🇫🇷 #TDF2022 Let’s start!
The fifth stage of the Tour de France is on paper the first crucial stage of the race, and it is set to put the climbers out of their comfort zone as they will be battling across the fields of northern France looking to save their race.
Team DS Merijn Zeeman, who is at home recovering from a Covid-19 infection, has affirmed that "this entire Tour we are riding for two goals. Yellow with Jonas and Primož, green with Wout. Wednesday is no different. Tomorrow we want to have a good day for yellow and a good day for green.”
Both are possible to combine if Jumbo-Visma have a strong day in the cobbles. However the unpredictability of the stage and having two leaders see the team at a high risk even with it's incredibly strong lineup for this type of stage. Wout van Aert will be riding in support of Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard, in an effort to keep both within reach of a Tour de France win.
“It is only one of the 21 stages in the Tour. Tomorrow we want to excel as a team. Then everyone rides for everyone. The price situation will decide what needs to be done. That is unpredictable," Zeeman added. Jumbo-Visma have so far ridden a strong Tour, with van Aert going into the cobbles in yellow, and with both team leaders near the top places having avoided the early crashes in the race.
“We spent a lot of time preparing for this. For the green jersey, we have a 21-day points strategy. We are ahead of schedule. If Wout scores less points for green on Wednesday, he can take more points on other days. That can be improvised every stage," Zeeman concluded.
Van Aert is on stellar form and took an incredible win in Calais yesterday resisting the chase of the peloton after attacking in the final hilltop. He will be setting off with the yellow jersey with 25 seconds advantage over Yves Lampaert.
🇫🇷 #TDF2022 Let’s start!