The 2024 Tour de France is heating up with the first individual time trial set to take place this Friday. The riders will navigate a 25.3 km route between Nuits-Saint-Georges and Gevrey-Chambertin. Leading the charge in this 7th stage are Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel, and Tadej Pogacar, who will be the last to start, departing at 5 p.m. Pogacar, donning the yellow jersey, is closely trailed by Evenepoel, who is 45 seconds behind, and Vingegaard, 50 seconds adrift.
Other notable riders include Slovenian Primoz Roglic and Spaniard Juan Ayuso, with Roglic setting off at 4:52 p.m. and Ayuso two minutes earlier. Belgian Wout van Aert's departure is scheduled for 3:27 p.m., while French hopefuls Bruno Amirail and Kévin Vauquelin will start at 4:03 p.m. and 2:39 p.m., respectively.
In other Tour de France news, Mark Cavendish has been crowned the king of the Tour after securing his 35th victory on the Grande Boucle. Despite a challenging start from Florence, the Astana sprinter clinched a win in Saint-Vulbas, narrowly avoiding disaster when his chain came off near the finish line. Cavendish celebrated his triumph with his family, marking a perfect end to the day.
The stage also saw a notable partnership between Clément Russo and Mattéo Vercher, who led a breakaway for 110 kilometers before being reeled in on the climb of the Côté de Lhuis. Meanwhile, Tim Declercq, known as the 'Tractor,' showcased his prowess by leading the peloton and helping Mads Pedersen, who unfortunately crashed into the barriers near the finish.
However, the day was not without its mishaps. Tadej Pogacar narrowly avoided a collision with a directional island, causing a ripple effect that destabilized several riders behind him. Pello Bilbao of the Barhain - Victorious team was particularly affected. Additionally, Sam Bennett, making his return to the Tour de France after a three-year hiatus, struggled to find his form, finishing last among the sprinters.
