10 contenders to win the 2020 Tour de France
For the first time in a decade it looks unlikely a Brit will be contending for yellow at the Tour de France.
Both Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas have been left out, while Adam Yates will focus on taking stage wins after seeing his general classification bid frustrated in each of the past two years.
Instead Colombians dominate the list of contenders as Egan Bernal looks to defend his crown, but in this strange year for cycling, several riders will be eyeing their chance.
Here PA takes a look at the main contenders.
Egan Bernal
Age: 23
Nationality: Colombian
Team: Ineos Grenadiers
Previous appearances: 2018 (15th), 2019 (1st).
Stage wins: None
Sir Dave Brailsford’s decision to leave both Froome and Thomas at home represented a changing of the guard at Team Ineos – or the Ineos Grenadiers as they will be known for the next month. Bernal showed the future is now with his victory ahead of Thomas in last year’s Tour, and goes into the race as the undisputed leader of the team that has won seven of the past eight editions. He returned from lockdown with victory in La Route d’Occitanie and second place in the the Tour de l’Ain, but withdrew from the Criterium du Dauphine as a precaution after suffering a back injury – something the team has downplayed.
Primoz Roglic
Age: 30
Nationality: Slovenian
Team: Jumbo-Visma
Previous appearances: 2017 (38th), 2018 (4th).
Stage wins: Two (2017 – stage 17, 2018 – stage 19)
Jumbo-Visma have put everything into challenging the Ineos’ dominance of the Tour, and planned to go to France with a triple-headed monster of their own. However, Steven Kruijswijk will miss the race with a shoulder injury and Roglic – the man in form since racing resumed – has question marks over him after a heavy crash in the Criterium du Dauphine, which he was leading at the time of his tumble. Roglic is back training, but must quickly recapture the form which saw him win the Tour de l’Ain ahead of a strong field.
Richard Carapaz
Age: 27
Nationality: Ecuadorian
Team: Ineos Grenadiers
Previous appearances: None
Stage wins: None
Should anything go wrong for Bernal, Ineos have an able deputy in Carapaz. Though he is making his Tour debut, the Ecuadorian has proven his Grand Tour credentials in the Giro d’Italia, winning the race last year after taking fourth place in 2018. Carapaz was a winter signing from Movistar, seen as an indulgence upon arrival given Ineos’ existing riches, but his selection suggests Brailsford was already thinking about a change of focus within his team.
Tom Dumoulin
Age: 29
Nationality: Dutch
Team: Jumbo-Visma
Previous appearances: 2013 (41st), 2014 (33rd), 2015 (DNF – crashed on stage three), 2016 (DNF – crashed on stage 19), 2018 (2nd).
Stage wins: Three (2016 – Stage nine and stage 13, 2018 – stage 20).
Should Roglic struggle, Jumbo-Visma will put the focus on Dumoulin. The 2017 Giro d’Italia winner could not match his team-mate’s form in the build-up races, 11th in the Tour de l’Ain and seventh in the Dauphine, but his calibre is clear with three Grand Tour podium finishes to his name, including second place behind Thomas in the 2018 Tour. The lack of time trialling in this year’s Tour will not please the man who took Olympic silver in the 2016 time trial, but he has proven his power over the climbs in recent years.
Thibaut Pinot
Age: 30
Nationality: French
Team: Groupama-FDJ
Previous appearances: 2012 (10th), 2013 (DNF – withdrew after stage 15), 2014 (3rd), 2015 (16th), 2016 (DNF – withdrew after stage 12), 2017 (DNF – abandoned on stage 17), 2019 (DNF – abandoned on stage 19).
Stage wins: Three (2012 – stage 8, 2015 – stage 20, 2019 – stage 14).
Pinot has emerged as the best French hope to end what is now a 35-year wait for a home winner, but his main barrier to success in recent years has been an inability to reach Paris. He went home early for a fourth time last year, his most frustrating exit yet as he had begun stage 19 fifth overall and still with a shout of yellow in what had been building into a fascinating climax before the weather intervened.
Daniel Martinez
Age: 24
Nationality: Colombian
Team: EF Education First
Previous appearances: 2018 (36th)
Stage wins: None
Rigoberto Uran will perhaps be deemed the EF team leader given his experience in the race – having finished second in 2017 – but his younger compatriot looks the more intriguing prospect. Roglic’s misfortune in the Dauphine was his opportunity as he came through to take the biggest victory of his career in a race which has so often pointed the way in terms of Tour form. It would be a big ask for a debutant to win the Tour, but in a strange year for cycling, strange results cannot be ruled out.
Miguel Angel Lopez
Age: 26
Nationality: Colombian
Team: Astana
Previous appearances: None
Stage wins: None
‘Superman’ may have never ridden the Tour before but he has proven his credentials with five top-10 finishes across the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana, finishing third in both races in 2018. The explosive climber has been favoured over Jakob Fuglsang, who will instead target the Giro, a considerable show of faith from his team.
Nairo Quintana
Age: 30
Nationality: Colombian
Team: Arkea-Samsic
Previous appearances: 2013 (2nd), 2015 (2nd), 2016 (3rd), 2017 (12th), 2018 (10th), 2019 (8th).
Stage wins: Three (2013 – stage 20, 2018 – stage 17, 2019 – stage 18)
Quintana’s star has dimmed considerably since he finished second on his Tour debut in 2013, with his run of podium finishes a distant memory. That is perhaps illustrated by the fact that, when it came to leaving Movistar in the winter, he dropped out of the WorldTour by signing for Arkea-Samsic, even if the team was nailed on for a Tour wildcard. But his new employers do offer complete support for his general classification ambitions, and it will be fascinating to see how he fares after showing strong form before the season was suspended.
Mikel Landa
Age: 30
Nationality: Spanish
Team: Bahrain-McLaren
Previous appearances: 2016 (35th), 2017 (4th), 2018 (7th), 2019 (6th).
Stage wins: None
Bahrain-McLaren are all-in on the fight for yellow, leaving sprinter Mark Cavendish at home so the focus will be on Landa – another rider to leave Movistar in the winter. The Spaniard has long been frustrated in his desire to go to a Grand Tour with unquestioned leadership status but Rod Ellingworth will give him exactly that this summer. He should be ably supported by ex-Team Ineos man Wout Poels, Pello Bilbao and Damiano Caruso, and this looks like his best chance to contend for yellow.
Romain Bardet
Age: 29
Nationality: French
Team: AG2R La Mondiale
Previous appearances: 2013 (15th), 2014 (6th), 2015 (9th), 2016 (2nd), 2017 (3rd), 2018 (6th), 2019 (15th).
Stage wins: Three (2015 – stage 18, 2016 – stage 19, 2017 – stage 12)
After carrying the burden of French hopes for several years, Bardet suffered frustration at last year’s Tour as his challenge faded badly. As a result, he goes into this year’s race downplaying talk of a challenge for yellow and saying the focus is on stages. But with only one time trial and a route that should suit him, it is not hard to imagine he is simply trying to deflect some attention.