870x489_maxbestof063711.jpg IMAGE
This year’s Tour De France hasn’t even started yet and it’s already steeped in drama and opportunity, perhaps unlike any other Tour we’ve seen in the past few years. With Froome’s horrific crash in the Criterium Du Dauphiné, last year’s winner Thomas crashing out of the Tour De Suisse and Dumoulin ruled out from team Giant-Sunweb’s roster, 2019’s Tour De France might finally allow for Team Sky/Ineos’s stranglehold to break and younger or other talents start to emerge. Below is a few of our choices to watch out for:
Egan Bernal - Team Ineos
It is testament to the strength of Team Ineos that even without their biggest hitters they still have Tour winning potential riders. And at 22 for me there is in no one more exciting at this year’s Tour than Egan Bernal. To win the tour at that age would be some feat, but with Thomas potentially not being on his best form after a crash at the Tour De Suisse now is the time for the young Colombian rider to show the world his true talents. He was chosen as Team Ineos’s lead rider at this year’s Giro before a broken collarbone put that plan to one side. If Thomas doesn’t seem up to it this year, I don’t think it will take long for Bernal to step up and challenge for the Maillot Jaune.
Team Ineos will be furthering their now historic partnership with Pinarello and be riding Pinarello’s New Dogma F12 and Dogma F12 Disk at the Tour. Whilst we sit (im)patiently for one to reach us in store. Last year’s Tour winning bike, the Dogma F10, still proves to be one of the greatest all-rounder bikes on the market. With builds starting from as little as £4,500 now, the F12’s launch allows the F10 and all its racing pedigree to become even more attainable. Shop Pinarello Here.
Peter Sagan - Bora-Hansgrohe
Is there anyone more universally loved in professional cycling today than Slovakian rider Peter Sagan? He oozes style and charisma yet also has the sheer athletic capability and cycling skill that pits him on a whole other level to many others in the peloton. Sagan is a sprinter, so we would not expect him to be challenging for the yellow jersey, but in fact for the green jersey; the points classification. If he can manage to secure the green jersey then that will be a record breaking 7th green jersey at the Tour, cementing his place as one of cycling’s all-time greats. He’s likely to face stiff competition from the likes of Dylan Groenewegen, but with Cavendish out and the potential to set a new record, I’d imagine Sagan is chomping at the bit.
