Welshman confident Sky leader will not lose time on rough roads
Monday 29 June 2015 16:37, UK
Geraint Thomas is confident that Team Sky leader and pre-race favourite Chris Froome will not fall foul of the cobbled fourth stage of this year’s Tour de France.
The 223.5km day from Seraing in Belgium to Cambrai in northern France contains 13.3km of pavé – as the cobbles are known – and has the potential to be one of the most hazardous stages of the three-week race, which starts on Saturday.
The rough road surfaces and frantic fight for position at the head of the peloton is unsuited to light climbing specialists such as Froome and instead favours heavy, more powerful riders.
Froome had crashed out before the cobbled stage of last year’s Tour and although eventual winner Vincenzo Nibali thrived, Alberto Contador suffered badly and lost 2min 35sec to the Italian.
Thomas, who won the cobbed classic E3 Harelbeke in March, believes Froome can conquer the pavé and avoid dropping time.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: “The cobbled stage will be a really stressful day. Everybody wants to be at the front because there is less chance of being caught up in any accidents.
“One hundred and eighty bike riders wants to be in the front 10, but the road is only so wide and it can get pretty chaotic.
“It’s all about keeping Froomey up there at the front and once you are on the cobbles, it’s not too bad. If Chris did a time trial over them, I am sure he would be right up there with everybody else, so it’s just about getting him there in the right position, which is the difficult bit.”
Another key day for both Froome and Team Sky is stage nine’s 28km team time trial.
The British squad put in a poor performance in an equivalent stage at the Criterium du Dauphine earlier this month, finishing 35 seconds behind the winners in sixth.
Thomas, who was not racing at the Dauphine, is confident of a better showing from Team Sky at the Tour.
He added: “They had a bit of bad luck at the Dauphine and a couple of guys weren’t quite on it and I think the team as a whole will be a little bit stronger.
“We are going to have a look at the team time trial route on Wednesday and then head over to the start in Holland. I’m confident we will do a lot better there.”
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