DAN MARTIN
Q U I C K ST E P F L O O R S
It’s hard to believe that it’s Tour de France time again already. With each passing edition I develop a greater affection for the race that essentially defines seasons, careers – cycling even.
Before we look at this year’s route I feel that I should highlight that there is never an easy Tour. It’s the only race all season where 100 per cent of the guys on the start-line are at peak condition and motivated. There is rarely an easy stage. Those days when you see the peloton rolling along, serenely bunched and seemingly whiling away the kilometres, are intense mental battles for position. I find the mountains easier because the legs do the work there. What makes the Tour so taxing is the need for full concentration every day.
It’s only recently that I have looked at the 2017 route in detail. As a fan, firstly I see the lack of iconic climbs until the last days in the Alps and a route that one would expect to be almost tedious.
On paper it doesn’t look all that hard, but it’s an unpredictable route that’s much more difficult in reality. As a rider I’d go as far as to say it seems more challenging than any Tour route I’ve done.
The climbs may not be well known but they are difficult, steep, winding passes where there is no advantage being in a group. There are only three mountain-top finishes but there are four other stages where it is flat or descends from the top of the final climb to the finish. Of course this means there is the opportunity to chase back on, but it also means there is the risk of big time losses if a rider is dropped and alliances are formed in the front group. The fewer TT kilometres are crucial to the race, but I’d say the placement of the TTs is more important. Stage 1, a short, flat fast TT, will decide a pecking order and leave riders with time to make up already. The stage 20 TT will be less about technique and more about who is the freshest. On stage 20 it’s very easy to have a bad day and we can almost rip up the TT form book.
The mountains always provide the defining images of any Tour. I have been to see the Pyrenean stages and plan to see the Alpine stages after the Critérium du Dauphiné, which is the most recon I have ever done leading into the Tour. That is mostly due to my unfamiliarity with this year’s climbs. The two Pyrenean stages really took me by surprise and will be brutal. Part of that is the combination: a long arduous day in the saddle on stage 12 followed by a very short explosive stage 13 with three tough climbs in a row, including the Mur de Péguère. For a rider with GC ambitions, this race will be about being consistent and aware at all times. The possibility of an ambush and big time loss is high on a lot of the stages, so concentration will be key. Equally, seeking out that opportunity to be aggressive will be just as important. One thing that’s for sure is that my team, QuickStep Floors, will look to continue what has been a truly special year to date with Marcel Kittel in the sprints and me looking to turn the frustration of previous years’ placings into a stage victory. See you in France!
As a rider, I’d go as far as to say this year’s Tour route is more challenging than any I’ve done