seconds, has been tested 18 times during the Tour and was also tested eight times in June, both in and out of competition.

Compared with Pogacar, who raced throughout much of the spring until he fractured his wrist in April, much of the Dane’s title defence was founded on a series of training camps at altitude.

“We have different places,” he said of the camps, “so in February we go to Tenerife, to Teide. In May, we go to Sierra Nevada and in June we went to Tignes.”

Pogacar’s partner, Urska Zigart, meanwhile, revealed that the Slovenian had nearly quit the Tour after the fifth stage, when he learned that she had crashed while racing in the Giro Donne in Italy.

“He called me to ask how I was and then, when I told him I hadn’t finished the race and had crashed, he said he was coming home,” she said. “I said: ‘No you’re not, it’s the Tour.’”

Pogacar, whose Tour challenge collapsed dramatically in Wednesday’s stage to Courchevel , said he had recovered “a bit” from the experience.

“The start [on Thursday] was pretty hard and quite – not emotional – but just a lot of guys came and spoke to me,” he said. “Thanks to all the riders. They cheered me up.”

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No selfies, no autographs: Tour de France to implement strict Covid-19 protocol

'Do not get too close to the spectators,' race organisers tell riders

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Tour de France 2022

The organisers of the Tour de France are set to implement a new Covid-19 protocol at the race this July, which will see interaction between fans and riders reduced. 

During last year’s edition, 17 riders left the race with Covid-19 before the final day in Paris. The virus also heavily impacted this year’s Giro d’Italia , where Soudal Quick-Step finished with just two riders, having lost five to Covid positives, including the race leader Remco Evenepoel . 

In a bid to reduce the risk of infections, the Tour de France has laid out a new protocol, including the compulsory wearing of face masks and limiting social interactions. 

Though the race organisers are yet to officially reveal the protocol, a chart of its contents, seen by the Reuters news agency, is said to say: "For all the team members: Respect a confinement - Limit the interactions outside the race bubble. No eating out. Respect social distancing at the hotel.

"Do not get too close to the spectators - social distancing, no selfies, no autograph."

At last year’s race, riders and team staff were allowed to leave their hotels, with some opting to visit local restaurants. Access to the team paddock, where the buses are, was also open to media and VIP guests, until the organisers introduced stricter measures halfway through the race. 

It is understood that access to the team paddock will be permitted at this year’s event, which begins in Bilbao, Spain on 1 July, however everyone will be obliged to wear face masks. 

In an interview last week with L’Équipe , former world champion Julian Alaphilippe said that he was the only person wearing a mask on his flight to the Critérium du Dauphiné . 

"I'm still being careful,” the Frenchman said. “It may be too much but we have to remain vigilant, I prefer that to missing the Tour de France.

"Cycling remains the only sport where you have a lot of controls: it spoils the party a bit, but we have to get used to it. In order not to stay at home in July and throw away all the sacrifices we’ve made, we must continue to stay in a bubble.

"Maybe the measures are too heavy, but I really want to ride the Tour."

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Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer. He is the host of The TT Podcast , which covers both the men's and women's pelotons and has featured a number of prominent British riders. 

An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides. 

He's also fluent in French and Spanish and holds a master's degree in International Journalism. 

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Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, right, Colombia's Rigoberto Uran, left, and France's Romain Bardet cross the finish line during the eighteenth stage of the 2017 Tour de France.

This Is What Happens to Your Body During the Tour de France

It's the most grueling competition in the world, and it takes a massive toll on riders' bodies

Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, right, Colombia's Rigoberto Uran, left, and France's Romain Bardet cross the finish line during the eighteenth stage of the 2017 Tour de France.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

Despite its long history of controversy and scandal, politics and hard-nosed business, the one thing that has always been true about the annual Tour de France is that it’s one of the toughest physical tests in all of sports. This year, the peleton will travel 3,360 kilometers, or about 2,087 miles, over three weeks in temperatures that push 90 degrees Fahrenheit. As the race winds down to its mostly ceremonial cruise through Paris, we wondered what exactly happens to Tour riders’ bodies during their push to the cork-popping.

Grand tour competitors weigh roughly between 155 and 165 pounds, according to a 2012 review of all riders , with time trial specialists typically weighing a bit more than climbers. Surprisingly, during the three weeks, racers actually retain most, if not all, of that weight. This is to their advantage, as losing weight could mean losing muscle, which means losing power. Modern teams stuff riders with calories—about 6,000 per day, according to the 2012 study. Specifically, they eat about 840 grams of carbohydrates, 200 grams of protein, and 158 grams of fat.

“Looking at the group we have at the moment, nobody has lost or gained any weight in nearly three weeks,” writes Nigel Mitchell, head of nutrition for Slipstream, which owns the Cannondale-Drapac team, via email from France. “Everybody is within a kilo and a half of how they started the race.”

In fact, some riders even gain weight early on in a tour “because of the total stressing nature of that kind of racing,” says Neal Henderson, who coaches Australian rider Rohan Dennis . Henderson explained that stress and anxiety can release stress hormones like cortisol and cause inflammation, which can lead to fluid accumulation and weight gain.

The Immune System

On Tuesday, George Bennett of New Zealand and Philippe Gilbert of Belgium both pulled out of the race due to illness, which is surprisingly common among riders. By the time they get to Paris, “I would say 30 or 40 percent of racers are sick with some type of upper respiratory tract infection,” says Allen Lim, an exercise physiologist, former consultant to Team Garmin, and founder of Skratch Labs .

While it’s well known that moderate levels of exercise can strengthen the immune system , intense exercise over periods of several weeks drives down the blood’s germ-killing lymphocyte population, depressing the immune system . The resulting state has been called “the open window” to infection.

Now throw in up to six hours of deep breathing while riding on crowded French streets (where racers inhale bits of diesel exhaust, dust, and cow dung particles), post-race handshakes, and living in close quarters with the team, and it’s almost a recipe for illness. “During the Tour,” Henderson recalled, “we used to say guys were only as strong as their guts.”

Since cycling is a non-weight-bearing exercise, racing a grand tour is a little like living in space: Riders are working incredibly hard, but their bones are under very minimal stress. In the mid-1990s, a German team of researchers tested the bone densities of weight lifters, boxers, and Tour de France riders and compared them with age-matched controls. They found that the weight lifters and boxers had overall higher bone densities than the controls, while the cyclists’ spines were 10 percent less dense, their hips 14 percent less dense, and their Ward’s triangle, at the neck of the femur, was 17 percent less dense.

During training, riders lift weights and run to build bone mineral density. But during the Tour, they are only riding, while sweating out enormous amounts of fluids that contain bone-building minerals like potassium and calcium.

Saddle Sores

The idea that a rider could be done in by a sore butt might seem ridiculous—but it happens. When Henderson was coaching Taylor Phinney during the 2013 Giro, Phinney had such a bad sore that he had to drop out . He even contemplated surgery. While most riders have built up a tough bottom, there’s just no way to replicate the Tour. Riders put greater loads, and for much longer durations, onto the saddle and their rear ends than they do at any other point. Any slight variation—say, adjusting posture to relieve a sore back—can alter the riding position just enough to wear a sore.

Hair follicles can also become infected, which is called folliculitis. A little pimple on a bum wouldn't bother most of us, Lim said, but for a rider, “it could be devastating.”

All races are stressful, especially for riders who make a living off the sport. But the Tour is often considered the most mentally and emotionally exhausting event in cycling because of the increased media coverage and the crowds, as well as the intensity of the race. “You have 160 people riding at 30 miles an hour, and with one touch of the brakes, bad things can happen,” says Henderson. “People can go down. Bones can break. And that level of anxiety is sustained through the entire race.”

After stage six this year, British rider Simon Yates said , “A day like this for me is not so difficult on the body. It’s more the head, the stress of fighting for position, to avoid crashes or splits in the bunch…We’re going so fast, and everything happens much quicker than you can imagine. It’s very stressful for everybody.”

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IMAGES

  1. With Two Stages Left, Tour De France Shakes Up : The Two-Way : NPR

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  2. The Top 25 All-Time Tour de France Riders

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  3. Team Ineos Tour de France squad: Here are the eight riders that made

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  4. The Top 25 All-Time Tour de France Riders

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  5. Tour De France 2016: Track the riders live online

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  6. Riders race to the finish line at 2020 Tour de France

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COMMENTS

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    Enric Mas (Movistar) DNF. The first abandon of the 2023 Tour de France. He crashed on the descent of the cat.3 Alto de Vivero late on stage 1, breaking his right shoulder blade with cuts and ...

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  3. Withdrawals

    Withdrawals of Tour de France. Club 2024 route 2024 Teams 2023 Edition Rankings Stage winners All the videos. Grands départs Tour Culture ... Rider Team Withdraw; 131: MAS Enric MOVISTAR TEAM withdrawal: Stage 2. Bib Rider Team Withdraw; 41: CARAPAZ Richard ...

  4. Riders who have withdrawn from the 2022 Tour de France

    The Tour de France started with 176 riders but after 18 stages the race is down to just 140 as three riders left before the stage to Hautacam because of COVID-19.

  5. Tour de France 2022 withdrawals: Enric Mas out with Covid

    published July 23, 2022. Prior to stage 19 getting underway, Enric Mas (Movistar) was the latest rider to leave the Tour de France due to Covid. This means just 139 riders are due to start ...

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    The Tour de France has again been targeted by protesters - this time on Stage 19. The race was brought to a halt after roughly 30km of the 188.3km ride from Castelnau-Magnoac to Cahors.

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  13. 1951 Tour de France: Zaaf the Lanterne Rouge

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  14. List of teams and cyclists in the 2021 Tour de France

    Teams. Twenty-three teams participated in the 2021 Tour de France. All nineteen UCI WorldTeams were entitled and obliged to enter the race, and they were joined by four second-tier UCI ProTeams. Alpecin-Fenix, the best performing UCI ProTeam in 2020, received an automatic invitation, while the other three teams were selected by Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the organisers of the Tour.

  15. List of starters

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  16. Tour de France

    The Tour de France (French pronunciation: [tuʁ də fʁɑ̃s]; English: Tour of France) is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest of the three Grand Tours (the Tour, the Giro d'Italia, and the Vuelta a España) and is generally considered the most prestigious.. The race was first organized in 1903 to increase sales for the newspaper L'Auto and ...

  17. INEOS Grenadiers announce exciting 2023 Tour de France line-up

    The INEOS Grenadiers have confirmed the eight riders who will take on the 110th edition of the Tour de France. Starting in Bilbao, Spain, on 1 July, the race heads into France on Stage 3, culminating with the iconic Champs-Elysées finish on 23 July. The 2023 route features one individual time trial, four summit finishes and covers 3,405km over ...

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  20. Asgreen sprints to thrilling stage 18 win as Vingegaard retains solid

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    Four riders have won five Tours each: Jacques Anquetil of France (1957 and 1961-64), Eddy Merckx of Belgium (1969-72 and 1974), Bernard Hinault of France (1978-79, 1981-82, and 1985), and Miguel Indurain of Spain (1991-95). A list of Tour de France winners is provided in the table. Students save 67%!

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    The 2024 Tour de France will be the 111th edition of the Tour de France. It will start in Florence, Italy on 29 June, and will finish in Nice, ... The route was described as "tough" by riders, with particular concern regarding the gravel tracks on stage 9 and limited opportunities for sprinters. Stage characteristics; Stage Date Course

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    14 likes, 0 comments - worldcyclingpage on March 5, 2024: "헣헛헜헟헜헣헦험헡 헨헦험헦 헖헢헠헣헔헧헥헜헢헧 ..."