Thirty-two kilometres of white roads have the potential to make or break the Tour de France for some riders this year. On stage nine, starting and finishing in the mediaeval town of Troyes, the peloton will tackle 14 segments of unpaved terrain on a 200 kilometre stage with roughly 2000 metres of elevation gain. Having the legs to not lose any time as the roads undulate up and down is one thing, but the biggest challenge will be making it through the stage unscathed. The risk of mechanical issues and crashes is worryingly heightened by the gravel.
The inclusion of this stage in the Tour de France has understandably sparked debate. Riders and teams prepare for months to challenge for the general classification at the Tour de France – the addition of gravel means that all that work could be undone in a split second of bad luck. Would it be right if the yellow jersey winner of this year’s Tour was decided by a crash or mechanical issue on the gravel? The peloton appears divided by the prospect.
There are some riders – admittedly those who have a chance at winning the stage – who believe that gravel is a positive addition to a three-week stage race. Ineos Grenadiers’ multi-disciplined super talent, Tom Pidcock, for example, argues that stage nine will make sure that the yellow jersey wearer is tested across a range of terrain.
“I think it fits, absolutely. It adds another dimension to the race,” Pidcock told Rouleur. “The person who wins a Grand Tour should be the best all-round rider and I think there is a place for stages like this in Grand Tours, absolutely. As a spectator for the fans it’s also something that is really exciting.”
Tom Pidcock during Strade Bianche earlier this year (Image: Zac Williams/SWpix)
Jai Hindley of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe is in agreement with Pidcock, pointing to the sport’s history when considering whether gravel stages are a good thing. The Australian rider added that it was a common occurrence for the peloton to race on rougher roads in the early days of the Tour and he believes a nod to tradition is no bad thing.
“I think it will be super stressful, the guys told me that the gravel is going to be chaotic and also the roads in between are shit. If it’s windy there it will be chaos. I think it does have a place in Grand Tours though, in the end you have to be able to do everything,” Hindley said. “Back in the day when they were riding up mountains it also wasn’t on tarmac….