The first week of the 2024 Tour de France is finished and, after a day on the gravel, dusted. Nine levels have handed because the Grand Départ in Italy, they’ve given us sufficient drama and sufficient storylines to final a full three weeks.
We’ve had historical past being made – most notably by Mark Cavendish and Biniam Girmay. We’ve had underdog, feel-good winners. We’ve had the earliest high-mountain go within the historical past of the Tour. We’ve had direct battle between the yellow jersey hopefuls. And now we have the scene completely set for the ultimate two weeks.
If it retains on like this, we’re in for one of many all-time nice Tours, however let’s not get forward of ourselves. First, let’s leaf again by that first week.
With the assistance of the Tour’s nice photographers, we have picked out the defining picture from every stage to date, together with the story of that day.
ROMAIN EMPEROR
Stage 1: Firenze – Rimini
As finish-line images go, this one is correct up there. Romain Bardet (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) provides thanks and reward to his younger confederate Frank van de Broek with out whom his first yellow jersey wouldn’t have been attainable. It was additionally, remarkably, Bardet’s first Tour de France stage win in seven years. An ideal French fairytale begin to Le Tour.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KÉVIN
Stage 2: Cesenatico – Bologna
Who is Kévin Vauquelin, you might be asking your self? Another dream day for the breakaway ended with the Arkéa-B&B Hotels man crossing the road solo for his staff’s first-ever Tour stage win, and by far the largest victory within the 23-year-old from Normandy’s profession thus far. Here, the Frenchman makes his decisive transfer within the closing kilometres of stage 2, dropping Jonas Abrahamsen.
GIRMAY OPENS THE DOOR
Stage 3: Viacenza – Turin
History is made. Biniam Girmay surfed the wheels, weaved his approach by the human visitors and seemingly unimaginable gaps, and reached the road with enough time to rejoice what’s the first Tour de France stage win by a black African rider. It was additionally the primary Tour stage win for Intermarché–Wanty, however that was by the by. A defining second on this race’s storied 111-year historical past, summed up completely by Girmay’s social media caption after the win – “Let me open the door.”
HERE COMES POG
Stage 4: Pinerolo – Valloire
A brief and candy 140km because the race crossed into house territory, however the consequence was just about the identical as on the Giro d’Italia. Tadej Pogačar laid down an early marker on the Galibier to take the stage and the yellow jersey early within the race. Can anybody match the two-time Tour winner or are they taking a look at limiting their losses already? A sobering day for Vingegaard et al.
THE GOAT
Stage 5: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne – Saint-Vulbas Plaine de l’Ain
And the historical past makers simply carry on coming. Jasper Philipsen and Alexander Kristoff have been first to congratulate Mark Cavendish after he lastly overhauled Eddy Merckx’s stage win document on the Tour, however it was noticeable how the peloton queued to pay their respects because the Manxman labored his approach down the road of admirers. The unofficial patron of Le Tour, on the age of 39, has by no means regarded extra snug in his personal pores and skin. Nor has he, going from his masterful dash on this stage, been in such good condition in years. More stage wins to observe, absolutely?
DYLAN BY A NOSE
Stage 6: Mâcon – Dijon
Dutch champion Dylan Groenewegen in a ‘did I or didn’t I?’ second on the road in Dijon. Turned out the Jayco AlUla rider did lower the mustard in Dijon in any case, regardless of his foolish sun shades. You can get your very personal noseguard ‘aero beak’ for a mere €350, our tech staff found. Could make all of the distinction. Probably not although, in all truthfully.
MEET AND GREET
Stage 7: Nuits-Saint-Georges – Gevrey-Chambertin
If you’re questioning why now we have chosen this photograph for the time trial on stage 7, right here’s the beautiful backstory. Ever because the route was introduced, native boy Julien Bernard hoped and prayed he’d make the Lidl-Trek choice for the Tour. The 32-year-old began his biking life with novice staff SCO Dijon as a younger man, and may his surname show acquainted, that’ll be as a result of his father is Jean-François Bernard, himself a three-time Tour stage winner. The custom of being allowed to cease and greet household and mates in the course of the race goes again a good distance, however we’re struggling to consider an event when it has occurred throughout a time trial. He paused on the climb, was mobbed by supporters and relations, then pushed on to make it contained in the time lower. He was fined by the UCI for his motion however stated he would relive it each time if given the possibility. Chapeau, Julien.
BINI AT THE DOUBLE
Stage 8: Semur-en-Auxois – Colombey-les-deux-Eglises
One of these barely unremarkable Tour levels geographically because the race wound its approach north to the tiny end city of Colombey-les-deux-Eglises, the house and resting place of French wartime President Charles de Gaulle. Meanwhile, Biniam Girmay in his pre-race interview for ITV4 acknowledged it was now all concerning the inexperienced jersey for him and his wonderful Intermarché–Wanty staff. Stage wins have been on the backburner. Come the ultimate little kicker to the end line and the Eritrean’s modesty – or was he bluffing? – went out the window as he took one other win and additional cemented his factors classification standing. The story of the Tour to date.
GRAVEL STORM
Stage 9: Troyes – Troyes
A breakaway day, with the overall classification contenders all crossing the road collectively. True sufficient, however that does not inform the half of the story of one of the thrilling days of racing in latest Grand Tour reminiscence. Does gravel belong in a three-week race? That was the massive speaking level forward of this white-knuckle experience by the chemins blancs. Well, with nobody’s race upended by the vagaries of off-road misfortune, and a stage that pulsated from kilometre zero to the road, it was a hell of a beating for the naysayers. If you need one camp that is firmly in favour of gravel, it is biking photographers, they usually after all got here up with the products once more right here. Our choose of the bunch? The yellow jersey beaming by the mud.
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