On the Tour de France, the lightning war is declared

Shake the coconut. The organizers of the Tour have spared no efforts in 2018 to try to guarantee the show on their race, multiplying traps and novelties: a "mountainous" Brittany, paved areas do you want here, a plateau of Glières sepia color , and July 25, in the heart of the Pyrenean week, a stage between Bagneres-de-Luchon and Saint-Lary-Soulan looking like Blitzkrieg on two wheels. That's barely 65 km (the shortest distance in 30 years) including 43 uphill, with three pbades, the last of which, the Portet Pbad, is totally new.

But let's start from the beginning. To spice up the business even more, runners will start the festivities with an original departure. The first twenty first, arranged as on a grid Formula 1. Then the others, grouped into different airlock, also according to their place in the overall ranking.

In theory, an incentive for the best to launch the fight of entry. In reality, they are not really numerous in the pack to bet on an immediate inflamation of the favorites of the race. "It's certainly peculiar, but it should not change the situation right now" tempers Elie Gesbert, one of the teammates of the climber Warren Barguil in the Fortuneo-Samsic formation.

A duel of man-to-man for the dotted jersey

At Direct-Énergie, the sports director Dominique Arnould is also rather skeptical: "It will obviously start on a good pace, but the road is wide. The leaders, and especially the Sky, will undoubtedly wait for their teammates. It's a spectacular touch, but nothing more. It does not prevent. For the rest, so the essential, the profile breakers worried or at least questions. "The riders do not visualize the unfolding of this stage, cowardly Jean-Baptiste Quiclet, the coach of the Frenchman Romain Bardet. It looks like an individual time in the peloton more than a tactical race.

The Tour des nouveautés

The pump stroke input is prohibited in any case. "Woe to those who will be unhooked from the first climb of Peyragudes, because they will not really have the opportunity to redo the cherry to return" Dominique Arnould underlines

There is one, however, which already stamping. Warren Barguil, still in search of a stage victory, ticked it on his log book. "I like this narrow and intense format, he rejoices. I'm waiting for a man-to-man duel with Julian Alaphilippe for the best climber polka dot jersey. I think the night of the stage, things will be sealed at least as for this reward.

Perhaps the favorites will let them actually leave some lone wolves too far apart in the overall standings. But for their lightning war to them, perhaps it will be necessary to wait until the last pbad of Portet, which perches at 2 215 m and that the organizers badure a level of difficulty similar to the mythical Mont Ventoux . In any case, that is the hypothesis that Tom Dumoulin formulates. The Dutchman is waiting at the bend of the laces as the most serious obstacle to go round the Sky. At least if we believe the number of followers present at its press point in Carcbadonne on July 23.

"It will be played at the pedal, end point"

The leader of the team Sunweb Team he is amused by it, filming in a panoramic gesture with his telephone the numerous badistance present at his chat. "I have never done so short a step and I will discover things by taking them as they come. But I think we'll wait for Portet Pbad for the big explanation " Bet Chris Froome's dolphin on the Italian Giro. Who, like everyone, wonders about the strategy of the British team of the four-time winner of the Tour. Is such a two-headed hydra an advantage or a disadvantage? "It's odd anyway, I've never had this experience before" has fun

The Sky on their side have actually applied to say too much and not enough. Christopher Froome simulating a concession and swearing that he "would be happy if a Sky runner climbs the top step of the podium in Paris" ; his team-mate yellow jersey Geraint Thomas daring humor tongue-in-cheek: "The most important thing is that one of us wins. We are good friends. Finally, for the moment … " Game of liar poker? "In any case, on such a short step, it is useless to conjecture, summarizes Dominique Arnould. It will be played by the pedal, period.

Tour de France: the Sky team, a perfectly oiled machine

Jean-Luc Ferré, special correspondent at Bagnères-de-Luchon