Primoz Roglic (l.) Leads a group with Egan Bernal, Emanuel Buchmann and Thibaut Pinot - this could also be the case at the Tour de France
Photo: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT / AFPWeeks ago one of the biggest team duels in the history of the Tour de France was looming: the seven-time Tour winners from Team Ineos against the up-and-coming challengers from Team Jumbo-Visma for stars like Primoz Roglic and Tom Dumoulin. As of Saturday, both teams will start the race in Nice with injuries and failures. In the case of Ineos, even former Tour winners Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas are absent due to poor form.
There will be exciting duels between the two teams on this year's 3470 kilometers over 21 stages through France. Because both teams have two tour favorites with Egan Bernal (Ineos) and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) - and have extremely strong helpers in their teams who can also survive this very mountainous tour. But both Bernal and Roglic are said to be ailing. That could give riders like Thibaut Pinot (Groupama - FDJ) opportunities. He has the potential to take the first French Tour win in 35 years. Will Pinot bring Maillot Jaune to Paris on September 20th?
The route with many mountain stages and four difficult mountain climbs also suits the German Emanuel Buchmann, but he is still suffering from the consequences of a fall on the Dauphiné tour.
Who has outsider chances? Who are the top favorites for the yellow jersey? Read our favorites check here: