“What Did Worry Me a Little Were” – 2024 Tour de France Director Breathed Sigh of Relief as Alleged Merger of Two Cycling Teams Fell Through

The world of professional cycling has its sights fixated on the upcoming 2024 Tour de France, which will be providing fans with a new chapter of challenge, innovation, and historic ambition. Guided by the visionary Christian Prudhomme, the director of the race wishes to emulate the nail-biting clash that transpired between Laurent Fignon and Greg LeMond during the 1989 Tour.

In the meanwhile, the director has been relieved of the non-success of the potential merging between Jumbo Visma and Soudal. As the countdown for the 2024 season begins, Prudhomme brings forward his expectations and insights about the prestigious race.   

2024 Tour de France breaks from the traditions

The cycling tour failed to make it through Paris, deviating the location from the capital. With this decision, Nice stepped into the spotlight, citing security reasons since the Olympics are near the corner. Breaking away from the historical Parisian conclusion, highlighted the picturesque blend of proximity to the mountains and coastal charm.

Amidst the change of location, there had been a prospect of a potential collaboration between Jumbo and Soudal. However, the director had been worried about the proposal since the collaboration would have diminished his race into the stature of a spectacle clubbing Vingegaard and Evenepoel on the same team.  

In an interview with AS, Prudhomme shared his intrigue surrounding the challenges that revolve around the upcoming season of Tour de France, “What did worry me a little were the rumors of a merger between Jumbo and Soudal, with Jonas and Remco on the same team. There will be four great champions (Pogacar, Vingegaard, Roglic and Evenepoel) in four different teams, which can make for a really good Tour de France.” As a result of the collapse of plans, the four contenders would be competing in four different teams. 

Prudhomme enlightens on race dynamics

Addressing the dynamics of the race, the director has delved into the strategic placement of the challenging stages. Prudhomme draws attention to the cyclists taking part in tackling passes on considerable altitude during the ascent of Galibier. Acknowledging the difficulty, the director assured the route to have balanced the intensity.  

The director is also ambitious of witnessing a different season as he shared his views, “It is possible that then on that fourth day the important men of the general classification will be shoulder to shoulder, but I expect something similar to the opening stage of Bilbao in the last Tour, in which the Yates brothers played for victory.”

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Prudhomme is excited to witness a similar situation in the upcoming cycling race drawing parallels with the historic 1989 Tour de France. During the event, LeMond triumphed over Fignon by a mere 8 seconds. 

Christian Prudhomme orchestrates the 2024 Tour de France signaling a departure from tradition that promises the race traversing through new landscapes and challenges. The picturesque routes without the transpiration of the Jumbo Soudal collab would be bestowing cycling fans with the best performance.

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