First Tour week for van der Poel, van Aert and Nys? French riders could spoil the party for the favorites

Valentin Madouas and Romain Grégoire are the two main contenders to strike in the first week of the Tour de France. Both riders have recently demonstrated that they are in good shape, so we can expect them to perform well in the first week of the Tour. “I wasn't able to scout the stage in Boulogne (stage 2). I've had a pretty busy schedule in recent weeks, so I preferred to focus on recovery and rest before the start of this Tour rather than traveling back and forth to Boulogne,” Grégoire said at the press conference.

But the all-rounder has already taken a look at the course. "I have analyzed the map on the various maps we are given; it is a stage that could suit me. On paper, it is a stage for punchers. It looks complicated; there will undoubtedly be tension. It's the start of the Tour, in a stage where the yellow jersey is also at stake. I hope to put in a strong performance. Given the form we've shown in recent weeks with the seven riders in the team, I think we're in the race."

At the French championships, Groupama-FDJ pulled off a real coup during the race, briefly leading with eight riders in a group of ten... Grégoire eventually finished second in the championships. The upcoming Tour de France will be his second participation. “I don't think much has changed compared to last year. The Tour will certainly be different, especially because of the profile of the first stages. Last year, we had a race that settled down very quickly, which meant there was much less pressure and stress in the peloton. This year, it will be a bit more exciting; at least, that's what I expect.”

There will be a notable absence from the French team in the Tour de France: David Gaudu. The 28-year-old climber finished fourth in the overall classification of the Tour in 2022 and has been considered the French team's top rider for years. This year, Gaudu rode the Giro but was deemed unfit enough for the Tour. “It doesn't change much that Gaudu isn't there because we've already done our preparation, to get ourselves ready before thinking about the others,” Madouas said during the press conference. “It's true that David is a rider who is extremely important in a team like ours, but I think we also have several very good riders here who will hopefully be able to compensate for his absence. I think we will be a united team, but a rider like David can certainly win a stage in the high mountains at any time.”

Madouas will be starting La Grande Boucle for the fifth time. "In the Tour de France, you have to take it step by step. So much can happen in the first stage that you have to adapt day by day. It depends on who is wearing the yellow jersey, the weather conditions, the wind, the form of the riders... From there, we have a plan for most of the stages: which stages suit us, which don't, what we can do, what we can try. But we have to look at it day by day and take the stages as they come, with goals for stages that come a little later, of course."

Groupama-FDJ hopes to do well in the GC with Guillaume Martin, as team manager Marc Madiot said earlier. "I'm often asked whether I'm aiming for the stages or the general classification," L'Equipe quotes Martin as saying. "With my experience, it's often the body that decides for us, and perhaps even more so this year, with the first week we're going to have, which promises to be quite difficult. But it's not in my nature to deliberately lose time. I think it will become clear fairly quickly, depending on my current condition and any events during the race. Since the start of the year, I've felt good in the team, and that's reflected in certain results and in how I feel. I think I'm going into this Tour in good shape."