<\/p>\n
Rowe knows better than most how crucial the early stages can
\nbe, not because of opportunities gained, but because of what can be lost. The
\nopening week features narrow roads through northern France and the coastal
\nregions of Normandy and Brittany, notorious for nervous racing and potential
\ncrosswinds. \u201cIt’s going to be very nervous anyway,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs soon as you have a classification stage early on, the
\nrace is already decided in a way. Everyone is full of confidence at the start
\nof a Tour de France, but in such a first test, you often get an order in the
\npeloton.\u201d<\/p>\n
That early order, Rowe believes, imposes a structure that
\ncalms the race, but only after the chaos has passed. \u201cThat provides more
\ncontrol. Now there’s a first week and a half with more stress for everyone. The
\nroads are fine in those parts of France, but they are often open roads. It’s
\nusually less windy in the summer than in the earlier months of the year, but if
\nthere is a windy day, everyone knows what the consequences can be.\u201d<\/p>\n
His message is clear: the first week of the Tour is not
\nabout winning. It\u2019s about surviving. \u201cNo one in the GC likes it because you can
\nonly lose in the first part of the Tour: crashing, losing teammates, and things
\nlike that. Gaining a little time is nice, but it never outweighs the risks.\u201d<\/p>\n
That assessment rings especially true given the Grand D\u00e9part
\nin Lille, a city that previously hosted opening stages in 1960, 1994, and 2001,
\nwill be followed by treacherous terrain across the country\u2019s northwest. With
\ncrosswinds, stress, and fresh legs in the bunch, the opening block could prove
\ndecisive before a single mountain is tackled.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, we still have to get through it to reach the
\nmountains and compete for a top ten or whatever,\u201d Rowe said. Having spent over
\na decade helping GC leaders like Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas during his
\ntime at Team Sky and INEOS, he knows the stakes intimately. \u201cIt doesn’t matter
\nif you’re Vingegaard, Gall, or Pogacar; there’s just not much to it. They
\nprepare for months, and it can end in a second.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since joining Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale at the start of the
\nyear, Rowe\u2019s arrival has been seen as part of the team\u2019s effort to build a more
\nstructured, experienced leadership group around GC hope Felix Gall and a new
\ngeneration of riders. Though his transition from the peloton to the team car
\nsurprised some, the Welshman brings Tour-tested insight into what it takes to
\nnavigate the early minefields.<\/p>\n
“It’s a huge responsibility, but I always tried to
\nforget that it was the Tour,” he added. “I approached every race with
\nthe same mentality. Of course, there are a few more spectators, but you also
\nhave to remember that it’s just a bike race. Bigger things are going on in the
\nworld.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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