Among the eight remaining German starters was not a pure time trial specialist. But even after the overall very fast and difficult tour, the pros didn’t rest easy in the fight against the clock. “It was extremely hard. It was full throttle every day, even the time trial. You couldn’t just look at the landscape,” said German champion Nils Politt.
Geschke: “I put on a good show”
Simon Geschke once again wore the jersey of the best climber – representing Vingegaard, the leader of the rankings. The Berlin will also travel to Paris in the white jersey with the red dots and will be welcomed there by family and friends. With nine days as the best in the mountain classification, Geschke undisputedly provided the tour highlight from a German perspective. “The frustration ran deep, now I’m happy about what I’ve achieved. I put on a good show,” said Geschke.
However, it is no comparison to what will happen in Denmark in the coming days. Like Bjarne Riis in 1996, Vingegaard is likely to get a big reception in Copenhagen. Already at the start of the tour in the Danish capital, 10,000 frenetic fans moved Vingegaard to tears at the team presentation. Now he will return home triumphant if he does not fall so badly on Sunday that he cannot continue the tour.
On Sunday morning, the peloton starts in Paris for the Tour d’Honneur, the final stage on which the yellow jersey is traditionally no longer attacked. From the La Défense Arena, you first head west out of the city before crossing the Cote du Pavé des Gardes drives to the center and does the obligatory final laps on the Champs-Élysées.The favorite for victory after 115.6 kilometers is van Aert, who won there last year.