"You can really sacrifice riders" - Alpecin - Premier Tech backed for team time trial win on Tour de France opening stage

Alpecin - Premier Tech could be one of the surprise stories of the 2026 Tour de France Grand Depart. With a strong team including Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel, the rules for the team time trial could be a game-changer.

The Grand Boucle starts with a time trial at Barcelona as each team is set to be tested from the very first pedal stroke. However, its rules make it even more interested given both the stage and general classification implications.

In terms of the stage, the teams will be ranked in order of their first rider to cross the finish - with the times of all other riders not counting towards the stage rankings. On the other hand, each rider's individual time count towards their general classification, not the team's stage time set by the first across the line.

While simple in principle, it creates a complex problem or simple freedom for some teams. With general classification in mind, some teams will be aiming to conserve riders or split their resources in certain ways. But others, like Alpecin, don't have an emphasis on a GC target.

With Philipsen and van der Poel their main leaders on flat and versatile stages, their team is stacked with rouleurs and strong riders who can put in a dig at a time trial.

According to one coach, their tactic could be simple - a pure lead-out for van der Poel. While other teams may be forced to split their firepower to look after GC ambitions, they can go all-out for the Dutchman.

"It is a special team time trial where the first rider to cross the finish line counts. That way, you can really sacrifice riders," Belgian national coach Serge Pauwels in podcast De Koffiestop.

"In the past, the time of the team's fourth rider who crossed the finish line counted. If it was fifty kilometers long, you had to take the whole team with you. That is different now, also because it is only 20 kilometers long in Barcelona."

Pauwels highlighted Dutch rider's impressive second place in the individual time trial at the Tour de Suisse, only narrowly beaten by Tadej Pogacar. He thinks launching van der Poel in the finale as he chases the yellow jersey.

Pauwels said: "The fact that Van der Poel went all out is because at Alpecin-Premier Tech they also think: we could do this too. They have a guy like Rickaert, and a number of other guys like that, who can ride very hard for a few kilometers. They are then allowed to drop back immediately."

"They should launch Van der Poel onto the small hill. An explosive two kilometers like that suits him well. And otherwise, it also offers opportunities for Van der Poel to take the yellow jersey in the days that follow," he added.