Tour de France Debuts 19.6km Team Time Trial With Individual Times in Stage 1
Updated
Updated · Outside Magazine · Jul 2
Tour de France Debuts 19.6km Team Time Trial With Individual Times in Stage 1
3 articles · Updated · Outside Magazine · Jul 2
Summary
Stage 1 in Barcelona on July 4 will revive the Tour’s team time trial for the first time since 2019, but each rider will get an individual finish time rather than sharing a team time.
Under the new ASO format, all eight riders start together, the stage goes to the team with the fastest rider, and yellow-jersey contenders can be launched solo in the final kilometers.
The 19.6km course packs about 200 meters of climbing into the last 4km, including the Montjuïc ramp and an 800-meter uphill finish to the Olympic Stadium, making late attacks by protected leaders likely.
ASO has used the rules since 2023 at Paris-Nice and again in June at the Dauphiné, where Visma-Lease a Bike set up Matteo Jorgenson for the fastest time after teammates emptied themselves before the final climb.
The format is designed to reward both team tactics and individual strength while reducing the chance of one powerhouse squad sweeping the standings from the opening day.