Tour de France: Day of fear: Degenkolb celebrates, climbers tremble
DPA
· 05.07.2022
On the day of fear John Degenkolb (Team DSM) has his heart set on fire. When the Tour de France tackles the cobbled stage to the infamous Arenberg forest on Wednesday, the veteran will be in his comfort zone.
Degenkolb looking forward to Pave stage
"I naturally picked this stage," says the 33-year-old. After all, he has a triumph at Paris-Roubaix 2015 on his CV. The Thuringian-born rider also won in 2018, the last time the Tour went through the "Hell of the North".
What Degenkolb is looking forward to like a little child sometimes causes panic among the contenders for overall victory. "In the end, there will be a lot of people who will be happy when it's over," says Degenkolb about the 153.7 kilometre long fifth stage. "They'll be happy if they've only lost a minute or two or don't have to drive home completely."
Memories of Paris-Roubaix
The route planners have built eleven sections over the so-called pavés into the stage. Four of these are regularly ridden in the classic Paris-Roubaix. While there were many short sectors in 2018, they are more select and longer this year. "The cumulative distance is less important than the length of each sector," emphasises route director Thierry Gouvenou.
If things go according to plan, the top stars have nothing to worry about. Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard have the Belgian classics star Wout van Aert in the Team Jumbo-Visma as navigator at their side. To Aleksandr Vlasov, captain of the German team Bora-hansgroheformer Roubaix runner-up Nils Politt and Austria's powerhouse Marco Haller will be watching.
Tour de France winner Pogacar with Classics experience
Defending champion Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) has lost his most important helper in Matteo Trentin due to a corona infection, but has already shown his qualities on cobblestones in the spring.
Of course, there are many voices against such a stage in the Tour. In a way, it's a tradition. Simon Geschke (Cofidis) criticised that the Tour organisers were only interested in the spectacle - and the Berliner may not be wrong. Bora-hansgrohe team boss Ralph Denk also doesn't think much of the stage. "I don't think it's good. You can't win the Tour, but you can lose it. You train for nine months for the Tour and then you lose everything because of a puncture," said the Bavarian. I think the classic Paris-Roubaix "is mega. Everything should be in its own time."
Chaos expected on stage 5
In fact, there is a serious difference between a classic on cobblestones and a Tour stage. While only specialists are at the front in the Classics, in the Tour the captains also want to be the first on the cobbled sections - and they are more likely to be in the 60-kilo mountain flea category than a powerful rider who glides over the cobbles with 15 to 20 kilograms more on his ribs. This inevitably leads to chaos.
John Degenkolb will certainly have fun. He does not yet know whether it will be enough for a good result. He is not yet able to assess the effects of his coronavirus infection shortly before the Tour.
Only one thing is certain. Degenkolb will visit the toilet again before the start. As a safety measure, so to speak. Degenkolb says: "This is a day on which the tension will be extremely high. It will be full throttle from start to finish. You might not even have time to pee."
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