While fans sought the shade in France’s record-breaking heat, the peloton had to adopt other measures to avoid succumbing
As the Sky train accelerated on to the lower ramps of the climb to La Rosière, steaming along in pursuit of Tom Dumoulin after the Dutchman had slipped away on the descent of the Cormet de Roselend, 45 minutes back down the road Mark Cavendish was still battling up that second ascent. All alone, his hopes of finishing inside the time limit were already completely gone. For the next hour, the Manxman rode on, applauded and encouraged by fans, his fate sealed. It was a moment that said a great deal about Cavendish’s courage, but also heralded the decimation of the peloton’s sprint corps.
Marcel Kittel also failed to make the time cut at La Rosière (see page 46). While the German, like Cavendish, had been notable by his absence from the front end of bunch gallops during the Tour’s opening week, with both short of their best form, the abandons of Dylan Groenewegen, André Greipel and Fernando Gaviria on the following stage to Alpe d’Huez indicated that factors other than lack of condition were to blame. This trio had all been heavily involved in the bunch finishes, claiming a quartet of wins between them.
Ten more riders also quit during the three Alpine stages, some the victim of misfortune, such as Vincenzo Nibali, but most undone by the tightness of the time limits, the speed of the race and a second consecutive summer of record-breaking heat across most of France. In January and the spring, the temperatures were far higher than normal, especially in the northern half of the country. In June, Météo France, the French meteorological office, forecast a summer heatwave, predicting temperatures would surpass 2017’s record levels.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July 26, 2018 من CYCLING WEEKLY.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July 26, 2018 من CYCLING WEEKLY.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
CLASSIC BIKE - JOHNNY BERRY
Johnny be good at making beautiful lightweight bikes
UK SCENE - WUNDERKIND HUDSON WINS YORKSHIRE CX
Newly crowned junior hill-climb champ shows his versatility by winning round seven on the mud
WATT WORKS FOR ME TADEJ POGAČAR
The man himself - subject of this special issue - explains the key performance changes behind his record-breaking year
11 WAYS TO POG-UP YOUR PLAN
Tadej Pocačar's performance is out of reach but you can adapt his training to raise your game. Chris Marshall-Bell consults the experts to find out how
Why do modern aero bikes look less aero?
Are today's aero bikes really faster, or is marketing just getting better? Joe Baker investigates...
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
An Olympic year is always special and the cycling season once again delivered a year of highs and lows, from Pogi's triple to Katie Archibald's pre-Olympic trip
MEET THE PARENTS
What made Tadej Pogačar the phenomenon he is today? Chris Marshall-Bell went to Slovenia to meet his mum and dad, Mirko and Marjeta
HALF MAN HALF GOAT
Tadej Pogačar may have had a phenomenal season, but has he done enough to cement his status as the greatest of all time? Chris Marshall-Bell weighs the arguments for and against
Lefevere cashes in his chips and leaves cycling management
The news that Patrick Lefevere will step down as Quick Step boss marks the end of an era, after 22 years in charge
Mathieu van der Poel weighs up skipping Tour de France
Dutchman hints at missing Tour in favour of mtb Worlds bid, reports Tom Thewlis from Dénia, Spain