What a gap day of the Tour it was for DSM-Firmenich PostNL, Romain Bardet, however definitely additionally Frank van den Broek. A primary yellow jersey for the Dutch workforce in 10 years, a stage win and yellow for Bardet in his final Tour and a second place for Van den Broek in his very first Tour de France. The beginning of an ideal profession for the 23-year-old Dutchman?
July 5, 2014. After slightly below 10 years, DSM-Firmenich PostNL can as soon as once more cling a yellow Tour jersey in its closet. It was Marcel Kittel who, then nonetheless for Big-Shimano, sprinted to the primary chief’s jersey in Harrogate in that Tour de France.
Romain Bardet ended the Dutch workforce’s countless yellow drought in his final Tour. Though he might after all even be grateful to teammate Frank van den Broek for that.
“I dream of profitable a stage in a Grand Tour someday,” the 23-year-old Dutchman admitted at the beginning of this season. And in his very first Grand Tour, the Tour, that dream virtually grew to become actuality within the very first stage.
Van den Broek is a late bloomer within the skilled peloton, attributable to a heavy fall and ruptured spleen as a junior. For his debut 12 months within the WorldTour, the principle objective was to “experience a whole lot of races”.
With a stage and closing win within the Tour of Turkey, he even cashed in on a type of many racing days, 45 till in the present day to be exact.
Van den Broek shouts out after his first skilled victory within the Tour of Turkey.
Greatest end in Tour stage of just about namesake already equaled
A second place in a Tour stage, with that he has already equaled the very best stage results of his virtually namesake Frank Vandenbroucke. And the comparability doesn’t cease there so far as the Dutchman is anxious, though he isn’t positive whether or not he’s named after the Belgian.
“I acknowledge myself a little bit bit in him,” Van den Broek stated earlier this 12 months. “Identical to Vandenbroucke, I like attacking racing.”
He has already confirmed that after simply someday on the very best stage. Was it a transparent plan throughout the workforce to instantly begin off in such an offensive method?
“We primarily wished to go for the polka dot jersey,” Van den Broek defined after the primary stage. “So I used to be fairly disillusioned that I wasn’t fast sufficient to get these factors.”
I needed to drive as exhausting as I might for Romain, I’ll get my very own probabilities sooner or later.
Frank van den Broek (DSM-Firmenich PostNL)
“By dropping all the way down to Romain I used to be capable of catch my breath once more. I did not count on to have the ability to deal with that acceleration on the finish.”
“It was powerful going to the end with that headwind, however then it was head down and staying as aerodynamic as potential. I needed to experience the final straight as exhausting as potential for Romain. I am going to get my very own probabilities sooner or later.”
Will Van den Broek, who will begin the second stage within the inexperienced jersey, see his attacking spirit rewarded later within the Tour?
Associated:
Tour de France
date begin – end sort ridetotalwinnerleader
1
29/06 Florence – Rimini
206 km
Romain Bardet
2
30/06 Cesenatico – Bologna
199,2 km
Tadej Pogacar
3
01/07 Piacenza – Turijn
230,8 km
4
02/07 Pinerolo – Valloire
139,6 km
5
03/07 Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne – Saint-Vulbas
177,4 km
6
04/07 Macon – Dijon
163,5 km
7
05/07 Nuits-Saint-Georges – Gevrey-Chambertin
25,3 km
8
06/07 Semur-en-Auxois – Colombey-les-Deux-Églises
183,4 km
9
07/07 Troyes – Troyes
199 km
relaxation day 08/07
10
09/07 Orléans – Saint-Amand-Montrond
187,3 km
11
10/07 Evaux-les-Bains – Le Lioran
211 km
12
11/07 Aurillac – Villeneuve-sur-Lot
203,6 km
13
12/07 Agent – Pau
165,3 km
14
13/07 Pau – Pla d’Adet
151,9 km
15
14/07 Loudenvielle – Plateau de Beille
197,7 km
relaxation day 15/07
16
16/07 Gruissan – Nîmes
188,6 km
17
17/07 Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux – Superdévoluy
177,8 km
18
18/07 Hole – Barcelonnette
179,5 km
19
19/07 Embrun – Island 2000
144,6 km
20
20/07 Good – Col de la Couillole
132,8 km
21
21/07 Monaco – Good
33,7 km
