They are ready to start with the number one and defend the yellow jersey. They are one of the four “dream teams” of the Tour de France: they are the guys from Visma-Lease a Bike. An important piece will not be part of the Dutch battleship, Edward Affini. But the man from Mantua, “from the outside”, helps us to analyze his team well and how it stands in relation to the others.
Affini in autumn, when the programs are made also based on the routes, had been included in the long list of the Tour, especially since Wout Van Aert e Olav Kooj they would take part in the pink race. Then things changed along the way and he found himself, rightly as he also claims, in the Giro. But now it’s time for the Tour de France…
Despite Sepp Kuss’s last minute withdrawal due to Covid, Visma-Lease a Bike remains a team, Edoardo…
I think on paper, the riders going to France make up a nice selection. There are many champions, even if there is no shortage of question marks.
Are you referring to Jonas Vingegaard?
I honestly don’t know everyone’s conditions. We have to see how Jonas is obviously doing, but also how Wout Van Aert is doing. We know that if Wout is in a certain way he can be fundamental in every sense, as a wildcard man and as a wingman for Jonas. I don’t think it will be that
of the 2022 Tour… let’s put it that way. And it would be easily seen the injury he had and the recovery process he took. He may not be in the best shape ever. But he is still Van Aert.
E Vingegaard?
I hope Jonas grows during the race, but his condition is hard to understand at the moment. I assume it’s pretty good, otherwise they wouldn’t have brought him.
When did he actually start pedaling again?
I honestly don’t know, and it’s not because I don’t want to say. I don’t know the exact timing. In April he probably did a few rides on the rollers, just to move his legs and see how his body responded. But sure, He didn’t ride a bike before May.
Kuss is missing and Van Aert and Vingegaard do not give the usual certainties, Matteo Jorgenson instead does. Can he be the wild card as your boss also said? Or will he be the luxury domestique?
He could be a key player for Jonas, but I also see him as a loose cannon for a few stages if he gets the chance. Of those selected, Jorgenson was the one who showed the best form and was also the most consistent. He was the protagonist in the spring and fought for the Dauphiné until the last stage, so I think he can be considered the rider who gives the most certainties.
Among the question marks there is also Laporte…
Even Christophe, we need to see how he recovered after the Giro. He had fallen. He had the time and the way to recover well and prepare for the Tour.
You, Edward, run in one of these squadrons and at the same time run against it. Where are you strongest? And where do you pay for something instead? UAE Emirates has many captains…
And in my opinion you have already hit the crux of the matter. If you take its individual riders, UAE is superior… in the standings. They are all riders who could aim for the podium in other teams. Maybe we are more of a team. Which is still to be seen, because you would need to be in that team and see its internal dynamics. We at Visma-Lease a Bike are a bit more complete on all terrains. And we have a “more unique” goal.
“More unique” gets the idea right…
We are more centralized on one or maximum two objectives. We don’t have four riders making the classification. We are more dedicated to a cause, let’s put it that way.
Bora-Hansgrohe and Ineos Grenadiers also have broad shoulders. Where can they be beaten? And where will they cause trouble?
Bora proved to be a great team at the Giro. He showed that he knows how to run for his captain, in that case Martinez. With Primoz they obviously have one of the major candidates to win the Tour or at least for the podium. The only question mark could be the fact that Roglic and others are new to the team and maybe still need a bit of running-in. These are aspects that seem simple, but they require a bit of time.
Roglic and Gasparotto also said it after Paris-Nice…
We are all professionals and we know what to do, but that extra touch, that 0.5 percent that maybe makes you give something more, that less communication that is needed to make a quick decision at the right time… maybe they don’t have it Still. If Roglic realized it, it’s because he had been in our team for 10 consecutive years and there he knew everything like the back of your hand.
What can you tell us about Ineos?
They have a history of winning Grand Tours. In the last period they have missed the champion, especially after what happened to Bernal, but guys they have Thomas who is a fantastic runner. He won a Tour. At 38 the fight is still there, look at the Giro d’Italia he did. For me he did an exaggerated Giro. Here, in his case we need to evaluate his post-Giro recovery.
What do you think Bernal can give to this team at this moment and with those teammates?
From what we saw in the first part of the season, he seemed to be growing with each race. It went strong at the Dauphiné. But a bit like in UAE Emirates there are also many there: Bernal, Thomas, Pidcock, Carlos Rodriguez… I don’t know which of them will want to rank, but they are certainly a good block. And with similar runners you can also play different cards based on how the race goes. You can lead one ahead and wait with the other. They have more options. And then, I repeat, they are experts. They can come up with something… definitely.
Back to you, Edoardo. You mentioned the boulder, what is your boulder for the climb? Especially now that Kuss is missing?
Without Sepp, The last man should be Jorgenson. Then there will be Wilco Kelderman that if he’s well he’s really going strong, believe me. And also Sepp’s replacement, Bart Lemmen, It’s not bad at all. Maybe he’ll have to get used to it a bit, especially since it’s his first time participating.
Kuss is a big miss…
I think I can say, if we’re only talking about climbers, that if he’s not the best in the world he’s easily in the top five. Sepp knows how to go uphill, it’s his terrain, he knows how to pace himself like few others and at different speeds. So it is clear that it is a heavy loss. And it is no coincidence that in all the Grand Tours that we won he was present.
Who will be the director in the running?
It usually is Tiesj Benoot. But I think Van Aert can also fill that role there.
