On 7th of July, we will see the start of Tour de France with the 1st Stage, a 200km long run alongside the coast from Noirmoutier-en-l’Île to Fontenay-le-Comte. This stage is suited for sprinters, so expect them to shine. It’s a flat 200km run, which rises to 31m at his highest point. As mentioned before, the race starts at Noirmoutier and continues down the peninsula. As an interesting fact, we can mention that this year’s route will not go across the Passage Du Gois, as it is only accessible at low tide.
More than a half of the route is located on the coast (110km), which might have some effect on the result of the race. The coastal winds could put sprinters, who would otherwise have an advantage in a bad spot. Coastal winds are to be expected, the question is how strong will they end up being and which way will the wind blow. Needless to say, we must take it into consideration as it might have a big effect on the outcome of the race.
Sprinters should be happy with the weather forecast, as tailwinds are to be expected, which would mean we will see a full-on sprint in Fontenay Le Comte. All in all, we expect a sprinters race, and with many more sprinters compared to Giro di Italia, they will need to be in the top position in the last kilometre just to have a chance to win.
Dylan Groenewegen, most likely the fastest sprinter in the peloton as of now. He has been in an amazing for this year, winning 9 times which is the most wins of any sprinter here at Tour de France. In addition, he has a very good team (Timo Roosen as an expert leadout, backed up by Paul Martens and Primoz Roglic). We believe he has a big chance to win this stage, especially with the uphill finish which will suit him more than others.
Prediction: Dylan Groenewegen to win
Odds: 3.39 Pinnacle
We have three more predictions for the first stage, if you want them, you will have to become a premium member.
