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With the step between Noirmoutier and Fontenay Le-Comte, 201 kilometers, opens today. a new edition, the CV, of the Tour de France, in which Colombian cycling aspires not only to be a leading protagonist, but to have one of theirs dressed in yellow and win the competition that will end July 29 in Paris
And it is not folklore or patriotism that to think about winning the most important stage race in the world, it is simply the wish of the cyclists they have been conscientiously prepared to reach the top of the podium and enter history as the first 'beetle' champion of the Tour de France.
And to make this elusive yellow shirt that only worn the Santandereano Víctor Hugo Peña Grisales 2003, which he wore the "young swimsuit" from 9 to 11 July, is among the favorites of the titles Nairo Quintana Boyacá and Rigoberto Urán Antioquia.
Quintana and Urán already know what it's like to fight for the title and what it means to get on the podium. That of Cómbita was second in 2013 and 2015, and third in 2016, while that of Urrao, was second in 2017. They did not step up to reach the highest position.
And they are favorites not only for what they've done before, but because this year they focused their preparation specifically on the Tour. For example, last year, Quintana arrived at the "Grande Boucle" with 6,888 kilometers traveled in pre-season; this year he arrives with only 4,292 kilometers on his legs. Idem, Urán, who has 5 more kilometers
The rivals
But they will not have anything easy to achieve, because there are seven more men as serious candidates , not only to win the race, but to occupy the three lodges of the podium in Paris.
The list is headed by the current champion of the gala, the British Christopher Froome, who despite having participated and won the last Giro d'Italia, gets to find his fifth And yet, we must also keep to the Mind that Kenya, born in Nairobi, did the three "big", Tour, Vuelta y Giro, and would complete four "big" ones. in 12 months.
Then the Dutchman Tom Dumoulin appears on the list, which on paper would be his biggest rival, since his regularity and his power in the time trial would give him a certain advantage, but like Froome, he just ran the Giro, in which he finished second.
To them is added the name of the Australian Richie Porte, who has shown strong in the last two editions of the Tour de France, but has always been out of the rostrum for strategies or by heavy falls, like last year 's, which came out of the competition.
Then appears the name of the Italian Vincenzo Nibali, who, in "old fox", was waiting crouching his chance, as he did in 2014, taking advantage of the pavement, to account for his rivals the most serious.
Then there are the Spanish Mikel Landa and Alejandro Valverde, Nairo Quintana's companions in the Movistar, who share the brains of the Colombian squad leaders. and according to the strategy of their manager and waiting to see how they "put" the road to the general, to decide who will finally look for the title.
And finally, the Frenchman Romain Bardet, who already was third (2017) and second (2016) and is the local hope to end the fast that began in 1985, when Bernard Hinault won the Tour , becoming the last Gallic cyclist to win the Great Loop. 19659004] Alternance
And a step below the big favorites, there are a number of runners, who also aspire to fight and fight for the podium and for the title, but they are an unknown at the time of the "Battle" & # 39; on the road.
On this alternating list appear the Dane, Jakob Fuglsang; the Dutch Steven Kruijswijk and Bouke Mollema; the Slovenian Primoz Roglic; and the British Adam Yates and Geraint Thomas.
Christopher Froome (Great Britain)
Team: Team Sky
Age: 33 years old
Position of the UCI
World Rank: 1
Kilometers traveled in 2018: 5,979.45
Days of the competition: 38
Major achievements in 2018: Tenth Tour of Andalusia; fourth of the Tour des Alpes; Giro champion of Italy.
Games won: 2. Both at the Giro d 'Italia.
Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands)
Team: Team Sunweb
Age: 27 years old
UCI World Clbadification
Ranking: 13
Mileage traveled in 2018: 5 825, 9
Days of competition: 36
Main achievements in 2018:
Vice Giro de Italia champion.
Internships won: 1. One in the Giro de
Italy.
Richie Porte (Australia)
Team: BMC Racing Team
Age: 33 years old
UCI Clbadification: 36
Mileage traveled in 2018: 4,713.12 [19659022] Days of the competition: 36
Main achievements in 2018:
finalist of Santos Tour Down Under; third of the Tour de Romandía and champion of the Tour of Switzerland.
Internships won: 2. One in the Santos Tour Down Under and one in the Tour of Switzerland.
Mikel Landa (Spain)
Team: Movistar Team
Age: 28 years old
UCI World Clbadification
Ranking: 17
Mileage traveled in 2018: 4.649, 05
Days of competition: 31
Major achievements in 2018: sixth
in Vuelta a Andalucía; sixth in the Tirreno – Adriatic; runner back to the Basque Country.
Internships won: 1. One in the Tyrrhenian – Adriatic.
Alejandro Valverde (Spain)
Team: Movistar Team
Age: 38 years old
UCI World Clbadification
Ranking: 5
Kilometers covered in 2018: 5,630
Days of competition: 34.
Major achievements in 2018: third of the Serra de Tramuntana Trophy; fourth of the trophy Lloseta – Andratx; champion of the Valencian Community Tour; Champion of Abu Dhabi Tour; room on Strade Bianche; champion of the Tour of Catalonia; GP Champion Miguel Induráin; second place Klasica de Amorebieta; fifth of the Amstel Gold Race; second in the Walloon Arrow; champion The Road of Occitanie.
Stages won: 7. Back in Vuelta at the
Comunidad Valenciana; one on the Abu Dhabi Tour; two in the Tour of Catalonia; one in the GP Miguel Induráin and one in
The Road of Occitania.
Nairo Quintana (Colombia)
Team: Movistar Team
Age: 28 years old
Position [UCI]
Clbadification: 39
Mileage traveled in 2018: 4.292 , 5
Days of Competition: 29
Main Achievements in 2018:
Finalist in Colombia Oro & Paz; vice-champion of the Tour of Catalonia; fifth at Vuelta al País Vasco; and third in the Tour de Suisse.
Internships won: 1. A round at
Switzerland.
Rigoberto Urán (Colombia)
Team: EF Education Premier – Drapac
Age: 31 years old
Position UCI World Ranking: 18
Mileage traveled in 2018: 4,297 , 45
Days of Competition: 28
Major Achievements in 2018: Third
in the Columbia Oro & Paz; tenth in the Tirreno – Adriatic and sub-champion of the Tour of Slovenia.
Number of stages: 2. One in Colombia Oro & Paz and one in Return to Slovenia
Vincenzo Nibali (Italy)
Team:
Bahrain – Merida [19659020] Age: 33 years
UCI Clbadification World: 8
Mileage traveled in 2018: 5,834.15
Competition days: 39
Important results in 2018: Milan champion – San Remo.
Internships won: 1. One in Milan – San Remo
Romain Bardet (France)
Team: AG2R – La Mondiale
Age: 27 years old
Positioning UCI World Rank: 10
Kilometers covered in 2018: 4,324.65
Competition days: 29
Major achievements in 2018: Faun Environmental champion – Clbadic of Ardèche Rhône Crussol; finalist of Strade Bianche; vice-champion of Finistère Tour; the ninth of the Walloon Arrow; third in the Liega – Bastonia – Liège;
third of the Critérium du Dauphiné.
Games won: 1. One in the Fauna
Environment – Clbadic of the Ardèche Rhône Crussol.
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