LOSS COVID
A few weeks before the battle for the yellow jersey during one of the main rehearsals of the “Big Loop” Tour of Switzerland, 30 people in the peloton suffered from covid. They mostly suffered in terms of ambitions for a stage race. Vlasov is the main victim. He was the overall leader and returned home with a positive test.
“In fact, I had no symptoms,” he told , on his way to the presentation of the first Tour de France of his career. – A little sore throat then, but I thought it was because of the air conditioning. And then I had a positive test. It’s a shame, of course, I could have won the race, but I had more rest before the Tour. The team said not to worry, there is still plenty of time and in a week there will be a negative test. It ended up being even earlier. Of course, of course, they didn’t say ‘don’t worry, you’ll go to the Tour’. They said, “We will follow your condition.” But after a few days everything was fine. So I spent that time before the Tour in Monaco – I moved there in October-November. Before that, he lived in Andorra. I changed my place of residence, because in Monaco the logistics are simpler, the airport is close and the procedures are easier too.
By the way, before the start of the “Tour” in the peloton still covid-loss. Notably, Tadey Pogachar lost Matteo Trentin, Astana lost a runner.
DENMARK AND NERVES
The Grand Départ, a trio of the first stages outside the Tour, will take place this time in Denmark. On the wind side, the group is torn, nervous – on the “all inclusive” system. But the peloton complained about the dangerous course. Narrow roads, a lot of layouts – the problem that leads to terrible blockages, and the runners periodically remind the organizers of this.
“We rode a bit before the presentation,” says Vlasov. – I didn’t feel anything. I was warned about safety, that it is not wide everywhere, that there are many moments to the right and to the left, that the first stages will be dangerous. But these are not the first narrow roads we see! There are many such moments in France too.
FURTHER – ON THE COB
Vlasov has a first season this year. The first races in Belgium of his career, the first stage race of the World Tour won – the “Tour de Romandie”, and there will also be the first steep pavement, a segment of the famous “Paris – Roubaix”. Sasha went back in the spring to see what kind of hell it was.
“We went there just after Liège – Bastogne – Liège with Niels Politt”, explains Alexander. – I like it. But it’s just the two of us, when there’s no stress, no fighting for position. It was even fun. True, the race will not be fun (Laughs). We will see! The sports director immediately said – Niels will be with me throughout this stage, he will carry me. I always followed him during training, then tried to drive a section myself – it seems to be not bad.
DRIVE TO SURVIVE
This is the name of the new film that Netflix is shooting on the Tour de France-2022. Several teams have agreed to participate in the project, including BORA-hansgrohe.
“The first time they came to us to shoot in Paris – Nice,” Vlasov recalls. – We were also at the training camp in Andorra and now they will also shoot in the Tour. At “Paris – Nice” they wanted to learn something interesting, special, unusual, but now they only film training. I haven’t watched the series on Movistar on Netflix – I haven’t gotten my hands on it. But this one, with our team, I’m definitely going to watch.
THE MAIN DIRECT LINES OF THE “TOUR”
The current “Tour” along the route is a “classic” of its kind. Mountains, “cut”, Alpe d’Huez. Journalists traditionally wonder which steps can become key. But the truth is that it will be possible to place accents with reference to reality only after the first nervous week.
“In general, I try not to mentally choose ‘special’ moments before the race,” admitted Alexander. – You have to “survive” the first week, ride through the cobblestones without too much loss, and then we’ll see how the mountain stage goes. I mentioned Alpe d’Huez at a press conference because it is a well-known climb. But filling my head with “special” moments three weeks in advance is not for me, I’m always listening from one scene to another.
WHAT BORA-HANSGROHE CLAIMS
Vlasov failed to get away with the ‘I’ll do everything in my power’ standard during the press conference. After a good start to the season, we expect more from him both in the race and in interviews.
“So what are you capable of?” What are your ambitions?
– I will fight for victory. Let’s see how the race will evolve.
– Will you be able to impose a fight with Tadej Pogachar and Roglic with Vingegor with your teammates?
– Of course, Pogachar is the strongest and it will be difficult to defeat him, very difficult. There is a chance, you have to go about it wisely. We’ll see what happens. (Primoz) Roglic and (Jonas) Vingegor are very strong, but we’ll see how it will be in the mountains.
BORA-hansgrohe believes in Vlasov. Lennard Kemna confirms: “Alex is in top form.”
“We have already been in the top 10 three times and of course we want to be on the podium, we dream of it,” says team general manager Ralf Denk. – It’s a difficult task, but when you see how Vlasov has been riding this season, this goal seems real. We will support him as best we can.
“TOWER” ITINERARY:
Stage 1, July 1: Copenhagen 13 km individual race
Stage 2, July 2: Roskilde-Nyborg, 199 km
Stage 3, July 3: Vejle – Sønderborg, 182 km
July 4: move to France
Step 4, July 5: Dunkirk – Calais, 172 km
Stage 5, July 6: Lille – Wallers-Arenberg, 155 km
Stage 6, July 7: Binche – Longwy, 220 km
Stage 7, July 8: Tomblain – Planche de Belle Fille, 176 km ⛰
Stage 8, July 9: Dole-Lausanne, 184 km
Stage 9, July 10: Aigle – Châtel, 183 km ⛰
Holidays, July 11
Stage 10, July 12: Morzine – Megeve, 148 km
Stage 11, July 13: Albertville – Serre Chevalier – Col du Granon, 149 km ⛰
Stage 12, July 14: Briançon – Alpe d’Huez, 166 km ⛰
Stage 13, July 15: Bourg d’Oisans – Saint-Etienne, 193 km
Stage 14, July 16: Saint-Etienne – Mende, 195 km
Stage 15, July 17: Rodez-Carcassonne, 200 km
Rest day, July 18
Stage 16, July 19: Carcassonne – Foix, 179 km
Stage 17, July 20: Saint-Gaudens – Peyragud, 130 km ⛰
Stage 18, July 21: Lourdes – Otakama ⛰
Stage 19, July 22: Castelnaud Magnoac – Cahors
Stage 20, July 23: Lacapelle-Marival – Rocamadour 40 km individual
Stage 21, July 24: Paris, La Defense – Champs Elysées, 112 km
Source : MatchTV
