Tejay Van GarderenAmerican pro cyclist Tejay Van Garderen spoke for many of the riders after Friday’s stage wrapped up the first week of the Tour de France.
“The Tour is cruel and unforgiving,” the BMC rider posted on his Twitter page after losing more than a minute to race leader Vincenzo Nibali following a crash on the roads into Nancy, France.
We’re a week into pro cycling’s main event, and there are still a lot of questions unanswered. Nibali has a firm grip on the overall lead, but there are 15 riders within three minutes of him, including two-time Tour winner Alberto Contador in 16th and American Andrew Talansky in eighth place. Even after Friday’s crash, Van Garderen remains 3 minutes, 14 seconds behind Nibali, well within striking distance if he can find his form next week when the race hits the Alps.
Peter Sagan seems to be methodically wrapping up the competition for the green sprinters jersey, despite not winning a single stage in the opening week, but the race for the King of the Mountains polka dot jersey remains up for grabs after a relatively flat first seven stages. That will change starting today with three major climbs in the final 20 miles of the run from Tomblaine to Gerardmer La Mauselaine.
Let’s look at what we do know, and then see where we’re heading as the three-week race turns toward the mountains starting.