It's stage 17 of the Tour de France , and the race is pretty much over for sprinters. That's it, job done. There will almost definitely not be another bunch sprint at the Tour until next July. There is no Paris stage this year to worry about. Feet up then, right?
Well, no. Not really. The Tour has one of its hardest endings in recent memory, with three mountain-top finishes and a hilly time trial to come, with very little relief. The race is also on, with Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) chasing Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) for every second. It will be far from easy.
It seems a bit cruel, really, to force the best sprinters over this brutal course just in order to finish the race, much more of a Giro d'Italia finish than one for the Tour. Even Pogačar, the man in the yellow jersey , who is at home in the mountains, feels a bit sorry for them.
"They will need to survive, especially the last time trial," the UAE rider said in his stage 16 press conference. "I hope the organisers will set a nice time limit on the last TT, so the sprinters don’t have to go full gas on this time trial in Nice. It’s a bit of a shame that there’s no sprint in the final for them, and today was the final sprint stage. I think it’s over for the green jersey. It’s a shame for them that they miss the Champs-Élysées. I hope the majority won’t abandon after today."
It could be quite the clock watch over the next few stages for many of the sprinters, none more so than Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan), who is aiming to finish his final Tour, but only just made the time cut on Sunday's stage 15. As Pogačar said, if the organisers aren't kind on this Sunday's hilly time trial, there might be a few people outside the time limit on the final day.
For Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), winner of stage 16 and two other stages at this year's Tour, there is motivation beyond just finishing – he is still in contention for the green jersey, although he gave himself just a 5% chance of taking it off the shoulders of Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty).
"I have to find some motivation and look for a motivation," The Belgian said of his attempt to complete the Tour. "Of course, you want to finish the Tour de France. Also, if you’re still quite close to the green jersey, it’s an extra motivation to stay in the Tour. I’m happy we have another goal, rather than just filling up the bunch."
If Philipsen is to challenge for the green jersey, he is going to have to go after intermediate sprints, something made more than a little bit difficult by the presence of the Alps.
"I’m not having my best climbing legs, let’s say it like that," Philipsen said. "I suffer a lot in the mountains. Especially the first week. With the level nowadays it’s really hard for us. I have to push my best numbers in the grupetto just to be in time. In front, they race extremely hard. It’s not so nice for us as sprinters."
For Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility), veteran of 11 Tours and third on stage 16, motivation will come from being in a good place for the rest of the season, and, perhaps more crucially, having his children with him during the time trial.
"I need to find my legs from 2015, when I won Flanders, because I could climb then," the Norwegian joked. "It's many years ago.
"Always before you have the Champs-Élysées you fight for. And now, it's more or less just a training camp for sprinters. Maybe a few more than usual will be stopping, but hopefully we will have some sprinters finishing the Tour.
"Usually I get good shape after a Grand Tour, so for the rest of the season it's a good idea for me to continue.
"For me, it's boring [the time trial], but I'll have my kids, they'll be in the car cheering for me. I will fight that I can experience that. It's a small goal."
With no Champs to fight for, only respect for the Tour, it might be difficult to summon enough drive to get through what could be some of the toughest days ever seen at the race - including France's highest road, the 2,860-metre tall Cime de la Bonette. However, the sprinters will try. Pay attention to the race for the time cut every day.
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