Consultant for France Télévisions and coach of the French cycling team, Thomas Voeckler spoke about the big novelty that awaits the runners in the next round of France.
It was one of the great moments of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. During the road cycling test, the runners passed through the Montmartre Butte, black from the world, and the narrow rue Lepic in the 18th arrondissement of the capital, offering spectacular images. What give ideas to the organizers of the Tour de France.
The latter decided to rekindle the mind of the Olympic Games on the occasion of the next edition of the Grande Boucle. Thus, during the 21e and last step, which will take place on July 27, The peloton will also go through Montmartre. Between two and three passages would be planned before the usual arrival on the Champs-Elysées. A novelty that wraps Thomas Voeckler, and which completely changes the physiognomy of this last step, which has been promised for sprinters for many years.
“” I do not have all the elements yet but my feeling is that it will completely change the face of the last step. For a very long time, the winner’s press conference has been given the day before the final arrival. That is to say how the last step had no sporting interest, except for sprinters. It was as beautiful for the latter as it is insufficient for the general classification »Recalls the old yellow jersey of the Tour in the columns of Parisian.
Voeckler: “A favorite will not win but can lose everything”
“It will be the last day of an exhausting competitionhe underlines. And, in addition, the peloton will be much more compact than during the games. Remember that there were only 90 runners, full of which had been released before entering Paris. From a step for nothing, we will go to a danger stage. You will have to place yourself in the climbs (from Montmartre) to maintain a place on the podium or in the top 10. It will rub a lot more, it changes everything. “”
“I do not imagine upheavals in the general classification, but you can fall or waste time, Considers Voeckler. It will give a big stress. Just telling ourselves we can still lose the last day will create a hell of a difference. It will be vigilance. A favorite will not win but can lose everything. It will give the desires of victories to other runners. Before, they escaped a little to do the show but knowing that it was not used for much. There, we can say that the teammates of the sprinters will be tired and that they can be released in the three climbs. And behind, it can be complicated to organize. It is not at all said that it happens to the sprint. »» This promises!
