TOUR DE FRANCE – Five tenors, five questions before the decisive shock – Tour de France 2018 – Cycling



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TOUR DE FRANCE – Before the decisive chrono of Saturday, the 19th stage, the last in high mountains, will allow the favorites to explain one last time and answer the many questions that can be asked. Here are five.

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Thomas will he crack at the last moment?

Since taking power last Wednesday at La Rosière, Geraint Thomas has hid behind two arguments to remove as much as possible the pressure inherent in the yellow jersey: Froome remained the true leader of the Sky, and he did not know if he was able to hold the distance over three weeks. The first cracked over the days, before shattering Tuesday at the Col du Portet. Now, everyone agrees, Thomas, Froome or Brailsford, the Welsh is the master card, and probably the only one, the British training.
      

Remains this famous factor "third week". Geraint Thomas was so strong in the mountains that it's hard to imagine him getting stuck, let alone cracking on the last mountain walk. But the crash of Froome leaves him with all the weight of the fate of the Sky on the back. Psychologically, the situation is less comfortable for him at the time of approaching this 19th stage than it was from the Alps. This is the paradox: his position, strengthening, complicates for him the approach of the triptych Aspin-Tourmalet-Aubisque.
      

Despite everything, Thomas has been so strong since the start, not making the slightest odd and showing no weakness, that it would be amazing if he loses everything now.
      

 Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome

Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome Getty Images

What tactics for Dumoulin?

Everyone says it and save for a huge surprise, Tom Dumoulin will crush the clock of Espelette Saturday. But the reigning world champion of the solitary exercise certainly does not imagine to overthrow Geraint Thomas and resume the two minutes that separate him from the Welsh only after the 31 kilometers that make up this 20th and penultimate stage.
      

To give himself every chance of succeeding, the Dutchman will have to reduce the gap on Friday and nibble time. Often lonely when the slope rises, Dumoulin will especially rely on the help of his lieutenants Laurens Ten Dam and Chad Haga if he wants to shake the top of the overall standings. He alone has the key to unlock this Tour de France. Adept riders smoothly, the winner of the Giro 2017 will surely run unnatural if he wants to overthrow the Sky. Will he try his luck from Col d'Aspin? It's far. Or rather in the Tourmalet, whose summit is still located 90 kilometers from the finish? It will try anyway. Because those who wait Aubisque risk to put their finger in the eye.
      

Will Froome fall from the podium?

          Chris Froome finds in this end of Tour an unprecedented situation for him for six years. On the podium, not so far from the first place mathematically, but with a rider of his team in yellow. After Bradley Wiggins six years ago, it was Geraint Thomas who blocked his pbadage. After failing Wednesday to Saint-Lary-Soulan, the triple title holder can no longer play his own card. He said he wanted to help Thomas bring the yellow jersey back to Paris while trying to keep his place on the podium.
      

This is no longer guaranteed since Primoz Roglic is only 16 seconds, and Quintana less than a minute. The problem with Froome is that he does not really have the cards in his hand anymore. The priority, at Sky, will have to be protected Thomas and the jersey, not to save the third place of Froome. This one could have the bad between two saddles Friday. Beyond the strategic considerations, it will also be necessary to see if it is more dashing than Wednesday. It is possible, but not guaranteed.
      

 Chris Froome at the 17th stage of the Tour 2018

Chris Froome at the 17th stage of the Tour 2018 AFP

Will Quintana put this back?

Without his fall on Thursday, the Colombian was clearly expected as the main moderator of Friday's stage. The legs were back for the Colombian, as he showed at the Col du Portet. With a stage victory already, he has nothing to lose by trying his luck from a distance and seems especially one of the few able to do it. Far enough to the general so that Thomas does not jump right into his wheel, ready and strong enough to be dangerous and ignite the race.
      

But his fall on Thursday could upset the Movistar's plans. Will there be sequelae? Will he have recovered perfectly? If this is the case, the Movistar could start the big fight from the Aspin to launch Quintana in the Tourmalet with men at the front as a fulcrum. For the Colombian, and the Movistar, a top 10 can not be a goal and only a raid completely crazy can bring Quintana on the podium, or better. Left to make alliances and let success step to another.
      

Video – Taken in a fall, Quintana was shot in the left arm

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Bardet will he "save" his Tour?

In other words, Bardet is going to does he raise his arms in Laruns? After having experienced the biggest disappointment of his career – it is he who says it – Wednesday, on the slopes of the Col du Portet, the Frenchman said goodbye to his dreams of podium. For the yellow jersey, it was already cooked for a long time. And finally, to save his Great Loop 2018, Bardet has only one goal: to win a stage victory. And as we hardly see it prevail on the time of Espelette then on the pavements of the Champs-Elysées, this 19th stage remains the last opportunity to achieve it.
      

For three years, Bardet has had the good habit of finishing the Tour de France with a stage success. There had been St-Jean-de-Maurienne in 2015, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains in 2016 and Peyragudes last year. To extend its series Friday, the leader of AG2R-La Mondiale will shake the coconut tree and take a lot of risks. Aspin-Tourmalet-Soulor-Aubisque is an ideal playground for another conclusion to a 2018 personal edition without great relief. If he succeeds, Bardet will have saved his Tour.
      

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