Dull Tour unlikely to open up in the Alps

IF TOUR de France organisers wanted the soccer World Cup to end before the race started to heat up, then it is mission accomplished.

No clear favourite has emerged from the opening block of racing as all the top riders, with the exception of Richie Porte, are still in contention on the first rest day before gruelling stages in the Alps.

The differences between the main challengers were essentially made in the team time trial in the second stage. World champion Peter Sagan is firmly on course to win a record-equalling sixth green jersey for the points classification after winning two stages, just like sprinters Dylan Groenewegen and Fernando Gaviria.

There were crashes, scares, misfortunes and setbacks but defending champion Chris Froome, who suffered two minor crashes, still has no idea who his main challenger is with 12 days of racing left.

It could be his Sky teammate Geraint Thomas, who is the best-placed of the GC (general classification) riders after safely going through the first nine stages, including the much-feared cobbles-peppered route on Sunday, which was fatal to Porte’s hopes.

The Australian fractured his collarbone in an early crash and abandoned the race for the second year in a row.

“We’re still here to try and win the race, whatever way that is. I think it’s fantastic for us to have those options. Obviously Geraint is in the perfect place now, we should see him going in to yellow over the next couple of days,” Briton Froome told reporters yesterday.

“But I’m still very much in the game. I think it’s great for us to have those options to be able to play when it comes down to it, especially looking at rivals that have two or three options within their teams. A team like Movistar, for example, has two or three leaders.”