Joe Dombrowski raced within the professional peloton throughout six groups and 12 years earlier than he known as it a profession at first of 2024. The US rider caught the eye of WorldTour groups when he gained the general on the U23 Giro d’Italia in 2012 driving on the Bontrager-Livestrong growth crew. He went on to notch a GC title on the Tour of Utah in 2015 and a stage victory on the 2021 Giro d’Italia.
The 33-year-old final raced the Tour de France in 2022 for Astana Qazaqstan, and accomplished each the Giro and Vuelta a España the subsequent 12 months to compile a complete of 14 Grand Tour appearances as a rider. A resident of Nice and in an “exploratory interval” for his subsequent profession transfer, Dombrowski rides his bike nearly every day for recreation, mixes in operating and winter ski touring. He shall be on the opposite facet of the fence for this 12 months’s Tour end, a person time trial over Col de Eze and into his yard alongside the Mediterranean coast.
“I do experience the roads featured within the time trial roughly every day. I dwell proper on the course because it passes via the port, so I commonly use these roads making my manner out and in of town,” he advised Cyclingnews. He just lately rode the total ITT route and shared his insights on the twists, turns and climbs of the route, in addition to his perspective in regards to the ‘buzz’ in Nice forward of the stage 21 finale.
The Tour de France is flipping the script. With the Olympic Games coming to Paris this summer season, the enduring dash end on the Champs Elysées shall be changed by a person take a look at on the French Riviera.
Personally, being freshly retired in January this 12 months, I believe it is going to be a humorous feeling to be so near the Tour, however not there as a participant. When I heard the information of the ultimate few phases being held right here in Nice, probably the most lovely locations on the earth and my house for the previous decade, it was a dream to participate. Alas, my profession was a 12 months too brief, however I shall be having fun with the Tour from the opposite facet of the fence this 12 months, as a spectator.
As a rider, I all the time loved the ultimate phases of Grand Tours. There’s a way of accomplishment on the finish, however the clout of three-week races additionally usually takes you to locations the place lesser sporting occasions would have a tough time setting foot.
Memories like racing across the Colosseum in Rome on the finish of the Giro d’Italia, or making the u-turn across the Arc de Triomphe on the ultimate stage of the Tour de France, will keep etched in my thoughts as a novel alternative to mix my profession in sport with entry as a vacationer to among the world’s most superb locations.
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The Tour has not deviated from a Parisian end in over 100 years; and for good cause, the end on the Champs-Élysées is magical. That being stated, I don’t suppose this 12 months’s version has disillusioned.
There is unquestionably a buzz with the Tour de France end coming to Nice.
The last stage of this 12 months’s Tour is exclusive in its time trial format, but additionally within the parcours itself. The climbs, and technical descending alongside the abrupt shoreline between Monaco and Nice, will make pacing and bike dealing with a a lot larger issue than your common time trial.
The riders will begin their engines alongside the famed Monaco Grand Prix begin grid subsequent to Port Hercule. The preliminary three kilometres are a flat warm-up alongside the coast, earlier than the climbing begins. Formula 1 followers will recognise the early ramps of the climb because the Fairmont Hairpin. The riders shall be tackling the well-known nook in the other way, on their solution to the enduring Casino de Monte Carlo earlier than exiting the principality and grinding additional upward in the direction of the most important climb of the day, Mont des Mules.
Pacing right here shall be essential. The most important climb is round 4 kilometres, and options comparatively shallow gradients, with a sequence of hairpins. With round 450 meters of altitude achieve between the ocean degree begin in Monaco, and the highest in La Turbie, the majority of rider’s effort shall be spent right here.
From La Turbie the course heads downhill for just a few kilometres to lovely Eze Village. If the day is evident, you’ll be able to anticipate gorgeous helicopter photographs of one of many world’s most lovely coastlines, from the citadel in Eze, to the unique peninsula of St Jean Cap Ferrat, and onward to the ending line in Nice. Riders will be capable to coast at excessive pace heading to Eze village, and have some respite earlier than making a proper flip for the ultimate uphill push to Col de Eze.
The climb to the Col is brief, however will sting. Ramps are over 10%, and a sure Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) has the Strava KOM, in 4:19. While the ultimate climb to Eze may not be so long as the primary ascent of the day, it can nonetheless be an element and riders have to empty the tank right here earlier than the lengthy downhill run to Nice.
The riders will see very excessive high speeds on the best way right down to Nice the place the course will turn out to be extra a take a look at of nerves and descending prowess. The municipality has fortunately made highway enhancements only for the Tour’s arrival. A high-speed straightaway off Col de Eze leads riders to a left flip right into a technical set of switchbacks down Col de Quatre Chemins.
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The race will most probably be selected the uphill sections of this climbing-heavy course, however an excessive amount of threat within the corners may very well be expensive.
The finish of the descent will route riders via the Port of Nice earlier than making their manner onto the enduring Promenade des Anglais. It’s just some last flat kilometres to push the pedals earlier than the end line at Place Massena.
Time gaps may show decisive, and pacing shall be essential for a time trial like this. The course options loads of climbing, however all of the gradients will favour a full TT setup, albeit with lighter choices, overdoing a motorbike change.
The descents don’t pose the likelihood for fairly the identical time to be made because the climbing parts, however they’re technical and excessive pace. Many riders name this area house, and shall be acquainted with the roads. Of the 2 big favourites, Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), Tadej calls Monaco house. He’s my choose for the win, as a result of I believe pacing and course data is a giant benefit in such an unconventional time trial. Plus the additional motivation that house courtroom benefit brings.
I’m wanting ahead to the final phases round Nice, and significantly watching from my window at our house within the port, because the riders zip by on their solution to the end line.
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