Tadej Pogacar is the favorite. © APA/afp / LOIC VENANCE

Fear of falling at the Tour de France: It's about "survival"

Before the start of the Tour de France, many riders are worried about a potential crash festival. Since the first ten stages are predominantly flat, many mass finishes are expected.

July 05, 2025

From: dpa/dpa

"Everyone knows that the battle for the overall ranking begins in the second week. You have to survive until then," said Belgian double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel before the opening stage on Saturday in Lille.

In the past, there have been repeated serious crashes, especially on the early stages. For many professional cyclists, the one-time opportunity for the yellow jersey or a stage win is too tempting. "It's going to be a very hectic start," said two-time Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark. "We have to stay out of trouble." His main rival, defending champion Tadej Pogacar, also knows that you can lose the Tour in the first week "without being bad."

Roglic has been affected several times

Pogacar's Slovenian compatriot, Primoz Roglic, has been involved in several crashes in the past, ending his hopes of top placings in grand tours early on. The Red Bull team captain most recently suffered this fate at the Giro d'Italia. Last year, he was forced to abandon the Giro d'Italia in France after a crash on a descent. Roglic won the 2023 Giro and the Vuelta a España four times, but perhaps for this reason, he has never won the Tour.

There's a lot of nervousness in the peloton during the first few days. © APA/afp / MARCO BERTORELLO

184 riders from 23 teams lined up at the start in Lille on Saturday. According to classics specialist Mathieu van der Poel, the Tour organizers' decision to expand the field by one team (eight starters) compared to last year was "a mistake." Most crashes were caused by the riders' behavior. "Fewer teams and fewer riders are the most important thing we can do for our safety," said the 8 Dutch road world champion.

Yellow cards are intended to ensure safety

The International Cycling Union (UCI) aims to increase safety with the yellow cards introduced at the beginning of the year. Two warnings in a race result in a seven-day suspension. Three yellow cards within 30 days result in a 14-day suspension. Numerous cameras monitor the behavior of the peloton during the race.

Was often thrown back by falls: Primoz Roglic © APA/afp / MARCO BERTORELLO

Reactions to the UCI's version of video assistant refereeing in football have so far been mixed. "What is a yellow card and what isn't? It's sometimes difficult to say," said Belgian sprint star Jasper Philipsen.