Pogacar is fine with it, Team Roglic isn't: Tour peloton completely divided on dreaded gravel stage

You're either in favor of it or strongly against it: a middle ground seems almost unthinkable when it comes to the much-discussed gravel stage in the Tour de France. IDLProCycling.com spoke to several participants of La Grande Boucle in France and asked for their opinions! And there too, it became clear: opinions vary widely...

Let's start with the man in form, Tadej Pogacar, also the wearer of the yellow jersey. "I'm actually looking forward to it. I've already explored the stage a few times, so I know what's ahead of us," said the Slovenian. "It might not be the most enjoyable stage, but it also depends on how we race. The wind and other meteorological conditions will also come into play. Moreover, it's also a question of who has what ambitions in the peloton. It could go in any direction. Everyone has specific and different ambitions. I think I'm ready for it. Normally, I also enjoy such stages."

Apart from Pogacar, many Dutch riders have their say about gravel stage in the Tour de France

Pogacar clearly belongs to the camp of supporters. Dylan Groenewegen is also part of that group, although the Dutch champion will approach the race with a completely different perspective. "I actually think a gravel stage could be fun. It's not something that suits me naturally, but it could definitely be enjoyable. Racing on gravel sounds good. I've never ridden a gravel race or anything similar, although we do occasionally include it in training," said the Amsterdammer.

"The luck factor is obviously significant. It really depends on things falling into place. I understand that the GC contenders, who prefer to battle it out hard uphill and settle their duels there, may not like it or be less enthusiastic about it," Groenewegen added, showing a realistic view. "If you get a puncture at a bad moment, your Tour could suddenly be over. There's definitely something to be said for that perspective. Personally, it doesn't matter much to me."

Who else is in the "pro-camp"? Marijn van den Berg, who showed the day before that he is back in good form. "I quite like such a gravel stage. If I feel somewhat good, it should suit me," he said. Mike Teunissen from Intermarché-Wanty also found the idea quite appealing and thus joined his compatriot. "I think including a gravel stage in the Tour should definitely be possible. I think it's nice. After all, you're looking for the best cyclist over three weeks. So, having gravel, cobblestones, or a lot of wind once is acceptable. I have nothing against it. Of course, you hope there won't be many crashes or punctures. But on the other hand, that's also part of it to a small extent. In any case, I don't mind it, let's put it that way."

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Poels and Team Roglic not fans of gravel in Grand Tours, world champion Mohoric undecided

Moving on to the opponents. One of them was Wout Poels. "I'm not entirely a fan of gravel stages," said the friendly Limburger. "I've ridden Strade Bianche once, and I even finished in the top ten! So, I can handle it. But it's starting to become a bit of a hype, including gravel in races everywhere."

"Road cycling is, of course, road cycling, but well... For me, it's not that big of a deal because I'm not aiming for the overall classification," concluded Poels. "If it doesn't work out at some point, you can just take it easy. You'll always finish, right? So, I definitely haven't marked that stage on my calendar, despite my one-time appearance at Strade Bianche."

Especially at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, the team of leader Primoz Roglic, they were not pleased with the gravel stage. This website spoke with Danny van Poppel, Nico Denz, and Marco Haller, and heard similar sentiments three times. "It'll be a pure lottery regarding punctures. I don't think it belongs in a Grand Tour, where you work towards one goal for months. If you drop out of the general classification purely because of bad luck and not because you're not strong enough, that's not fair," Denz, for example, made very clear.

We must (of course) conclude with the world champion in gravel racing: Matej Mohoric! Believe it or not, even the gravel rainbow jersey has its doubts. "It's difficult to say whether a gravel stage belongs in a Grand Tour. I would venture to say that it's now part of road cycling. Moreover, organizers always want to create spectacle for the fans. This stage will therefore be one of the most popular and most watched stages on television. Somewhere I understand the organization, although I can also understand that some GC riders get frustrated because of such a stage. Due to mechanical issues, you can lose a lot of seconds or even minutes in no time. However, there will also be GC riders who see this as an opportunity, since many GC contenders cannot handle this kind of terrain."