From Paris to Paris. From last year's Olympics to Tour de France This year, the emotions and the show have remained the same. Once again a Belgian won: this time his name is Wout Van Aert, but how nice it was to see his number one rival, Tadej pogacar, in yellow jersey.
After a week of below-average anticipation for the mountain battles, the French race has reignited. Pogacar has revived, and the magic has returned, especially since Van Aert has also revived. Think what would have been if there had been too Mathieu van der Poel.
The Eye of Mozzato
The novelty of the Montmartre circuit was important and has already been talked about months beforeWe ourselves had hypothesized and analyzed this route, but today we went further: we did the analysis with Luca Mozzato, athlete of theArkea-B&B Hotels, who was not at the Tour but on the massage table at Wallonie Tour, where among other things today he obtained an encouraging fifth place.
The Olympic ring measured 18,4 kilometers. The Montmartre climb, which had to be repeated twice, came after about 240 kilometers. This time, the ring measured 16,7 kilometers, arriving after just about seventy kilometers, but also after three weeks. Significant differences.
Differences that Mozzato emphasizes a lot. Luca ran in the 2024 Paris Olympics and, between what he felt under the wheels and what he saw today on television, helps us understand more.
Luca, what did you think of this Parisian ending?
The objective of the Tour has been achieved. First, in the final stage, There was only suspense in the last 15 kilometers leading up to the sprint. Now it's been a good hour. of battle.
But do you think the rain limited this show a bit?
I wouldn't say from a technical point of view, maybe something has changed from the public's point of view. Maybe there were fewer people on the roadside or they didn't stay there as long. Even though the view on the climb was exceptional.
What kind of circuit is this, Luca? You raced there at the Olympics, in a different context, with different temperatures and a smaller group. Did it seem very different to you?
The part that was really the same in the end was the Montmartre part: the attack, the climb and the descent. Because then, for the rest, it was completely different. It's one thing to do it in a one-day race, and another to do it at the end of a three-week race, with little energy. And the way the stage went, it was like running a classic. Because in fact, it was almost a classic. And that's not easy on the athletes' legs. Even tactically, it's difficult to compare that race to today's.
One thing we noticed was that Pogacar was always a little further away from the person in front of him…
I saw them take the curves with great care, especially when braking. You have to be very gentle, really feel the braking and the wheel, because it was very slippery, especially with all that cobblestone. It's true, Pogacar kept himself further away than the others, but the reason was simple: he had a lot to lose. Anyway, neutralizing the time is fine, but you have to carry your bike to the finish line. So, it's okay to take risks, but not beyond the limit. The others were there for the stage win and were risking everything. Then there's another thing to consider.
What?
That in a large metropolis like Paris, between smog, dust, and leaves, the streets are always a little more slippery. And with this wet and bumpy Champs Elysées everything becomes more treacherous. In my opinion, Tadej did well not to take excessive risks.
Compared to Paris 2024, you told me that the circuit was a little different: in what way?
At the Olympics The asphalt section had many more curves, and one section was really technical before taking the climb. Here, however, after the Arc de Triomphe, it was more linear. But I repeat: they are two completely different races.
How did you see them driving?
Be careful. Given the situation, I didn't see anyone taking more risks than necessary. The only two descents that were really done at breakneck speed were the one of Matej Mohoric and the final one by Van Aert. There, you really had to take risks: Mohoric to come back, Van Aert to pull away. You have to be sensitive on the cobblestones. Never be too harsh on the brakes: the risk of locking up is a moment.
Did Pogacar lose more in the rain? Not to mention that Van Aert is also heavier than him, and that wasn't a small thing for traction...
A little bit yes, but in the end I thought I saw him spend a little more during the day. Precisely to avoid taking risks, he took in more air than the others, and more than was necessary. He was left alone early on the first lap. He made the selection, and in the end, he was perhaps a little less brilliant: but the game was worth it. At least, that's my feeling. Maybe he would tell us otherwise!
Was this one harder than the Olympics?
It should be done! Watching the last lap, it seemed really challenging. In the breakaway, they were dropping back even after having been on the attack for an hour. The pace was crazy. But the two races, I repeat, were different, and, as they say, races are made by the riders. I suffered at the Olympics, but both courses were selective. And the fact that a solo athlete arrived means a lot.
Wout's signature (and trust)
The Tour de France thus ends with the victory – a beautiful and deserved one, let us say – of a great champion. In the end, if you think about it, Wout Van Aert took home the two symbolic finishes of the Giro and Tour: Siena and Paris. His wife's tears at the finish line, his having "hidden" in the Alps (at least by his standards), say a lot about how much and how he had prepared this assault.
«It was a unique day – said Van Aert – It's really special to be able to win again on the Champs Élysées, for the first time with the climb of Montmartre at the end of the stage.
The conditions in Paris were difficult. The rain made the race risky, but my team continued to believe in me."
«We tried several times during this Tour, including yesterday, but I wasn't always well. The hardest part these days has been maintaining my self-confidence. Luckily, the people around me continued to believe in me. Even today, the guys didn't lose faith in my abilities. We managed to control the stage. On the last climb, I gave it my all: that was our plan even before the start, and it worked."
