Tour de France 2024: Hardly any breakaway groups despite successful attempts - what's the reason?
Sebastian Lindner
· 09.07.2024
There have rarely been so few breakaway groups in a recent Tour de France as this year. The 111th Tour doesn't have much to offer on the flat stages in particular. On the 3rd stage to Turin, this could still be blamed on the length of the stage. After all, at 230 kilometres, it was the longest stage of the tour. Two days later, with Mark Cavendish's record-breaking victory, the arguments were lacking, although here and there the wind had to be used as an excuse. Just like now on the route from Orleans to Saint-Amand-Montrond.
Jonas Abrahamsen equals age-old Tour de France record
Breakaway groups are usually initiated by the smaller teams, which is why TOUR asked the Norwegian pro team Uno-X Mobility where the rabbit lies. Sports Director Gabriel Rasch ponders for a while, admitting to being surprised before answering. "There are definitely fewer teams and drivers who are interested in an early group to get the TV minutes," he says. "Normally there are always a few French riders who are there." But the Norwegian also seems a little perplexed. "Maybe it would make a difference if there were one or two more hills in the finals, which would make a bunch sprint a little less likely." In addition, almost all teams would have a sprinter with them. "It's not easy when these teams all work well together."
However, his own team has shown how it can be done. "We tried it with Jonas Abrahamsen." And quite successfully. Right at the start, the Norwegian was part of the breakaway group and rode into the mountain jersey. The following day he tried again, finished second on the day and even took the lead in the points classification. He has kept the mountain jersey to this day. Only one rider has ever managed to defend the white jersey with the red points for so long in the Tour. The Belgian Ludo Peeters was the only one to do so - exactly 40 years ago.
Abrahamsen's prominent pee break: "Were not happy about it either"
The statistics specialists at NTT Data , who unearthed this fact, also determined that Abrahamsen has spent 30 per cent of his race time at the Tour de France 2024 in breakaway groups, crossing the finish line first on 15 of 31 categorised climbs and collecting 33 out of 81 possible points.
But Abrahamsen could have done without a few of those kilometres at the front. The fun attack on stage 5 with his team-mate Johannes Kulset, for example, which came at the end because the duo stopped for a pee break, was also criticised at times. "We weren't happy in the car behind them either," admits Rasch, but adds a quick but: He is very keen. That goes both ways. "We are very happy to have him in the team. It brings a lot of motivation and strength to the others to have someone in the team who wants to join the group every day. His energy is priceless." He then laughs at the memory of the situation: "We tried to take it with a grain of salt."
Uno-X wants to continue on the offensive and celebrate its first stage victory
Apart from that, Rasch would have liked to see more action on the road. And more support from other teams. "It's hopeless on your own. You need a big group". However, his team wants to make the next attempt on the 11th stage through the Massif Central. "There will probably be a group there, some of which will probably make it to the finish," he ventures a prediction. He also believes that the day will be too difficult for Abrahamsen. "But we still have Tobias (Halland Johannessen) and Johannes (Kulset), who will give it a go tomorrow. And stages 12 and 13 could also be for the breakaway. They are harder than they look on paper."
Also for Team Uno-X. Because despite the numerous classification jerseys that the Norwegians have been able to collect so far, the big goal of this tour is the first stage win in the team's history at the Tour de France. "I think we had a great start to this tour with the jerseys. We had talked before the start that it would be possible to hold on to the mountain jersey for a long time via a group on the first day. But we really want a stage."
Because the mountain jersey is fleeting, at least for Uno-X. "It's unrealistic that we can make it to Paris. There are so many points up for grabs for Pog (Tadej Pogacar) in the Pyrenees and the Alps," says Rasch. The ex-professional also prefers to look at his team's chances as a breakaway in the high mountains. Johannessen came close to winning a breakaway in the mountains three times last year. In the end, he finished third, fifth and sixth.
