Tour de France, 107th edition. The debut of Ursus wheels at the most famous cycling tour in the world coincides with an event that is nothing short of unique.
The coronavirus postponement will give the champions of the Direct Energie Pro Cycling Team an unprecedented start at the end of August, in a context in which the race will likely be held (at least partially) behind closed doors. However, there will be no shortage of spectacle, for a Tour that promises to be magnificent, magical.
A SPECTACULAR ROUTE
The program, as planned by the team's management, which will ride with Ursus racing wheels, features 29 climbs and six high-altitude finishes. According to insiders, one of these sections will decide the overall standings. Dirt roads will remain a key feature of some stages, but, compared to the past, there will be fewer time trials. These will only be covered on the penultimate stage, which is also quite steep, and there will be no team event.
Not an easy route, indeed. It's been said that 2020 promises to be the toughest edition for cyclists in the last five years. In addition to the elevation changes and climbs, the special time trial also promises to be a spectacle, which, as Tour de France expert Chris Froome declared , "hasn't been seen in decades." The British champion himself, a true specialist in the event with four victories to his name, calls this year's Tour a "brutal one."
THE BIG DEPARTURE AND THE FIRST PART OF THE TOUR
The race will start on August 29th from Nice with a 156km stage suitable for sprinters like Bonifazio, continuing along the Côte d'Azur with 4000m of elevation gain and the first three categorised climbs. It's true to say that we'll see an all-uphill start , making for a tough tour starting from the second stage. The fourth day will be an important test for the climbers' legs, with a first high-altitude finish in Orcières-Merlette (1828m). The race will then unfold between the probable sprint finish in Privas (stage 5) and the challenges of stage 6, where our riders' bikes will face a 35km climb in the finale divided into three categorised climbs, before returning to challenge the sprinters between Millau and Lavaur. The Pyrenees will make their appearance on stage 8, with a menu that includes three strenuous climbs in Menté, Bales, and Peyresourde before the mouth-watering downhill finish to Loudenvielle. Another push on stage 9, with Calmejane and his teammates aiming for a feat on the Col de Marie-Blanque, before the first (well-deserved) break.
THE RECOVERY AND THE SPECTACULAR ALPINE CHALLENGES
At the restart, two fast stages await, leading the Direct Energie Pro Cycling Team to the longest stage of this edition. We expect some surprises here, with attacks possible from far away, as the Tour enters its climax. The heat will be particularly intense on the Pas du Peyrol (stage 13), where we'll encounter a 5.4km stretch at 8.1%. The breakaway will once again dominate the route to Lyon, paving the way for the real turning point of the 2020 Tour de France: Lyon - Grand Colombier will be the first of the major Alpine stages, followed by five categorized climbs the next day and the deadly 17th effort between Grenoble and Meribel (168km with climbs of 17.1km at 8.4% and 21.5km at 7.8%). This will reveal who truly has what it takes to fight for the Yellow Jersey.
A QUICK FINISH TO DECREE THE YELLOW JERSEY
The final mountain stage will give way to the sprinters who survived the French Alps, but stage 20 (the only time trial) will provide the final major battle between the general classification leaders. The uphill finish, as predicted by Froome, will be the final judge. The event will thus conclude on September 20th amidst the emotional finale of the traditional parade on the Champs-Élysées, where the winner of the 2020 Tour de France will finally be able to raise the trophy destined for the Yellow Jersey.
TOUR DE FRANCE: URSUS' DREAM WITH THE DIRECT ENERGIE PRO CYCLING TEAM
Making your Tour de France debut isn't something you get every day. It will be a first for Ursus. After many years of experience with our wheels at the Giro d'Italia , the dream for all of us is to see a rider from the Direct Energie Pro Cycling Team raise their arms to the sky at at least one of the French finish lines. The start is almost here, and... dreaming doesn't hurt. Enjoy the Tour de France!
