Welcome to Borduria.

No, the Tour does not leave Denmark for the imaginary country of Tintin but the route of the second stage of the Tour de France between Roskilde and Nyborg predicts the risk of edges, these breaks caused by a side wind.

The 202 kilometer route runs along the coast of the island of Seeland, flat like a roedtunge (a dab in Danish) and therefore very exposed to the breeze, while multiplying the changes of direction.

If that wasn't enough, the runners will leave the mainland 22 kilometers from the finish line only to really find it around three kilometers from the finish on the island of Funen.

“In Denmark, there are very few hills, on the other hand there is the wind, supports the director of the Tour de France Christian Prudhomme. We go down north-south before going to find the bridges and then we go west , so whatever the direction of the wind, at some point, it will necessarily be three-quarters.

Remained in memory, the edge of the Albi stage in 2019 had disgusted Thibaut Pinot, pushed back 1 minute and 40 seconds from the winner of the day, Wout Van Aert.

These breaks occur when, after a change of direction, the peloton finds itself exposed to a side wind.

It is enough then that a mischievous and muscular team launches out in a double maneuver: that it accelerates while positioning itself close to the edge of the road to reduce to the maximum the range sheltering the followers.

Pogacar trapped, "not science fiction"

The memory of the edge of the Lavaur stage in 2020 is less vivid.

Tadej Pogacar, future winner, could however have lost all hope if his disbursement had exceeded the minute and 21 seconds finally conceded.

Tour de France 2022: 2nd stage AFP

"In 2020, it was only one day, it can happen," put the Slovenian into perspective at a press conference on Thursday.

"When there's a crosswind, you have to fight. But even the best rider in these conditions can be caught in a break. It's not science fiction."

Even if the East Bridge, opened to car traffic in 1998, looks like it.

"If you climb to the top of the pillars of one of the bridges, you are at the highest point in Denmark, at 254 meters, it's a fascinating setting", boasts Christian Prudhomme describing a "setting never seen on the roads of the Tour de France", something crazy".

The weather forecasts announce at the time of the crossing of the Great Belt a wind of three-quarters face blowing at about 25 km/h with gusts to nearly 30 km/h.

A "pretty breeze", according to the Beaufort scale, sufficient for the peloton to break out?

"Not a massive sprint", according to Ewan

"If there is side wind, it will be a tough stage, predicts sprinter Caleb Ewan. The peloton will be nervous, all the teams will want to be at the front".

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme visiting the Great Belt Bridge in Denmark on March 23, 2022 Mads Claus Rasmussen Ritzau Scanpix/AFP/Archives

Especially since the short time trial the day before (13.2 km) will not have widened a definitive gap.

"I think there will be a sprint but not a massive one," said the leader of the Lotto team.

It remains to be seen which team will be in charge.

Jumbo, through Wout van Aert, had won the stages of Albi 2019 and Lavaur 2020, without having initiated the breaks.

The teams at the origin of these, did not then bet primarily on the general classification whether it was Quick-Step in 2019 or Bora in 2020, two formations cut for the classics.

Even less balanced since the loss of Flanders regular Matteo Trentin, positive for Covid-19, the UAE-Emirates team of the outgoing double winner remains "very strong", hammered Tadej Pogacar.

"We will only try to fight back hoping it won't be like this stage of 2020."

© 2022 AFP