Tadej Pogacar is already in the yellow jersey before the Tour de France tackles the mountains. He took the lead two days earlier than last year in the punchy finale of Longwy after being the first of the GC favorites in the inaugural time trial and on the cobblestones. He made clear that he also wants to win at La Planche des belles filles, a place he’s very familiar with because that’s where he won his first Tour de France in 2020 throughout the closing time trial. But he also indicated that the new situation on GC favours an early move. With a 5’11’’ deficit overall, is Thibaut Pinot far enough from the defending champion for getting the opportunity to target the stage win on home soil from a breakaway? That would be the pinnacle of his career. In any case, the first uphill finish of the 2022 Tour de France is very much awaited. The finish line is located at La Super Planche, at the end of a gravel road where Dylan Teuns won in 2019.
