The Tour de France gets underway this Saturday and despite just two Irish riders in the line-up, both Dan Martin (pictured) and Sam Bennett can definitely go there with confidence. Here are five days where we feel they can do damage.
Sat July 2nd, Stage 1: Mont Saint Michel to Utah Beach 188km
The opening stage is always a nerve-shredder and this year will be no different with a stage for the sprinters.
What will make the race more difficult is the wind as the course takes the peloton along the coast for a finish along the Utah beachfront.
There are no climbs big enough to shed any in-form sprinters and if Sam Bennett can keep himself out of the wind and his legs fresh, he can challenge the big boys for the first yellow jersey of the race.
Sun July 3rd, Stage 2: Saint Lo to Cherbourg, 183k
This stage is all about the final three kilometres and a hectic finale is expected.
Advertisement
Dan Martin will love the look of it but maybe, just maybe, it’s not hard enough for him.
It kicks up for two kilometres and levels off for a few hundred metres before kicking again for 700 metres to the line.
Time gains/losses will be minimal – but they could be enough to catapult an Irishman into yellow if he’s on the money and times that famous jump of his to perfection.
He's riding as well - perhaps better - than we've ever seen, with his switch to his new Etixx-QuickStep team having worked a treat for him.
And we can't help but think after a lot of crashing misfortune in recent years at Grand Tours, this is Martin's year to win big.
Mon July 4th, Stage 3: Granville to Angers, 223k
Sam Bennett is having a very good year again and will go to the Tour de France having absorbed many lessons from his debut in 2015.
Related News
Yes for the third day in-a-row Irish fans have reason to take more than a passing interest in things because we think Sam’s best chances of a win are earlier, rather than later in the race.
Monday is a nailed-on bunch sprint as the peloton head inland from Granville to Angers.
The highest point on the course is 192 metres after 25 kilometres but this won’t trouble many riders.
Bennett will look to keep his powder dry for the finish where a hectic final 20 kilometres will precede the gallop.
Sun July 10th, Stage 10: Val d’Aran to Andorra Arcalis, 184k
The stage follows arguably the hardest day of this year’s race and by Sunday night we’ll know a lot more about who can win the race outright.
The Saturday takes the riders over the Tourmalet, Hourquette d’Ancizan, Col de Val Louron-Azet and the Col de Peyresoude but Sunday is no easier with three category ones, a category two and a hors categorie to Arcalis.
Martin spends much of his time in Andorra and will know the roads very well, and with a huge Irish contingent set to be there for the weekend, few would bet against him delivering.
Thursday July 14th; Stage 12, Montpellier to Mont Ventoux, 185k
Mont Ventoux is a climb synonymous with the Tour and is back again this year after a two-year absence.
It’s favourite for the fans but a nightmare for the riders who battle the relentless gradient from the base at Bedoin for 22 torturous kilometres.
The climb is long, hot and brutal and you get two possibilities on a stage like this; either a break goes away and you get two races, a fight between the break and a fight for the GC riders, or they’ll chase the break down.
No matter if Dan Martin is out of the running for GC or not, he will definitely look to stamp his authority here.
Topics
