5 memorable moments from the first week of the Tour de France
The biggest race in the world has proven to be just as fantastic as expeceted
The first week of the Tour de France is in the books. On the second rest day of the Tour, Tadej Pogačar has 39 seconds on Jonas Vingegaard and 1:17 on Geraint Thomas (Ineos/Great Britain.) Although the Slovenian has impressed thus far, the face is far from over as the big mountains of the Pyrenees loom.
1. Wild and windy times in Denmark
The second stage of the Tour was touted to be a tough one, as riders would ride from Roskilde to Nyborg. It was a flat stage that looked like a day for the sprinters. The big obstacle though, was the famous Storebælt bridge which connects the of Sjælland where capital Copenhagen lays, to Fyn.
There were crashes galore on the bridge, even with the yellow jersey of Yves Lampaert, who survived one near the beginning of the bridge, and then had to chase back on. Rigo Uran also crashed just before the bridge, but also managed to catch back on.
Fabio Jakobsen wins his debut Tour de France road stage, Van Aert into yellow
2. Jumbo-Visma’s bike change from Hell
During stage 5, when the riders hit the Arenberg forest, there were a bunch of crashes and flats. When Jonas Vingegaard needed a bike, iInstead of waiting at the side of the road for his team car, his teammate wisely gave him his steed to ride. Problem was, it was way too big. Vingegaard persevered, but he couldn’t even sit down.
Then Steven Kruijswijk gave him his bike. It still wasn’t the exact right size, but better than the first one. Then the team car showed up, and the Dane swapped again. But Kruijswijk had to hightail it across the road to get his bike back!
Jumbo-Visma’s bike change was the most hectic near-disaster ever
3. Yves Lampaert’s shocking prologue win. “I am just a farmer’s son!”
Quick Step’s Yves Lampaert stunned the favorites by taking the first yellow jersey of the 2022 Tour de France. The Belgian was quickest on a fast and rainy time trial course. When he found out he had won the stage, and the yellow jersey, he was in tears.
4. Pog steals the stage win from Kämna and Vingegaard
On an incredible uphill finish to La Super Planche des Belles Filles, it looked like Lennard Kämna might just take the win of his life. But as he got closer to the summit finish, so too did Pogačar and Vingegaard. As the slope hit 24 per cent, the duo passed him with just 200 m to go. The Dane made a sassy move to try and take the win, but was no match for Pog.
Non-mellow yellow: Pogačar storms to victory on first summit finish of 2022 Tour de France
5. Tom Pidcock’s amazing post-race interview about van Aert’s gutsy breakaway attempt
Wout van Aert went for it during stage 4, attacking early with Jakob Fuglsang and Quinn Simmons. Fuglsang, thinking about his chances at the overall, would wisely drop back, leaving just the American and Belgian away. Eventually, the Jumbo-Visma rider would drop Simmons and try to solo for the win.
But ‘twas not to be, as van Aert would be scooped up in the final kilometres, losing his jersey. Tom Pidcock had an…interesting commentary after the stage.
Tom Pidcock gave the most amazing post-race interview about Wout van Aert
