For me, Jumbo-Visma is the most well-structured
and organised team there is.
They have the best trainers, the best nutritionists,
the best equipment. I think they're the best in the world.
At the moment, we are sitting at number one
in this World Tour ranking over the past two and a half years.
The Tour de France would be a great addition to that.
Jumbo-Visma have never won the Tour de France.
Jumbo-Visma's ambition is to win the Tour.
And to do that, they've created the best team in the world.
But for this stage, superstars or not, it's the cobblestones that make the rules.
Welcome to hell! The cobbles have arrived.
This year's cobblestone stage on the Tour de France
really is a stage that'll catch riders out.
Many, many riders fear this stage.
You can't win the Tour de France on the cobblestones…
Take a bike from us! Take a bike for Jonas!
Let's go! Let's fucking go! Let's go!
-…but you can lose it. -Fuck off!
Ah!
TOUR DE FRANCE: UNCHAINED
WELCOME TO HELL
TOUR DE FRANCE - DUNKIRK
DUNKIRK
Hello! Hello, Dunkirk!
The Tour de France, the French Tour, it belongs to France.
TOUR DE FRANCE JULY 5
Happy to be in France?
Yes.
CEO/GROUPAMA-FDJ
It feels good. The Tour's DNA is from here.
Fourth stage of the Tour de France,
the first on French soil, from Dunkirk to Calais.
The battle for the general classification begins.
Every day there's a stage winner,
then are those competing for general classification,
where the yellow jersey is awarded to whoever achieves the lowest time
across all 21 stages.
Yeah, guys.
A few words to start with. Today is stage four.
Dunkirk to Calais. 172 K.
2,000 vertical metres, that means it's not a flat stage.
Like, the start until the first climb,
then it will be very, very nervous.
I'm Grischa Niermann, I'm the Sports Director for Jumbo-Visma.
And I'm here to win the Tour de France.
We finished second in the Tour de France the last two years.
But now the hopes are that we take the first yellow jersey.
From kilometre 29, 1.7 K, 4.5%.
That's also where our first bottle point is.
I’d like to see people, uh,
to look at my team as, uh, as the best team in the world.
If one team can do it, it’s us. Huh? I mean, really believe that.
Some teams have one leader
who is really the star of the team,
but we are different.
We have two leaders.
One is Vingegaard.
And the other one is Roglič.
Hello!
SLOVENIA
Hello! Thanks.
Could you do an introduction, Primož?
"I am Primož Roglič. I am a professional cyclist for Jumbo."
Something like that.
This is the most stupidest thing…
I know, but it helps to introduce you.
My name is Primož Roglič. And I'm a rider for Jumbo-Visma.
New shoes are everything for the film. Huh?
Oh wow.
The stage that I'm particularly looking forward to is…
…uh, is, uh…
Every stage, yeah, has all kinds of challenges.
For sure, it will not be boring.
My ambition is definitely to do my best for the whole team.
But it’s no secret that I want to win the Tour de France.
It's still something that I’m missing.
In 2020, we were settled to win the tour with Primož
and looked quite well until the last Time Trial.
Unfortunately, Pogačar was able to turn it around and to win the Tour.
How did Jumbo-Visma manage to lose the Tour de France?
You can be unlucky, but I don't even lose
a bit of my mind or something, or energy, on thinking about it.
It’s being optimistic and looking more to the next challenges.
In 2021, Primož crashed out early,
and immediately it was clear,
"Now Jonas is our best… best option."
Jonas Vingegaard looks like
he's suffering on the wheel of the yellow jersey.
But he could not beat Pogačar and win the Tour de France.
The yellow jersey wins the stage. Vingegaard is beaten.
I think, uh, the mood was a bit, uh…
shit.
You just try to do your best,
and I’m also confident that you can keep this level,
and you don’t have to be afraid,
because I really believe that you are one of the strongest here.
Two different second places, but we knew at least from these two Tours,
we had two guys being able to contest for the win.
But when you want to win the Tour, there is one guy that you need to beat,
and that is Tadej Pogačar.
Tadej Pogačar, of the UAE Emirates team.
At age 23, he's a two-time defending champion of the Tour de France.
Pogačar already comes to the Tour as the strong favourite,
perhaps even the ultra-strong favourite.
He succeeds at pretty much everything he takes on.
We've never seen him unravel.
We've never seen him in trouble, so…
so everyone is wondering how to dethrone Pogačar.
Ah, sometimes it can be annoying that he's so good.
He's very explosive.
He won the Tour de France the last two years,
and he’s the best rider in the world.
Come on, you need to drink.
So, of course, there's a bit of tension, a bit of nervousness.
But the goal is to win the Tour de France.
If it’s with me or with Primož, it doesn't really matter.
Uh, just that we win it as a team.
These days you have to realise
that professional cycling is a team effort.
There are the leaders and the domestiques.
Domestiques serve their leader.
Shielding them from the wind and bringing them food and water.
Jumbo-Visma is completely different.
What did you say about my mum?
Not only do they have two leaders,
but they also have a megastar as their domestique.
STAGE 1
Wout van Aert, can he win the time trial here in Copenhagen?
He smashes the time of the world champion.
There's only one of a kind that can sprint and climb
and ride on the cobbles.
There's one rider in the world that's that versatile.
And that's Wout.
Wout van Aert pulls away.
He's facing Mads Pedersen, Fabio Jakobsen.
Wout van Aert for the win. Van Aert or Jakobsen, what a finish!
Of course, Van Aert is there to win stages,
but his main priority is always to help the leaders of the team
in the general classification.
Wout van Aert is now the leader
of the Tour de France, in the yellow jersey.
If you’re wearing the yellow jersey, you’ve made it to that point in the Tour,
the fastest out of everybody else.
Wout van Aert, in the first few stages,
is the best bike racer in the Tour de France.
That’s why he’s leading in the general classification, or the GC.
But a domestique’s job is to serve the leader.
And the concern always is, he’s just always teetering on the edge
of being that absolute winning machine
and utterly loyal domestique.
STAGE 4
You did a really, really good job in Denmark the first three days
with, uh, staying in front and being out of trouble.
This was our plan. We take initiative in the first week,
and I think the next two-three days are perfect for that.
And we have a plan for today,
so, uh, really keep up.
We really have to concentrate on Jonas and Primož in GC.
Wout, when you’re there during the stage,
take the wind a little bit to protect Primož and Jonas.
The most important is that you have a team.
Wout is a specialist, he’s one of the biggest riders in the world,
but he is still a very good helper for our GC bid.
And if we want to win the Tour de France,
then he is the key for me.
The riders are cycling in France for the first time this year,
from Dunkirk to Calais.
STAGE 4
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION YELLOW JERSEY
Wout van Aert holds on to the yellow jersey
as the leader of the Tour de France.
Côte du Cap Blanc-Nez, sixth and final challenge of the day.
With a 7.5% average, 900-metre climb, there they go.
It's time, the first split.
So far, great work from the Jumbo-Visma team.
Come on.
Full, then we see what the damage is over the top. Huh?
Incredible work by Tiesj Benoot on this climb.
Wout van Aert just behind.
Jonas Vingegaard is also there and closing the gap.
The riders are completely dispersed.
There's Tadej Pogačar.
Pogačar is dropping, if I understand right.
Pogačar is not there. Come on. Come on!
A perfect time for Vingegaard to gain time on Pogačar.
There's going to be carnage behind.
Tadej Pogačar, defending champion of the Tour de France, is not there.
And Vingegaard is trying desperately to latch onto the wheel.
A big acceleration by Wout van Aert!
Wout van Aert drops Vingegaard and doesn't stop to wait for his leader.
Wout van Aert continues his solo journey.
Wout, you are solo. Wout is solo. Wout is solo.
And here he is. Here he is, Wout van Aert.
It's a huge adrenaline going through your body.
Everything, what you've been working for, is coming together.
So, it's just, um…
the final kilometres in the stage, where tension is high
and you can really pedal
for the win.
Wout van Aert, behind him we have number 28.
Wout van Aert, after three second-place finishes,
is heading for the stage win.
The Jumbo-Visma rider will establish himself
with the yellow jersey on his back.
Groenewegen falls back, Groenewegen.
Groenewegen falls behind.
You want all of your best riders
riding around your team leader or team leaders.
You want everybody riding for the same ambition.
Because if Wout van Aert is up the road trying to get a stage win for himself,
he's not there protecting his team leaders going for the overall win.
A small lead for Van Aert. 18 seconds at one kilometre.
18 seconds with one kilometre to go for Van Aert,
alone in the lead.
Every win is special.
But the Tour de France is the biggest bike race in the world.
And because of the stress and the tension and the media around,
you also feel this relief when you take a win,
and it makes the emotions a lot more intense.
Yes!
To win a stage at the Tour de France
with the yellow jersey, wow.
Yeah exactly, it's, uh…
This, uh… this jersey gives you wings.
Surprise you?
Yeah, a little bit.
It's good that you dropped your guys also.
That was lucky.
Wout van Aert is capable of winning seven or eight stages on his own.
But as of today, he's not here to win the general classification.
HERENTALS, BELGIUM
-Frame? -Yup.
I always want to be the best if I’m doing something.
Since I started cycling,
I wanted to win the races.
At this moment, I’m maybe one of the best cyclists in Belgium.
But still a lot of things I want to achieve.
Everybody’s trained well. Everybody is prepared well, nowadays.
But dealing with the pain is maybe one of the biggest talents
you need to have as a professional cyclist.
Luckily, um, I like to hurt myself.
Winning a bike race,
it’s an explosion of, uh, happiness,
pure, pure joy.
For sure, it’s always related to cycling
when I have this pure feeling of happiness.
I’m addicted to it, I think.
I will not need this today.
Why do you want to win stages rather than the GC?
I think nature chooses for me.
I'm one of the heavy guys,
so it'll always be difficult to, uh… to win the GC,
especially in a race like the Tour de France or…
the longer stage races. You…
You just need to get your body weight as low as possible.
And some guys, they just have this advantage.
And also, it attracts me more to have
the thrill of a stage victory.
How do you marry your own ambitions with the team’s ambitions?
Well, it’s always difficult,
and I think a lot of teams show
it’s difficult to get this ambition on the same page, but, uh…
For me, it’s just, um…
a matter of, uh, give and take.
He's capable of doing some pretty amazing things,
but he’s also a key piece in the plan
to lead Vingegaard or Roglič to win the GC.
And I think, in his head, it must be very, very, very difficult.
Of course, it was a shame not to gain a few seconds on Tadej.
I was upset.
I would really have liked to be on the wheel of Wout.
He was just so strong.
And I think, of course, if he would've waited on the top, just two seconds,
then maybe it could make the difference.
Hey!
We have a lot of different goals at team Jumbo-Visma.
But the biggest goal is to win the yellow jersey.
So, if one day we need Wout
to sacrifice his chance for winning the stage,
I would hope that Wout knows
that’s how it is.
If you have a rider like Wout van Aert who is dominating,
there is the risk that they keep doing that,
and they forget about the bigger kind of reason they’re there,
which is the GC.
And at the moment, it’s gonna be a difficult one for them to manage.
When you sped off without any effort, Jonas was upset
because he said he didn't have the confidence.
He was just a little too far away, so unfortunately he was upset afterwards.
If you would have waited, he would certainly have caught up with you.
You have to make sure that everyone's together, okay?
STAGE 5
Welcome to Stage 5,
and the legendary cobblestones of the North.
Today the peloton sets off from Lille.
157 kilometres of racing.
COBBLED SECTORS
Today, it's all about not losing the Tour de France.
Candidates for the general classification must do everything
to avoid the trap of the hell of the North.
This day with the cobbles, it is much more crazy
than the first day in Denmark.
There will be a lot of trouble before we hit the cobbles.
100% sure.
This year's cobblestone stage of the Tour de France is really tricky.
You feel like you've been sent to the slaughterhouse.
And then, of course, the guy in front of his TV is thinking,
"Awesome, cobblestones, we're gonna see some falls,
it's gonna be a cool show."
But when you're on the other side of that, you think, "Shit!"
Take initiative.
Biggest goal for the day, drop Pogačar.
Get a gap for GC with Jonas and Primož.
The two-leader strategy gives you, of course, an advantage
that you have two options,
two guys that you can attack with.
But the downside is, of course, also that you have to protect both of them,
especially on the cobbles, that they don't lose time.
Will be a hectic day. We need to be in front all day.
Wout always stays with the other GC rider.
I dropped you guys, even on the climb yesterday. So…
Yeah, but that's what I mean.
Maybe, maybe not go 100 %,
but just keep a little bit.
Yeah, no, I know.
On the cobble stage, you can completely lose it all.
It's the stage that reveals the mentality of a team
and their ability to get their leader to the finish line.
You cannot win the Tour de France on the cobbles,
but you can lose it.
Do you have wings today for the cobbles?
Hopefully. It would be nice.
But really enjoyed yesterday's stage win and, uh…
of course it gives confidence to try it again today.
One, two, three. Good morning, everyone. Testing Radio Tour.
VOICE OF THE RADIO TOUR
Good luck today. What’s the plan of attack?
You will see in the race.
-No worries, man. -Thanks.
TOUR DE FRANCE WINNER 2020 & 2021
Six, five, four,
three, two, one.
And they're off!
There is two objectives really today. One is the stage win,
and then we’ve got to think about the overall Tour de France.
We’ve got three weeks of racing, and the riders who want to win the Tour,
Pogačar, Roglič, Vingegaard,
have got to try and limit their losses today.
The favourite… who’s going to win today’s stage?
After yesterday’s performance,
Van Aert is definitely one of the favourites for today.
The way he was capable
of riding and showing so much power on the flat.
We know he’s good on the cobbles too.
As you approach the cobbles, the road goes from 10 metres wide to two metres.
For many, that's a lottery.
The front group and the peloton are approaching.
Approaching the first cobbled sector of the day, the one in Fressain.
Welcome to hell! The cobbles have arrived.
The dust is going to be a major problem today
because it reduces visibility.
Tadej holds an ideal position and isn't taking any risks.
Roglič and Vingegaard are fourth and fifth, the favourites.
On the cobbles.
On the cobbles, you have a real corner to the right.
Pogačar, Roglič, Vingegaard, all in good positions.
All the favourites for general classification
are in the 20 front positions.
Lotto-Soudal for Janse van Rensburg got a rear wheel.
UAE for George Bennet.
A problem for George Bennet, UAE, on the left-hand side of the road.
There are all the lines of cars,
the riders at breaking point, the riders dropping out.
It's an elimination race,
and you can be eliminated very, very quickly.
The peloton takes the first cobblestones
at an impressive speed.
All the favourites are in contact with each other for the moment.
This is the main peloton. Tadej Pogačar is in the lead,
team Jumbo-Visma is in control.
I was nervous before the stage
because this is the stage you really can lose the Tour de France.
Come on. We're still with five guys there. We’re the only team with five guys there.
Vingegaard's been in an accident.
And then I had a problem, and I just really panicked.
Oh, mechanical for Roglič.
No, this is not Roglič.
Vingegaard has a mechanical problem and changes bikes.
Oh, that's gonna be a big bike for him.
We talked about what do we do in case of a puncture,
what do we do in case of a crash.
But I never thought about what do I do if I dropped a chain.
I chose to take the bike off of Nathan.
And he's a bit taller than I am.
-I need a bike! -Yes, we're coming. We're coming!
Jonas Vingegaard has had a bike change at a terrible moment.
The bike is way too big for him.
And Van Aert just leaves him on the road.
Jonas has the bike of…
Jonas has the bike of, uh, somebody else now.
I'm on the bike of Jonas! What the fuck?
Who needs a bike? Who needs a bike?
He needs to go, move on.
What does Vingegaard do now?
-Oh, a different bike. -Another bike change.
He's got to get going. Kruijswijk is just going to give it a go.
Take the bike from us.
Take the bike! Jonas, now the bikes. Take them out!
There's the Jumbo-Visma car.
Now, another bike change. Jumbo-Visma are in absolute chaos.
They're swapping bikes left and right.
One guy stays with Primož.
Nice work everybody.
It's Nathan, Nathan.
Go get the bike! Go get the bike!
-What? -Bike!
It's a tricky moment for Jumbo-Visma.
Christophe Laporte entering the sector,
they're closing in on Jakobsen's group.
He's about a minute behind Pogačar's group.
The Tadej Tornado has realised that Vingegaard has his head under water,
and he decides to strike hard.
Tadej Pogačar realises on the cobblestone stage, it's a real drain.
He's a guy who'll take even the slightest opportunity
to deal his opponents a lethal blow.
The Tour de France defending champion takes control.
Christophe, concentrate on Primož.
Concentrate on Primož
The others, try to get back with Jonas, huh?
Jonas Vingegaard, who came second in the Tour last year.
is currently in a hellish race to catch up.
This is the turning point for the young Dane,
who may have to give up any ambition to the general classification.
I think there’s especially the pressure that we make ourselves.
I mean, of course, we want to win,
we want to achieve our goals.
Of course, there's also a very big chance that you have a flat tyre,
you have a problem on the cobbles,
and then you need to change a bike, you will lose time.
So that's all possible.
But we are one of the biggest teams in the world.
We have some of the biggest riders in the world.
Of course, there is pressure, and, of course, we want to win.
But, uh… that's, uh… Yeah. That's just part of the business.
In the next three sectors…
A crash. There's been a crash. Caleb Ewan. Caleb Ewan with Roglič!
Roglič crashes!
-We've got Roglič in the crash. -Fuck!
Primož crashed. Primož crashed.
A catastrophic scenario for Jumbo-Visma.
Fucking hell!
Okay, Christophe, you also have to wait…
I couldn't believe it because within five kilometres it's done,
and the two-leader strategy was going, uh, out the ass, at that point.
The whole Tour was going the wrong way at that moment.
Take that bike!
And we can pack bags and go home.
Basically, that's the thought at that moment. And it wasn't so nice.
Fuck off!
At the beginning of Tour de France, Jumbo have two leaders,
Jonas Vingegaard and Primož Roglič, on equal terms.
But events during the race mean that, at any given moment,
you may have to prioritise either Jonas Vingegaard or Primož Roglič.
It’s now Primož Roglič who is trailing behind the peloton.
Do they sacrifice everything and wait?
And where is Wout van Aert?
Steve, you also coming to help now?
Jonas…
These bottles are for the guys.
Do you want the same or the high carb?
Here.
-Go ahead. -Fifteen seconds. Fifteen seconds!
We're supposed to look after the leaders for this stage.
Primož really crashed, and his shoulder was dislocated.
So, you could see straight away
that he was really banged up, and we were really close to the finish,
and it was hard to make a good decision.
It was really hectic in the team radio, but I knew Pogačar was in the front.
Yes, there might be a chance here to win the stage for one rider, Wout.
But on the other hand,
there is also a big risk of losing a lot of time
for our GC riders, Vingegaard and Roglič.
Wout van Aert, the yellow jersey, gets up.
He's waiting for his teammates, including Jonas Vingegaard.
They are clearly sacrificing the Belgian rider's yellow jersey.
We are witnessing a crucial moment of the race.
It also shows that Vingegaard
has become more important than Roglič in the hierarchy.
All the Jumbo-Visma riders are pressing ahead at speed.
They have around 45 seconds to make up.
We still have, like, 40 K maybe,
uh, to repair things.
So I was sad for Primož, really.
But also, yeah, you have to fight.
Wout van Aert, the yellow jersey,
is back with Vingegaard’s group.
Van Aert takes an energy gel and rejoins Jonas Vingegaard.
The Jumbo-Visma rocket lines up.
And off we go for the last 30 kilometres.
Wout and his teammates are surrounding Jonas,
creating a slipstream, allowing him to use less effort.
In a slipstream, you use 40% less energy.
Sometimes I disagree
with Grischa's decision or the team's decision in general. Uh…
I think that's normal, but I had to help them.
I had no choice,
because, in the end, I'm also nothing without the team.
Primož Roglič is completely alone,
totally abandoned by his team.
This is a big decision by Jumbo-Visma.
It's part of our job, huh. I don't question these things myself.
It was how it was.
And yeah, you have no influence on it,
and you have only influence now on the future.
It's a nightmare day for team Jumbo-Visma.
The cobbles aren't brutal, the cobblestones are just awful.
It's something that breaks you.
They break you. They break you apart.
The moment you feel weaker than your opponent, you harm yourself.
You lose time. Sometimes you're completely lost.
A big move orchestrated from Tadej Pogačar.
13.9 kilometres to the finish line.
One minute between Pogačar and yellow jersey Vingegaard's group.
The gap is widening.
Jumbo-Visma is in trouble as they desperately try to salvage
Vingegaard's Tour de France.
Tadej Pogačar keeps on flying!
Oh, a crash!
A lot of corners now. You have mainly tailwind direction.
And we keep fighting till the end.
We are cyclists. You know? It's never over until the finish.
You always should keep pushing and pedalling,
and that's what we did.
Last year's yellow jersey, Tadej Pogačar,
now has the situation under control.
What a horrible day for Jumbo-Visma team,
a day that could put an end to their hopes for the general classification.
I would say, if you ask any team leader of any team,
they can bring one guy to the Tour, and they can choose,
I think everybody would say, "Then let it be Wout van Aert."
Wout van Aert makes a final attempt
to drag Vingegaard closer to the front.
Will he be able to bring his leader back into a good position?
Forty-one seconds still to recover.
Wout took over and went… really fast.
Incredibly fast.
Wout is bringing everybody back.
He’s closing the gap between Vingegaard and Pogačar.
I'm just, uh, full focus to minimise the damage for Jonas,
for the GC.
I'm not thinking anymore about the yellow or the stage win myself.
I’m just counting down the kilometres.
The riders leave the last section of cobblestones.
Only 2.8 kilometres to go.
Come on! Come on, guys!
Till the line, till the line. Come on!
Every second counts!
Tadej Pogačar crosses the finish line.
This group is only 14 seconds behind Pogačar.
Van Aert finished like a cannonball,
and saves the day for his team.
Fucking hell, what a drama.
I was really hopeful for today, but this is really unbelievable.
In the end, after thinking everything was lost,
Vingegaard ceded just 21 seconds to Pogačar.
Wout van Aert manages to hold on to his yellow jersey.
Wout really saved my ass.
That shows how…
Yeah, how great a team member he is.
Primož Roglič with gritted teeth.
He hasn't looked good since his crash.
He will lose around one minute, 30 seconds.
You dislocated your shoulder.
Did you have to put it in place yourself again, or how did it work?
Yeah. Yeah, exactly.
After that, you had to follow, you had to chase,
how difficult was the rest of the race for you then?
Uh, very difficult.
No, it was not on our plan
to have so many crashes and problems today but, uh…
Yeah, we are still there, we are still standing, and we are still fighting.
Suffering is at the heart of cycling.
You don't declare you're a leader, you become a leader.
You're a leader by hurting others.
NEXT ON TOUR DE FRANCE: UNCHAINED
Come on, Thibaut! Come on!
I'm lucky to have Thibaut Pinot on the team.
The French expect a victory.
This little picture, guys, that's our leader.
Our goal with Ben, we want him on the podium.
But there is more pressure when you're a French team.
Riders are struggling and dropping.
It was a really rubbish day.
Crash in the peloton! Crash in the peloton!
See over here, I cannot lift my leg.
No. He has no strength in his right leg.
I want warriors. I want gladiators.
Pinot still believes that this is possible.
Thibaut has gone for it!
Pinot, a picture of pain.
We're going to win this fucking stage!