SALT LAKE CITY — The globally renowned Tour de France, a pinnacle of professional cycling, kicked off in Italy this past weekend. However, in a break from tradition, the race will not culminate in Paris for the first time since 1905 due to the impending Olympics.
Due to logistical and security concerns related to the Summer Games, the race will not have its usual grand finale on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Instead, the 111th edition of the Tour will wrap up in Nice on July 21, just five days before the Olympics begin in Paris. The 21-day race, spanning 2,173 miles, started in Italy on June 29, marking yet another first for the event.
In another historic moment, Biniam Girmay of Eritrea became the first Black cyclist to win a stage in the Tour de France. He sprinted ahead of the pack to claim victory in the 144-mile third leg from Piacenza to Turin on Monday.
Despite the Tour de France attracting tens of millions of viewers globally each year, American audiences have largely lost interest in professional cycling following Lance Armstrong’s downfall. However, this year’s unique circumstances and intriguing storylines could reignite their interest.
According to NBC News, American viewership could be on the rise again, partly due to the release of “Unchained,” a Netflix show by the creators of the hit “Drive to Survive” docuseries, which delves into the world of Formula 1 racing. ”‘Unchained’ offers an intimate look at cycling’s fiercest rivalries, showcasing the dedication, sacrifice, and passion required to triumph in the Tour de France. Expect dramatic crashes, emotional breakdowns, and intense team conflicts,” NBC reports.
Who are the American Contenders in the Tour de France?
While Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark and Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia, both two-time winners of the last four races, are expected to vie for the top spot again, at least one of the three Americans in this year’s Tour has a chance to reach the podium.
Matteo Jorgensen, a native of Boise, Idaho, is being hailed as one of the top cyclists on the world tour after his victory in Paris-Nice this year, the first American to achieve this feat since 2006. He also claimed victory in Dwars door Vlaanderen and secured second place in the Critérium du Dauphiné, just eight seconds behind Slovenian Primoz Roglič, a pre-race Tour de France favorite. A teammate of Vingegaard on Visma-Lease a Bike, Jorgensen has shown promising performances in the Tour in 2022 and 2023.
“Matteo Jorgensen has made remarkable progress this year,” said Tejay van Garderen, a former grand tour rider who is making his debut as a race commentator on NBC Sports this year. ”From what I’ve seen, he has the potential to secure a podium finish in the Tour de France.”
However, Visma-Lease a Bike’s lead director sportif Merijn Zeeman downplayed Jorgensen’s chances of winning the title this year, emphasizing his role in supporting Vingegaard.
“I firmly believe that Matteo Jorgensen will be a formidable cyclist in the future, and he will have an opportunity to win the Tour de France in his career. However, he is still developing,” Zeeman told reporters last week before the race, according to Cycling News.
Despite suffering from road rash due to a crash on Stage 2, Jorgensen managed to finish with the main group of cyclists. He currently ranks 13th overall after Monday’s stage, just 21 seconds behind the leaders.
“I feel surprisingly fine, considering I was going at a high speed when I crashed. I expected to be more injured. But I got up and only lost some skin,” he said, as reported by Cycling News.
Jorgensen’s cycling journey began on the streets of Boise with the Boise Young Rider Development Squad, or BYRDS, according to the Idaho Statesman.
“I am incredibly proud to be from Boise and to have started my cycling career in such a bike-friendly city with BYRDS,” said Jorgensen, who celebrated his 25th birthday on Monday.
As a versatile cyclist, Jorgensen is also a strong contender for the Tour’s white jersey, awarded to the best rider under the age of 26.
The other two Americans participating in this year’s Tour de France are Neilson Powless and Sean Quinn, both members of the Education First-EasyPost team. Powless is competing in his fifth Tour, while Quinn is making his debut. Powless is known for his breakaways and climbing skills. He led the King of the Mountain classification for half of the 2023 race before ultimately being overtaken by another cyclist.
Powless, a 26-year-old from Roseville, California, is the first tribally recognized Native North American to compete in the Tour de France. His late grandfather was a member of the Oneida tribe. Powless is 25% Oneida, the minimum percentage required for tribal membership, according to Outside magazine.
Quinn, a Los Angeles native, grew up watching the Tour with his parents and soon found himself cycling up California’s mountains, imagining they were the Alps. He excels as a climber and is a competent sprinter.
Why is Sepp Kuss Absent from the Tour?
While Jorgensen is aiming for a top-three finish, Sepp Kuss, from Durango, Colorado, is watching his Visma-Lease a Bike teammates from home after failing to fully recover from COVID-19, which forced him to withdraw from the Critérium du Dauphiné, according to Cycling News.
“I’m disappointed to miss the TdF this year after struggling with COVID complications for a few weeks,” Kuss posted on Instagram last week.
Kuss has been a crucial support rider for Vingegaard in the past two Tours, helping him through the challenging mountain stages and positioning him for victory. Kuss’ own major wins include the Vuelta a España in 2023, Stage 15 of the Tour de France in 2021, and the now-defunct Tour of Utah in 2018.
Who was the Last American to Win the Tour de France?
Greg LeMond is the only American to have won the Tour de France, with victories in 1986, 1989, and 1990. Armstrong won a record seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005 but was stripped of his titles after an investigation into doping allegations revealed he had used performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career. Floyd Landis would have been the third American winner in 2006, but he was disqualified after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
An American has not worn the race leader’s yellow jersey outright since van Garderen did so for one day in 2012, although he was involved in a rare tie for the jersey after a team time trial in 2018. His teammate was awarded the overall race lead due to higher finishes in previous stages of the race.
Kuss’ stage win in 2021 ended a 10-year drought for American victories in the Tour de France.
Disagree with this decision and think it is unfair to other athletes who have been training for the Paris Olympics without adjustments.
Disagree with special treatment for Idaho cyclist; unfair to other Olympic athletes.