Race analysis, favourites, and predictions for Tour de France 2019

Tour de France’s 1x1

On July 6 comes the 106th edition of the Tour de France, which is undoubtedly the most prestigious and mediatic stage race in the world. The Tour is the race where everyone wants to be and only the best go, as evidenced by a highly inflated startlist in Cycling Fantasy: on paper, the average price of a rider is 566 credits. To be precise, the starting list has 16 riders of 1200 credits, 17 of 1000, 31 of 800, 15 of 600, 35 of 400 and only 53 runners of 200 credits.

Although it is a still unofficial startlist, many teams have already confirmed their eight. Therefore, we see ourselves with enough information to elucubrate about what the intentions of the teams may be. Let’s start the special 1x1 of the Tour!

Team Ineos

The dominance of the Sky train in recent Tours has been overwhelming, as demonstrated by the victory of Geraint Thomas (1200) last year. After the loss of Chris Froome (1000) for his serious accident in the Critérium du Dauphiné, Thomas has cleared ground to go as first option to revalidate title. Egan Bernal (1200), who has been doing greatt this season winning Paris-Nice and Tour de Suisse, will be second man, but he is not expected to have to work for Thomas. Both of them will go as leaders and the road will decide who is stronger. In fact, they have plenty of gunpowder, as Wout Poels (800) was one of the best of the Critérium du Dauphine and can be a third man for the GC if the situation requires it. Note that the train will also have the locomotive version of a Michael Kwiatkowski (1200) who is amazing in his secondary role in the three-week tours, and Gianni Moscon (800), who is expected this time as a gregarious. Rounding the eight is time trialist Jonathan Castroviejo (400) and riders Dylan Van Baarle (600) and Luke Rowe (400).

Astana Pro Team

At 34 years old, Jakob Fuglsang (1200) is in the season of his life, after winning his first monument with the Liège Bastogne-Liège and his second Critérium du Dauphiné, and doing positions of honor and podiums in many races he has played. Having said that, considering him a candidate for the Tour is perhaps too much. Of course: he will play the race as much as anyone, and both he and the rest of the team are serious candidates to be stage winners: Astana hasn’t stop winning in the whole season. This year, and only in World Tour events: Pello Bilbao (600), two stages in the Giro d'Italia, Alexey Lutsenko (1000), stage and KOM jersey Tirreno – Adriatico and seventh in the overall of the Critérium du Dauphiné, Magnus Cort Nielsen (800), stage in Paris-Nice and second in the mountain in Dauphiné, and Luis León Sánchez (800), stage in the Tour de Suisse. Rounding out the eight man team is stage winner in the Tour 2018 Omar Fraile (600), the breakaway usual suspect Hugo Houle (400) and Gorka Izagirre (400), who is able to do good in GC.

Bahrain - Merida

Vincenzo Nibali (1000) comes from doing second in the Giro, and maybe asking him a second effort of that kind is too much. For his part, Rohan Dennis (1000) was the only one who could keep the times of Egan Bernal (1200) in the Tour de Suisse and can be a candidate for the GC, although the route, with a single ITT, does not favor him. To fight for stages, they have Matej Mohoric (800) and Dylan Teuns (1000), who have won a stage and finished sixth in Dauphiné. Damiano Caruso (600) is expected to play the role of a domestique in the mountain, as in the Giro he was third in KOM competition. Rounding out the team are Marcel Sieberg (200) and Heinrich Haussler (200).

Team Sunweb

After confirming Tom Dumoulin's (1200) loss for the Tour after his fall in the Giro, Team Sunweb is headless. Michael Matthews (1200) will be the man for the sprints and the green jersey, while Wilco Kelderman (800) or Nicolas Roche (400) will have to assume the role of leader for the general, although both are far from the level of Dumoulin. Soren Kragh Andersen (800), Chad Haga (400) and Nikias Arndt (400) are good time trialists, while Cees Bol (400) is often in the sprints. Complete the team the 22-year-old Lennard Kämna (200), top 20 in Tour de Suisse.

Bora- Hansgrohe

Unquestionably, the team leader is the legendary Peter Sagan (1200), winner of 11 stages and 6 green jerseys of the Tour. After a discreet spring, it seems that the three times world champion is finalizing the form, with victories in California and Tour de Suisse, two of his fetish careers. Over Sagan teammates there is one name that shines above all: Maximilian Shcachmann (1200). After his first victory in Catalunya, he signed a brigliant Itzulia, with three stage victories. In addition, he made top 5 in the three Ardennes classics. Climber on the mountain, wheeler, time trialist and with speed peack. An all-rounder with German engine. For the GC, Bora - Hansgrohe presents two reliable men: Emanuel Buchmann (1200), third this year in Itzulia and Dauphiné and Patrick Konrad (800), third in Switzerland. Gregor Mühlberger (800) is usually in the breakaway and will try to hunt some stage. The team is completed by the time trialist Maciej Bodnar (400), and the gregarious Daniel Oss (200), Marcus Burghardt (200) and Oscar Gatto (200).

UAE Team Emirates

Both Daniel Martin (1000) and Fabio Aru (400) can make a good place in GC standings. While Sergio Henao (400) is expected to accompany them on the mountain, Rui Faria da Costa (800) will have more freedom to seek some stage. For sprints, Alexander Kristoff (1000) is the benchmark, with Sven Erik Bystrom (400) and Jasper Philipsen (600) as launchers. Vegard Stake Laengen (200) will be the eighth man.

Team Dimension Data

The team is not working properly this season, although they took some pressure off with Edvald Boason Hagen (800)’s victory in Dauphiné. The Norwegian seems to be the only one who is fit in a team where big names going through difficult times stand out. Mark Cavendish (400) is a legend, as he is the highest historical winner of stages of the Tour, with 30 partial victories. However, after suffering a hard mononucleosis, it’s been almost two years without seeing him dispute a sprint in conditions. Roman Kreuziger (200) has three top10 in Tour de France, with a fifth place in 2013 as the best classification, but after 12 absolutely discreet months he has devalued up to 200 credits. The specialist of the breakaway Benjamin King (800) is probably together with Hagen his best weapon for a stage victory. Reinhardt Janse Van Rensburg (600) will be the pitcher for Cavendish if Cavendish is fine, although he can also get himself in sprints if necessary. The eight is completed by Louis Meintjes (200), Julien Vermote (200) and Berhard Eisel (200).

AG2R La Mondiale

Romain Bardet (800) will be the undisputed leader and one more year will fight for GC, with the weight of the pressure of all France in the back. For his part, who was leader of the white jersey last year Pierre Latour (200) said he felt no legs in Switzerland, and it is all a mystery. Although it is presumable that Oliver Naesen (800) and Tony Gallopin (800) have some freedom to get into breaks and look for stages, the team is faced towards helping Bardet. Mathias Frank (200), Benoit Cosnefroy (400) Michael Cherel (200) and Latour himself will work as a block for their leader, hoping that the Tour will have a French champion after more than thirty years of drought.

Lotto Soudal

With no man to play the GC, Lotto will look stage wins, and has a perfect team for it. The sprinter Caleb Ewan (1200) the breakaway specialist Thomas De Gendt (1000), and the classics riders Tiesj Benoot (800), Tim Wellens (600) and Jens Keukeleire (400) will be theitr weapons. Rounding out the team are Roger Kluge (200), Jasper de Buyst (400) and Maxime Monfort (200).

Groupama - FDJ

As in the case of Bardet, Thibaut Pinot (1000) will be the absolute leader of his team and he will also be under pressure from the French press. In the high mountain stages it is presumable that his last man will be young David Gaudu (1000), which has been one of the revelations of the season. Also in the eight will be the time trialist Stefan Küng (800). Anthony Roux (400) Rudy Molard (600), Sébastien Reichenbach (200), William Bonnet (200), Matthieu Ladagnous (200) complete an experienced team at the service of their leader.

Movistar Team

On paper, Nairo Quintana (1200) is the team leader, but after the display of strength and determination of Mikel Landa (800) in the Giro, it is difficult to discard him for the Tour, although he can certainly accuse the double effort. World champion Alejandro Valverde (1200) and Marc Soler (400), to whom it seems that things are not going too well this season, will also be in the Movistar eight. They will complete a strong block Winner Andrew Anacona (200), Andrey Amador (400), Imanol Erviti (200), Nelson Oliveira (200) and Carlos Verona (400).

Team Jumbo - Visma

Wout Van Aert (1000) is uncovering himself as something more than a classicoman. After an spectacular spring and winning two stages in Dauphiné (one to the sprint and an ITT) is a serious candidate to score strongly in CF in this Tour de France. Next to him will be the sprinter Dylan Groenewegen (1200) for the volatas and Steven Kruijwijk (1000) and George Bennet (800) for the GC. Team is completed with young man in progression Laurens De Plus (800), fast man Mike Teunissen (600), time trialist Tony Martin (400) and Amund Grondahl Jansen (200).

CCC Team

Greg Van Avermaet (1200) already knows what it is to wear the yellow of the Tour, and he will certainly be combative the first week. Patrick Bevin (800) has been good in Switzerland and also usually appears in the early days, while Alessandro de Marchi (800) is the CCC man when the road turns uphill. Simon Geschke (400) can get on breaks. Serge Pauwels (200), Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (200), Michael Schär (200) and Lukasz Wisniowski (200) complete the eight.

Deceuninck - Quick Step

Julian Alaphilippe (1200) is the maximum favorite for the KOM jersey, and the parcours favors his explosivity, so he can win several stages. For the massive sprints the Belgian team has Elia Viviani (1200). Yves Lampaert (800) and Kasper Asgreen (1000) will also fight stages, while Enric Mas (1000) is the man of the Quick Step for the GC, although this year things are not coming out for him. This super team is completed by Viviani's launcher, Maximiliano Richeze (800), and the experienced Dries Devenyns (400) and Michael Morkov (400).

Mitchelton - Scott

The twins Adam Yates (1200) and Simon Yates (1200) are the undisputed leaders of a Mitchelton - Scott who presents a very competitive eight for the team chrono with Luke Durbridge (400) and Michael Hepburn (400). Matteo Trentin (1000) and Daryl Impey (1000) will fight the sprints of the first days, while Jack Haig (600) has been strong on the mountain this 2019. Christopher Juul Jensen (200) completes the team

EF Education First

Rigoberto Uran (800), Michael Woods (800) and Tejay Van Garderen (800) are men who can play the GC, although none of them can be considered a favorite. For its part, the winner of the Ronde van Vlaanderen Alberto Bettiol (600) can get into breaks and dispute some stage. **Lawson Craddock (200)**and Taylor Phinney (200) are also on a list where a couple of names are still missing.

Wanty - Gobert Cycing Team

The young Guillaume Martin (600) is the undisputed leader of the team for the GC, while Andrea Pasqualon (400) can play the sprints. The rest of the team, consisting of Xandro Meurisse (200), Aimé De Gendt (200), Frederick Backaert (200), Yoann Ofredo (200), Kevin Van Melsen (200) and Odd Christian Eining (200) will try to get into breakaways.

Team Katusha Alpecin

Nils Politt (600) has done an spectacular year, caressing the victory at all times, and will seek some stage the first week. Ilnur Zakarin (800) seems released from the pressure after his stage victory in the Giro, and maybe he will make good results in the Tour. Marco Haller (400) and Rick Zabel (200) are fast men, while Alex Dowsett (400) is a specialist against the clock. José Gonçalves (200), Mads Schmidt Würtz (200) and Pavel Kochetkov (200) are also on the list.

Trek – Segafredo

Richie Porte (600) and Bauke Mollema (1000) will share the leadership of the team, although neither of them has presented credentials to be considered favorites to the overall. Presumably, Giulio Ciccone (800) will fight the mountain jersey of the Tour after winning the Giro’s, and demonstrate the great climber that he is. Edward Theuns (400) and Jasper Stuyven (800) will try to get into the sprints, while the rest of the team will be at the service of their leaders. These are Koen de Kort (200), Tom Skujins (200), and Michael Gogl (200).

Cofidis, Solutions Crédits

Nacer Bouhanni (600) and Cristophe Laporte (600) are the team weapons for sprints, while the rest of the team will seek to get into escapades to get a stage win. The eight is completed by Jesus Herrada (400), Jesper Hansen (400) Darwin Atapuma (200), Hugo Hoffstetter (200), Julien Simon (200) and Anthony Perez (200).

Team Total Direct Energie

Niki Terpstra (400) is the man to watch in another team that will give everything to get a partial victory. Niccolò Bonifaccio (400) is the sprinter, while the rest will have to look for their options in the leaks. The team is completed by Adrien Petit (200), Anthony Turgis (400), Lilian Calmejaen 8400), Rein Taramäe (200), Romain Sicard (200) and Damien Gaudin (400).

Team Arkéa Samsic

Another of the smaller teams, has the sprinter André Greippel (600) as his best asset for a stage victory on flat, and Warren Barguil (400) to try it on the mountain. Also take the exit Anthony Delaplace (200), Florian Vachon (200), Élie Gesbert (200) and Maxime Bouet (200), in a team where there are two places to be confirmed.