Tour de France: The Countdown Is On! | The Gruppetto

The Tour de France is on the way! On the Gruppetto with Rob Hatch, Matt Stephens is in to chat Pogačar, his rivals and the 2024 route. We’ve also got a unique insight to the Giro d’Italia and a recap on the latest racing action!

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Welcome to The Gruppetto 0:00
Race action recap 0:22
Matt Stephens on The Gruppetto 4:20
Why should you watch the Critérium du Dauphiné? 5:51
Will Pogačar win the Tour de France? 8:41
Exclusive look at the Giro d’Italia from the skies! 15:24
What’s on this week in cycling? 18:53

[Music] summer is finally here and the tour to France is on the way in the gretto this week Matt Stevens Hannah Walker helicopters racing just about everything you want for this week as we build up to the tour to France first let’s have a look at how that buildup started so the countdown to the tour to France is on and the doin is under way the race has been a summer fixture since the late 1940s but stage one saw its first ever a visit to the aler department an area much more synonymous with pin the weather seemed confused and turned up if it were actually bahin perhaps a good omen for Matel Jorgenson the winner of this year’s March Madness here he would share leadership with fellow American seus while yonas vagor was off at altitude training for visma Lisa bike and on the road to recovery following that shocking bass country crash in March fellow victims of that ENT Remco evap and former do winner Primo RIT we’re back in the saddle here expectations for immediate performance is unknown and part of the Intrigue going into this eight day test the opening stage on paper at least was due to be one for the sprinters and with five uphill finishes plus a time trial to come this week the few fast men who turned up would have been glad of this chance because after an early break consisting of Mark Donovan and matis leel was court and a couple of late attacks were thwarted the Sam Bennett versus m pson show could begin the Le Tre man’s team piloted him into a perfect position and once the Dane hit the front his Irish rival couldn’t get around him pson taking his eighth victory of the season and returning straight back to winning ways following a post Cobble Classics break earlier in the week but also in France the me Contour classic was in just its fourth edition it’s a mountainous race a one-day affair with over 5,000 m of climbing including a sense of both the kol and laan this season spectacle offered a preview of part of the route of what will be the final Road stage in next month’s tour to France all eyes were on it then the start list didn’t include too many expected tour performers but it did give the watching public yet another flash of a future tour Stars brilliance 20-year-old Lenny Martinez native of Southern France won for the fifth time this season rumored as a grand tour leader in a rival World Tour team for the next few seasons the grandson of a stage winner at the tour to France won alone for grama f with transfer season looming they’ll be desperate not to lose him but the talk behind the scenes is a a possible done deal aggressive racing and attacking on the mo in kbur and is always a way to win over the Belgian cycling public not that bam germai needed to do that already a fan favorite before taking on the Brussels Cycling Classic in such style he turned the race that used to be known as B brel into a more open Affair regrouping on the way back to Brussels a late attack from two Riders including unox Mobility yonas AB Bramson but the remaining contenders Under Pressure the 28-year-old Norwegian is a pro cycling late bloomer but following a rethink a couple of seasons ago now a strong man who’s been knocking on the door a solid tour to France 12 months ago attracted attention a heartbreaking end to a 200 km breakway at in adriatico brought him close to a first ever winning March and later that month a second place at dorerin confirmed his strength so it was only right that he should finally be able to celebrate holding off the advancing fast men to take his Maiden success a lovely moment in the Belgian Capital binam gay finished second he now returns to Eritrea to prepare for the tour and coming off the jilo Kaden Groves was third now it’s emerged that a stinton Sierra Nevada was the first time that Abramson had ever been to an altitude training camp I have a good feeling he might be going back well no altitude counts for this next man he’s far too busy for that he’s going to be with me all week on the dolphin a coverage and I caught up after stage one with with Matt Stevens well I’m with Matt Stevens this week the Duffin is on the way back in the home studio he’s at home as well um it’s a big one Matt start of July not too far away now of course the tour actually this year starts a couple of days before the end of June because of the Olympics mat it’s lovely to be back with you have have you been mate I’ve been good thank you um like you um it’s it’s nice to do the do not done it for a couple of years but uh coming straight off the back of the juralia is um yeah it’s nice to get back into the rhythm again because I I woke up on Monday thinking I had another stage and it’s funny once you get into the routine of grand tour life you do miss it don’t you actually jump back in with the doofan ahead of the tour which we’re both going to be working on is great so we got a real nice insight into some of the Riders to definitely watch out for especially given that the interesting year we’ve had in terms of New Riders becoming a bit more prominent established Riders being injured so it’s in a real state of flux so I think the doofan is going to be a proper litmus test um and of who’s got who’s got the form and who has still got a little bit more work to do ahead of the tour because we know that does anybody really want to be on it for the Doan or do they just want to be just before they’re on it it’s a funny one isn’t it but um no I love the Doan and and this year’s course wow it’s brutal isn’t it absolutely brutal I was just about to ask you why should people watching this watch the do I mean five uphill finishes there’s a time trial as well R and Remco back first time since that day in the aulia the tour of the bass country Jorgenson cus gagen heart chor I’m sure I’ve missed plenty of names off there as well there’s Rodriguez and aay Uso it’s quite the lineup for the general classification I think I think it’s what they T stacked isn’t it Matt it’s proper stacked yeah it’s it’s a real stacked feel as you said I think you did actually manage to list pretty much everybody there so well done Rob um especially straight off the top of your head you’re clearly in good commentary form which is good but make sure peek too early but no I think people should watch is because we have got some of the pre-race favorites aren’t in the form that you’d normally expect this year at this time of year should I say especially Primos especially Remo um but that they are going to look at this race as an opportunity to build their condition so what we’ve got is is various top end role different on different trajectories and I think that could give us some really interesting racing on a parkour that increasingly gets harder and harder I mean we’ve already had our first Sprint stage the do great win by pedison but we’re into stage two on already we’re at 1200 meters elevation and a Hilltop finish and it’s not even a mountain finish it’s kind of a semi- mountain of stage we got a real hard te as well midweek long one 34 kilometers um and then we’ve got a mix of high high mounts and media mountains which suit different sorts of riders and and right now I can’t can’t see anybody who’s going to walk away with this race and and that’s what’s interesting we’ve seen riders in the rec recent years you almost know unless they unless they crash they’re going to win you know there’s always one or but I think this particular edition of the doofan is wider and I think that’s why people should tune in you got a wide open race with the kemel racing um with a view to building form but who doesn’t want to add the Dos as well it’s such a prestigious race in its own right and for the life C and Jorgenson for example it’s another opportunity in the absence of yonas to win big regardless of the tour it’s just I could win the Doan so there’s that to contend with as well so I think we’ve got a beautifully designed course which in microcosm is very similar to the way that the Tour of France is that brutal hard final week and the last three stages of the doofan up hard Mountain stages of riders looking to seize opportunity and it’s important for the liks of Remco and Primo to build that shape ahead of the tour and and who knows I I just think we’re going to this is maybe one of the most unpr does of recent years which makes it even more tantalizing for our viewers the J Italia General classification was quite predictable I is fantastic race apart from that you were on the ground and I know you really enjoyed as you always do your time in Italy looking forward of course pachad has now gone to altitude to prepare for the tour to France we won’t see him race again until the tour but if it was all about pogacha in Italy it’s certainly not going to be all about pogacha by the time we get to Italy again because let’s remember this year the Tour of France starts in Italy there’s stronger other ingredients to add into into the recipe isn’t there for the tour yeah I I I think I mean uee are are still saying that yonas is the big favorite heat away from Tad aren’t they we know he got the first objective of a of a potentially historic jro tour double I I think is although he wasn’t properly tested I don’t think in in the jur and that’s no disrespect to any of the other Riders I think they’ agree he just wasn’t really truly tested so if anything I think he might have won the Juro slightly undercooked so I I think he’s going to be fresh I don’t think he make the same mistake twice the fact he’s not even racing his national tour or the national championships says a lot about just keeping him simmering and simmering um but but but the tour is is is always comp ated and it’s although it’s got the hard final week I was just before we came on and did this I was just looking at the the opening week or the opening three or four days very challenging you know we could you know um it’s will we see him lead from Finish that’s that’s quite an interesting will we see a ride a lead from start to finish that remains to be seen um but I right now I think I I T Batu is the overwhelming favorite but let’s but the do would be Mass instructive I think we might see one or two surprises come through will we see AO become a CH a legitimate a real legitimate challenger but again he can’t because obviously it’s all about One Rider but for me or canny or canny Matt that’s the talk you never know you never know but also you know if you’re gonna you’re gonna go into a tour let let’s say something happens to ater you you’re gonna want to try and do something in the tour and and they’ve got they’ve got so much strength in death they can may maybe try something different uh but I think the one team that’s going to have to try something different let’s say Y and I think we all fans observers hope he does yeah and all he’s going to do in my is get stronger and stronger and stronger um I I think it’s I don’t think we’ll see the best yonas heading into the race that’s that’s of course if you rides and we are presuming a lot here so forgive me uh but for a little bit of artistic license but of set could with the likes of um of uh mat Jorgenson they’ve got a couple of very very exciting Riders and and they can ride disruptively we talk we talk maybe we overuse the word disruptive riding but that’s what we’re seeing increase in the modern pelaton um you have to ride disruptively in order to affect change because going head-to-head with the big riders in in in the world to is really hard so you have to think differently go a lot earlier um there but Jan really likes that of bike riding doesn’t he he’s on the very Vanguard of what’s of of you know things about him moving to the to the the Dutch team was the fact think differently they train differently um very different than the traditional mest Squad of course but he’s excited us out there I think relish is the opportunity to potentially Step Up um Discovery for him um but and then I don’t know let’s let’s us see what rogich can do and and then of of course Remco playing his cards very close to his chest will always a danger but I think the high mountains might see his undoing but we shall see I I could be completely wrong um but we’re set for an exciting tour but I think the attack element of it starting in Florence it’s going to be beautiful isn’t it to go back to Italy um but the the final week is we’ve got we’ve got the got the gravel as well but I think the few days in Italy could be really quite unpredictable could see some fantastic racing well you mentioned y vingo just to update the viewers he’s in Te at the moment in the French Alps he’s doing his altitude training after getting back on the bike over the last few months so it’s very much wait and see for him we don’t yet know what wildern Art’s plans are as well in terms of riding the tour to France or not we know that fond Paul will be there and there all host of names we haven’t even mentioned yet I would go as far as to say that this is the most exciting tour route and the most exciting Tour lineup for quite a number of years and that goes for our reporters on the ground because you’re going to be there as well Matt I am indeed going back um for another three weeks I I I love it I’m I’m really really excited mate and uh I’m going to be I think I’m AOW today aren’t I’m hopping on the Moto as well for for the second week which is so void of Discovery from AO jensson another Matt’s going to be on a voyage of Discovery that’s me on the motorbike so I’m a little bit apprehensive in a good way but I can of course pick the brains of Adam blle and the rest and yiny but no it’s going to be it’s going to be tremendous uh but I think think Italy is going to be a wonderful Grand AAR down in Florence you know city of real culture and also some of the most beautiful roads um down down that Nick of the woods so I think we’ve got you’re quite right Rob it’s a really creative inventive route with opportunities just a wonderful spectacle and and I think you know although Tedy pgat is dominant there’s there’s a lot of other riders that are that you know are going to want to want to impress and also I think there’s a lot of riders who will willing to take risks as well I think the only way to be oners these days is to actually not settle for second best and take risk and I think a generation of riders now who are willing to do that and that’s going to make it so entertaining I mean we’ve been royally haven’t we over the last couple of years with this modern style of race expect more tour but yeah mate I cannot wait to get on the ground yeah well we’ll let you get off I mean I’ll be seeing you all week the viewers can catch us every single day this week on the doy check your schedules wherever you’re watching across Europe Europe it is live and On Demand on Euros Sport and on Discovery plus and I think I can spy Matt just up in the browser there I think he’s going on a very wellknown auction site on the internet trying to buy up the last of those brown shorts that the now dick atlon A Des a team got rid of at the end of last year because he might need them for that week on the motorbike we’ll see you there Matt thanks mate cheers mate so we’ve moved on from mate the goo is done and dusted and the Pink t-shirts are in the wardrobe until next May again however we’ve still one thing to show you from that marvelous month of racing in pink in Italy our colleague Hannah Walker had unprecedented access to one of the most perhaps unknown special and mysterious things that happens in bike racing how it’s filmed from the helicopter let’s have a look today I’m going to bring you the juralia from a very unique perspective something that’s never been seen before this is going to be my mode of transport and I’m going to be flying in helicopter [Music] 2 I’ve got my headset I’ve got my communication to the pilot in command Marco and our camera operator Tom so we’re ready to depart to follow the race on stage 11 here we are on the beautiful beautiful Coastline and now we’re going to track the pelons along the coast we’re actually traveling backwards right [Music] now trying to find one of the next points of interest so they’re trying to censor that there’s the church and this is what they want to focus [Music] on and there’s constant communication going on inside my headset it’s the director of the OB truck at the Finish Line who is directing which cameras are going live now we’re trying to find the Vala try to find in P I haven’t quite realized how close we get to the going so fast right now 20 km to go we tried to find a special pink jro train the jro train right alongside T so now we’re going to position ourselves just after the finish line and we can see the Sprint coming in Milan coming through the center medle of Milan medle and Milan oh the big man in purple takes it the Chino Jersey Jonathan vand has just won the stage just below me now I can see all of the meor and my college all running to get [Music] there so there we have it we’ve landed at our meeting spot the end Destination 2 and a half hours of flying time following along the coast an incredible stage Jonathan mean taking the victory but following and getting all of the different shots the angles lining things up with all the different Beauty shots and of course getting The Paton and the Breakaway the Convoy absolutely spectacular incredible and to see the behind the scenes of how we receive our television pictures and what goes in to bringing us the most beautiful beautiful images is absolutely breathtaking well what’s next for Hannah treasure hunt challenge Hannah we’ll have to wait and find out I’m sure you’ll be seeing heing from a across our coverage in the next few weeks and months well we’re off to the doin we’ll be watching that from afar this week and talking you through it you can see every single stage live on demand and remember to check out the highlights both on the channel and on the Euros Sports cycling YouTube channel as well that’s on Euros Sport and Discovery plus all week the buildup to the tour to France continues with the zlm tour as well that’s for the sprinters the Netherlands biggest stage race over several days and massive news It’s the Return of the women’s tour in UK that’s a race that’s been missing from the calendar from the last few years it’s back four stages you can watch that on Euros Sport and Discovery plus all the top names will of course be there and we will be back next week in the gretto for more we’ll have a bit more of an idea of what’s going on with rogl and everybody else even theol how’s he got on Rodriguez auso loads of big names along with the American Eagles cus and jensson in the dolphin gagen Hart and chick Coria there too and that’s just the GC Riders plenty to be looking out for as you head towards the tour join us next week on the gretto until then goodbye [Music]