A Grand Départ in Denmark awaits the peloton as they take on this year’s Tour de France, with Team DSM revealing an exciting eight-rider strong roster that will line-up in Copenhagen to take on an action-packed 21 days of racing at a La Grande Boucle that has something for everyone.
Getting underway, an intriguing three days of racing awaits the team in Denmark kicking off with a flat and technical time trial around the streets of Copenhagen, before a stage two finish over the Storebælsbroen, an 18-kilometre road bridge which potentially could be prone to crosswinds, with the three days concluding in an expected sprint finish. Returning to France, the riders face an array of terrain in the opening week including punchy finishes, a day on the cobbles and several in the mountains. That variety of terrain continues as the peloton makes its way down the east of France through the Alps, stopping off in Switzerland which is closely followed by a finish atop the famous Alpe d’Huez. The route then cuts across the country and snakes its way towards over some testing terrain ahead of the Pyrenees where the final mountain battles will take place on the Peyragudes and Hautacam. If not already, the GC battle will be decided in a 40-kilometre time trial on the penultimate stage before the sprinters have their day under the lights on the famous Champs-Élysées finish.
Looking to build on recent form and momentum through well engineered training and other specialist areas including altitude camps and targeted racing, Team DSM’s Tour de France group are ready to take their jersey adorned with its distinctive two stripes on the hunt for stage results in their journey around France.
Team DSM coach Matt Winston said: “We’re all looking forward to the 2022 Tour de France. Every day we will have to be sharp and that starts right from the opening day with the TT in Copenhagen which is followed by potential for crosswinds and nervous stages in the rest of our time in Denmark. We then transfer to France where we’re straight back into action with some tricky stages, including over the cobblestones, where we expect to see a big fight. A tough middle part of the race follows in the mountains which then continues as we head towards the Pyrennees before the traditional finale in Paris. Our main goal for the three weeks is to go for stage results. We will focus day-by-day on how the race is progressing and come up with plans for where we see that our chances lie. We have a really motivated group of guys who are full of ambition, as we look to compete in the sprint stages and in the more mountainous days as well.”
Full line-up:
Romain Bardet
Alberto Dainese
John Degenkolb
Nils Eekhoff
Chris Hamilton
Andreas Leknessund
Martijn Tusveld
Kevin Vermaerke
