Stage 11: Tour only in August? “I like Pogačar’s proposal”

00:00:02: Inside Red Bull Bora Hans Kroer, the podcast from OVB online

00:00:08: on The Tour de

00:00:08: France.

00:00:09: For three weeks we accompanied team manager Ralph Denk and the biggest and most successful German cycling team through The Tour De France.

00:00:19: Do you have questions for Ralph DenK?

00:00:21: Send them to Tobias.Rufa or bymedia.de And now enjoy the new episode!

00:00:32: certain variants killed wins the eleventh stage of The Tour de France.

00:00:36: There are no changes in the general classification.

00:00:39: Let us dive into today's tour day with a team manager of Red Bull Bora Hans Krohe.

00:00:44: Hello to France to Ralph Denk.

00:00:47: hello and good evening to Rosenheim.

00:00:51: Yes, Ralph let's look at Todays Stage Basically.

00:00:55: had we or rather had you expected the race to unfold this way?

00:01:01: The sprint and the final result were wild though or how do you see it?

00:01:06: Yes, well...the way that went was as I expected.

00:01:11: There wasn't much resistance until a group was formed.

00:01:14: It took few kilometers but then they said what surprised me is in the finale Alaphilippe let go very early.

00:01:25: He is a normal steady pace rider after all, he was world champion twice but I could no longer follow the group.

00:01:34: And uh... The finale wasn't like usual where teams line up and do sort of drag race team against team against Team But they only really formed up one point eight kilometers from the finish.

00:01:51: And for me, that's an indicator that everyone is already dead tired.

00:01:56: normally teams form up ten fifteen twenty kilometers before they finished to prepare and it is a tough battle for position and they fight and it costs the helpers An enormous amount of energy We didn't see today.

00:02:12: I'm For Me A huge Indicator That Everyone Is Already pretty exhausted, whether it's the domestics or leaders.

00:02:21: We've had a very hard tour de France so far and that is why there are somewhat strange finale as you said with a winner who has a lot of courage to just go for Well, then he went off relatively early and managed to hold his lead.

00:02:42: but it must also be said that certain variants killed from the Norwegian team Uno X is no stranger.

00:02:48: He has already won the Great Cycling Classic, Omloop had newsblood in a similar manner.

00:02:53: he is very strong rider with great pace not fastest in sprint but that was not required In this case.

00:03:01: instead he was able to maintain high pace for several hundred meters and therefore won it deservedly.

00:03:09: Did the sprint teams lack consistency?

00:03:13: I think in manpower!

00:03:16: in terms of manpower and perhaps also that is a conclusion if you do not have the man power, You cannot ride consistently.

00:03:22: And I suspect rather than everyone said let us reach finish!

00:03:27: Very strange to me.

00:03:28: he has one stages here.

00:03:30: before Fernando Gaviria from Spanish team Caja Rural.

00:03:34: He had flat tire few kilometers before the finish...he came back relatively easily At a normal pace, he would never have made it back.

00:03:44: And that was also an indicator for me That up until two kilometers from the finish The pace was comparatively slow compared to other sprint stages.

00:03:55: Varinskjold crashed yesterday finished in last plus Torsten train Was already on yellow jersey.

00:04:03: Now team takes stage win.

00:04:06: They've received great deal of attention.

00:04:09: due hotel situation.

00:04:12: Uno X mobility from Norway is writing these special stories at this Tour de France.

00:04:19: Definitely, and I like their approach.

00:04:22: first of all they focus on Norwegian and Danish riders.

00:04:26: we have mentioned that here before.

00:04:29: They are obviously limiting themselves enormously but still creating success.

00:04:35: They have a great partner in Uno X from Scandinavia and they do things very, very consistently.

00:05:03: They don't have anyone who can fight for the tour podium on command.

00:05:08: They were still sixth in overall standings last year, quite acceptable and good.

00:05:15: but they also focussed on stages & wore a yellow jersey today!

00:05:24: on the world tour.

00:05:26: They were promoted last year and I am happy for them, And i also know the manager Thor Husshoff quite well.

00:05:34: He is new to this.

00:05:35: It's his first team.

00:05:36: he was a successful racer himself in the past Even a World Champion.

00:05:40: From that perspective it' s cool project

00:05:44: And anyone who still remembers Thor will have had their heart truly warmed today.

00:05:53: Let's move on to Red Bull Bora Hans Grohe.

00:05:56: I saw a brief mechanical issue for Jan Tratnik, he immediately gave a thumbs up and everything went like clockwork.

00:06:03: after that they all got through it well didn't they?

00:06:06: Yes everyone is safe at the finish.

00:06:09: i also get once the stage has started another medical update.

00:06:16: Everything looked very good this morning.

00:06:21: All the indicators are in the green.

00:06:23: That means our medical team has done a fantastic job so far and can confirm that everyone is feeling

00:06:30: well.".

00:06:31: There were quite a few mechanicals today, coincidence or other sometimes stages of road conditions where it just happens more often?

00:06:43: What what's your impression?

00:06:46: Yes, that definitely exists.

00:06:49: Well the tire topic is actually worth a whole series.

00:06:53: you can talk so much about tires and how much has changed in recent years?

00:06:59: most teams use tubeless tyres which are filled with a sealant And the tyre construction is always balancing act.

00:07:08: The less rolling resistance ,the less puncture protection And the teams naturally push to the limit, especially on stages where a flat is not that critical because you usually recover well if you do have a tire issue.

00:07:26: Yes and for the team it's always game of fire depending which supplier.

00:07:31: we use specialized tires but different versions.

00:07:35: So we have very fast ones with relatively little puncture protection, but also some that has a bit more puncture.

00:07:43: And so it is always a game for the technicians.

00:07:47: Do you use starches like today's a bit as a test balloon on extreme conditions?

00:07:54: who are talking about Tour de France?

00:07:56: Well in training You can simulate things But at Tour De France For me When you say your testing, these are extreme conditions where well... ...you leave yourself a slight safety net because it's not a stage for example.

00:08:17: Where everything is at stake!

00:08:20: No we're still talking about the tour de France here and the Tour de France is no place to experiment.

00:08:25: We do great many tire tests And our junior teams often get the prototypes first.

00:08:31: They then test them in a racing environment as well.

00:08:34: It is also to some extent our strategy that new equipment is often tested by the under-nineteen, the under twenty three and our rookies And only when it has truly been approved.

00:08:46: does it go to the pros?

00:08:48: We do not experiment.

00:08:50: at the Tour de France

00:08:53: With a good seven kilometers to go, we saw your team quite bunched up at the very front.

00:08:59: Was there specific reason for that?

00:09:03: Yes well you're not really in the safety zone yet let's say seven kilometres from the finish.

00:09:08: so You still have to concentrate and focus even more And only when you reach the safety zone, five kilometers from the finish.

00:09:18: then if something happens.

00:09:20: You get the same time as the winner and that's why we got even more organized.

00:09:25: Okay I am sending podcast greetings over to The Velo Club From Eurosport now!

00:09:32: You told us about this gentleman's agreement, the GC meaning the team riding for general classification and that Pogacar personally said.

00:09:42: as you reported to us these teams hold back.

00:09:45: From what point does it apply?

00:09:50: Yes we shouldn't overrate in modern cycling anymore.

00:09:53: yes when the really big protagonists Eddie Merck or Lance Armstrong said something It carried more weight than it does in modern cycling today.

00:10:04: But still, I find that the teams fighting for the podium here don't really try to outdo each other in their sprint finishes.

00:10:15: and i'm knocking on wood now.

00:10:19: none of the general classification riders have really crashed or gotten hurt in a sprint finish yet And the way it's going right now, I think is quite good.

00:10:30: How much the riders talk to each other... ...is secondary for me.

00:10:33: It has to be in a good balance raising on one hand but not risking the entire Tour de France today like

00:10:41: this.".

00:10:42: But does Pogacar have go there every day to renew or is that fixed agreement?

00:10:50: from sports management or team management don't even want to know the details.

00:10:55: Let the guys settle it on the road and they are good at each other, most of them.

00:11:01: there's a good harmony in their group that should handle

00:11:03: themselves.".

00:11:07: Exactly!

00:11:08: That is what Pogacar says internally.

00:11:10: But he made this statement which leads us seamlessly into the background yes one who really drew attention namely If I had the power, i would completely change the race calendar and no longer race in hot regions during july & august.

00:11:29: So this statement stands!

00:11:31: And it is not coming from just anyone.

00:11:34: It comes form the boss From master himself.

00:11:37: What's your take on that?

00:11:39: First of all...I think its good.

00:11:42: such an iconic athlete dares to speak out.

00:11:45: That I'm open to that and have also fought for change is something people know if they've heard or read my interviews during the Corona period.

00:11:59: And indeed one can discuss finding better harmony with the climate.

00:12:16: What is said for me are the spring classics, Flanders Rubé Lige That's a block Milan San Remo II which I believe should not be torn apart and they're called Spring Classics For Nothing.

00:12:31: What one could perhaps discuss is moving the Vuelta from August back, and I say back deliberately to April or the end of April.

00:12:40: Back in the eighties-in the nineties-eighties definitely The Vuelte took place in april.

00:12:45: i still remember that From when i was a little boy.

00:12:49: Then i find it quite exciting In other sports And uh Moving over to Formula One That they have A summer break.

00:12:56: They Have a Summer Break Of Two Or Three Weeks Where There Is No Grand Prix and where the staff also have time off.

00:13:03: That means the Formula One team factories are largely closed during that time, simply to give all of them summer holidays.

00:13:12: Our staff has no way of taking a vacation during this season – they always go on vacations in the shitty months.

00:13:20: December is okay again, or it gets difficult because there's a training camp.

00:13:26: November and November are not exactly the big fancy month for our vacation.

00:13:31: I would wish that one could give the whole teams perhaps some break then raise longer towards the end.

00:13:41: Well, I think it's good that Tadej Pokacar is making such a push there.

00:14:02: but we also have the olympics every four years and the next Olympics are on july.

00:14:09: twenty second, twenty-twenty eight in los angeles which is actually during the tour de France.

00:14:16: And The ASO Is already fighting to move the Tour de France forward so that it doesn't conflict with the Olympics And that naturally affects all other rice organizers massively.

00:14:30: The ASO always wants to have the priority deciding first when their big crisis takes place, and this is of course not a proper way to do things.

00:14:38: it really should be done together.

00:14:41: That's general difficulty in cycling where there are very little common ground.

00:14:47: So, a tour de France that starts in mid to late August, Agatha is quite conceivable from your point of view.

00:14:56: For my part, that's conceivable if the riders feel more comfortable and there are less heat!

00:15:03: Why not?

00:15:04: I would not like to ride Paris-Roubaix in August because for me it isn't an early classic but it belongs in April.

00:15:13: but the Tour de France would make no difference to us, whether it is in July or August.

00:15:20: Well a soccer World Cup now lasts six of seven weeks and is very well received.

00:15:25: I mean there was a lot of talk beforehand.

00:15:27: oh far too much.

00:15:28: nobody will watch it anymore and nobody will go to the stadiums.

00:15:32: Yes!

00:15:32: And what happens?

00:15:33: People watch it.

00:15:35: people.

00:15:35: i'm not talking about the surrounding circumstances now But when it comes to sport they are totally thrilled by this World Cup.

00:15:43: So I think it is more about, well... This how we have always done it!

00:15:49: You are from Bavaria?

00:15:50: I live in Bavria.

00:15:51: That's just a standard thing here.

00:15:52: that Is How We Have Always Done It.

00:15:54: That Is How Will Keep Doing It.

00:15:56: Sometimes i Think you have to break up structures and simply adapt To Circumstances.

00:16:00: Absolutely because the behavior of The consumer or fan Who we ultimately Live Off Of is also changing and you have to be open to change.

00:16:13: I think it is very, very important to generally be open-to-change.

00:16:19: And people also thought if i switch back to Formula One now that was the gold standard when Bernie Eccleston managed Formula one but when Bernie ecclestone was gone and liberty took over then there were another real change in Formula.

00:16:40: This example also shows that if you are open to change, You can definitely still grow.

00:16:48: Exactly!

00:16:48: I know too many ideas for cycling become even bigger.

00:16:54: We will gladly take it into the next few days On this topic.

00:16:59: now the heat wave and how one can change or adapt things.

00:17:04: There was also a suggestion to set the start times earlier, honestly maybe I could give my opinion first.

00:17:13: What good does that do?

00:17:14: Then you start at ten You're still riding right into full midday heat and blazing sun And...you have think about consumers.

00:17:27: People are working after all leaving work a bit early at three o'clock to catch the end of the tour.

00:17:34: I can see that happening, but if this stage were to end at three O'Clock my feeling is that The numbers would really drop.

00:17:42: how do you feel about it?

00:17:44: Back in the day is also a no-go for me and i completely agree with because we have It's more or less start times here depending on the length of stage between eleven thirty and one-thirty, two o'clock today.

00:18:00: So those are normally classic start time for this stage And if you move that forward by four hours then it will be at finish four hour earlier.

00:18:10: That means the finish isn't around five o' clock but finished is already in early afternoon.

00:18:18: First of all, it is even hotter here at five or five thirty.

00:18:22: At the finish line and secondly normal people are at work.

00:18:27: so that's not a good idea to me where I would be open for discussing.

00:18:32: why not move this start later?

00:18:40: huge outcry at first, then we would be having dinner even later.

00:18:44: I mean dinner for the staff here is always between ten thirty and eleven o'clock at night.

00:18:49: when would we eat even later?

00:18:50: Then we will have a midnight snack in one or two in the morning after work is done.

00:18:57: but for a fan i'm thinking about the fan now if the finish line that's possible only at nine o' clock in the evening I could imagine that it might even be quite cool to ride until just before dark because then people have time, they can turn on the television and you can follow their race on social media channels.

00:19:18: Well...I would at least like to discuss this suggestion!

00:19:25: Yes we were discussing those sprint stages which are relatively short in terms of length.

00:19:30: i mean a mountain stage floodlights everywhere in the high mountains.

00:19:37: I think we agree on that, but now with this tour for example The Team Time Trial in Barcelona...the first stage Paris is also relatively late.

00:19:46: perhaps That would even be an idea For the sprint stages to sort of do as you're suggesting Now?

00:19:52: We say start later and have a Tour de France Sprint at a great prime time At seven o'clock in the evening.

00:20:01: Yes, but if I well France is further west.

00:20:04: it stays light a bit longer there than in Rosenheim So I don't even need floodlights right now.

00:20:09: I mean when i'm on the Atlantic coast It's light until almost eleven p.m.. so I could easily race bikes until nine thirty pm In the summer and maybe that's that's the ideal way?

00:20:20: It's definitely cooler then.

00:20:23: Okay good we will of course keep an eye on that.

00:20:27: Now let's look at current events which take place tomorrow Thursday.

00:20:32: It starts at one thirty, the expected arrival is five-thirty.

00:20:37: From the Circuit Manicou back to motorsport we head to Chalonso Sauna.

00:20:43: One hundred and eighty kilometers will be raced with three category four climbs.

00:20:49: it Is a bit hillier than today.

00:20:52: You like to give us a percentage estimate regarding a bunch sprint versus breakaway group.

00:20:58: What percentages have you brought for today?

00:21:02: Yes, it is a bit helier than three mountain classifications fourth category.

00:21:08: but I flipped through the roadbook earlier and there are not that many sprint chances left.

00:21:15: And i think tomorrow could perhaps even be one of last limiting ones.

00:21:21: And that is why I believe the fast guys or teams of the Fast Guys, I am thinking of Sudal Quickstep.

00:21:31: I'm also thinking of Astana with Max Kanter who is printing quite well here which pleases me from a German perspective.

00:21:39: There will be another sprint tomorrow and it's more than ninety percent

00:21:43: likely.".

00:21:51: Yes, so we want to save some energy again before we slowly start heading into the Vosges because Saturday stage in particular will be brutally hard.

00:22:03: That is on the same route where Udo Bultz said to Jan Ulrichi in ninety-seven torture yourself you pig!

00:22:12: that's more or less the same course and it would really tough on.

00:22:16: saturday is a bit calmer again tomorrow so we can catch our breath.

00:22:39: So Ralph, when it comes to the topic of heat and how to deal with it you two can really toss the ball back-and forth.

00:22:46: We will both talk again next week.

00:22:48: I say thank you for today!

00:22:50: You'll be back tomorrow then with our Ironman Corbinian – I say Thankyou.

00:22:56: best regards to France & see you next week.

00:23:04: I am not that familiar with the sport, but i assume so and look forward to our conversation

00:23:33: in.