Tour de France: Unchained (2023) s02e01 Episode Script
Season 2, Episode 1
[interviewer] Happy to be in Season 2?
[crew laughing]
[deep dramatic tone playing]
It's gotta be
the toughest challenge in the world.
[Alaphilippe] It can
take you to the top, the summit
[all] Yeah!
Or it can crush you.
[commentator] Whoa, a crash!
A crash in the peloton.
Even speaking about it,
I can get goosebumps.
[commentator] Attack of Pogačar.
Everybody should
kill somebody to win a stage.
Fuck them or get fucked.
- [rider yelling]
- No!
Accidents happen.
You better get used to it.
[crowd cheering]
I haven't actually crashed that much.
Why would you say that out loud
a week before the Tour?
[rider] Oh!
If they can kill you,
they're gonna kill you.
[chuckling] We're not here
to make friends with other teams.
Ah, fuck!
[in Flemish] How's that possible?
[in English] It's really gonna hurt.
It's gonna burn!
Fuck's sake. My balls hurt. [groans]
The face of pain.
[Cavendish] Risk's a part of it.
- Oh, oh, oh!
- Go, go, go.
I love the risk,
but it's not necessarily in your control.
We will show our respect
with a minute's silence.
[Hindley] It's cutthroat, savage.
[screams]
You sacrifice your life, your family.
Julian Alaphilippe costs a lot of money.
[interviewer]
So, how much do you get paid?
A bit too much for Patrick. [chuckles]
- [loud cheering]
- This is legendary, come on.
[Chainel] On this Tour, we seem
to go from one scandal to the next.
[fan] Jonas! Jonas!
[interviewer]
So do you think that he's doping?
Fuck!
I feel betrayed now.
I'm not taking any media.
He's questioning my riders' honour.
[crowd booing]
- It's pathetic.
- Turn the cameras off.
[Pidcock] Can you turn the cameras off?
[Pogačar] I plan to go all in.
No mercy.
[commentator] Pogačar attacks,
Vingegaard surprised!
The challenge is to survive.
[bikes clattering]
[O'Connor] Fuck this.
Sponsors won't pay
for a rider who gives up like that.
[Pogačar] I'm gone. I'm dead.
[Madiot] We all want
to find out who we are
and, generally, you find out
if you compete here.
[crowd cheering]
[all screaming]
- You gonna keep that?
- [crew chuckle]
[dramatic theme music playing]
[light electronic music playing]
One, two, three. Go, Nino!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
And under!
[woman] Go, Nino. Go.
[Alaphilippe] The Tour is unique.
No other race can make you
feel this passion, this emotion.
- Go, Nino, go, go, go, go!
- Look at him.
[Alaphilippe] There he goes!
[woman] Well done.
[Alaphilippe] The fact that I'm French
inevitably adds another dynamic.
An extra pressure, y'know?
Stress and adrenaline.
- Not yet.
- To make crêpes with Daddy, you need eggs.
- You want to shine out there, be a hero.
- [in French] Eggs!
- [in English] No! I'll take that away.
- Easy. You don't wanna crack them.
[laughing] Er Yes.
Things haven't been
going my way now for a few seasons.
And I really want
to have a good Tour this year,
to be a key player.
[Rousse] You're under
enough pressure right now, making crepes.
[Alaphilippe] Thanks for that.
No pressure whatsoever.
The hardest part
isn't making your dreams come true,
it's keeping them alive afterwards.
What dream keeps me going?
It's just winning.
[birds chirping]
[interviewer] How long
have you fished here?
For over ten years now.
It was the first thing
I bought when I turned pro.
The Tour de France is a competition, sure.
It's the toughest challenge in the world.
I think people
will be shocked seeing this.
Why's that?
All these croissants.
[both laugh]
After 14 years of pro-cycling,
this is my last season
and I really want a great final year.
But cycling has changed.
Things aren't the same.
There are two big favourites this year,
Vingegaard and Pogačar.
They're in a league of their own.
[ethereal music playing]
- That's from Macron. A gift.
- [woman 2] Is it?
[Urška] When you
win the Tour, you get this one.
It's okay if you break it.
We have another one.
He won two Tour de Frances.
[laughing]
Pogačar won the Tour two years in a row
and we all thought he was unbeatable.
But then last year, things changed.
[Pogačar] 2022, I gave
everything that I could.
But, uh, in the end, Jonas was better.
[Urška] It wasn't the easiest
because it's like this realisation,
"I'm not the best anymore."
Vamos.
Oh!
[groans] One more time, I hit my butt.
But then it brought back the hunger
that he really wants to prove
that he's the best again.
- Now, Jonas is the number one guy.
- Yeah.
And you're the one who has to attack him.
It's obvious who is the main rival.
It's Jonas.
[dramatic music playing]
I'll do everything
to win it for the second time.
I think I'm better than last year, no?
I've just improved more and more.
I'm still focused,
still want to be the best.
[coach] Today, six hours training.
No one is sure
of his Tour de France selection.
Last one is out.
[all laughing]
To win the Tour de France twice
would be amazing.
But I think that
it will be a really, really hard fight.
This year, we have
a super, super strong team.
And I feel better
coming into the first part of the season
than any other year.
[commentator] A massive acceleration
by Tadej Pogačar.
Pogačar's been on fire this season.
He's an animal. He's won everything.
[commentator] Pogačar wins at the top
of the first mountain of Paris-Nice.
[Gianetti] Tadej knows how strong he is.
And when he's on fire,
no one out there is better.
[commentator] He's an absolute killer
when it comes to a finish.
And then, uh
Yeah, I crashed in Liège.
[commentator]Tadej Pogačar
crashed after 84 kilometres.
It was a really nasty crash.
[commentator] It's over for him.
He had to abandon the race.
I'm lucky that I only fractured my wrist.
Still not 100%.
Scaphoid is still fractured.
But I will never give up.
[tense music playing]
[Pogačar] Now I start with
a little bit different training.
I try to bounce back.
You need to push yourself.
Because Tour de France is Tour de France.
Everybody comes here in top shape.
[music continues]
I've been training all year
for the Tour de France.
And, of course, every team
that competes here wants a stage win.
It's still the biggest
bike race in the world.
It is beautiful
and the pinnacle of any season.
Pogačar and Vingegaard
have both won the Tour
and they really are
the best climbers in the world.
But we all know that anything can happen
and anyone of us could fail on the road.
We all suffer for one goal.
[panting]
[Pogačar] Victory.
[O'Connor] This year,
I feel like I'm now at that level
where I can finish on the podium.
The dream? To be wearing
the yellow jersey from day one.
But, cycling is a sport where
just so many things can go wrong.
[Barrett] Hey, can I have a word?
Did you see the news about Gino Mäder?
- Did you?
- Huh?
Did you see the news about Gino?
Gino Mäder in the Tour de Suisse?
No, I didn't see it.
[Barrett] Yeah, he and Ben
were good buddies.
I'm a little worried
that he'll check his phone
- and see all these messages and, er
- Yeah.
So I think I'm gonna
stop here and break it to him.
- All right?
- [O'Connor] Yeah.
I have some news.
- Huh?
- Some news.
- What?
- Gino.
He Did he?
Yeah.
[clears throat]
All right?
[clears throat]
[O'Connor] Oh no.
Oh no.
Fuck.
- Fuck, he was such a good guy.
- Yeah.
- So
- Well, that's shit.
Fuck.
[reporter] A cycling race
turns to tragedy.
The Swiss rider, Gino Mäder,
died this morning.
[reporter 2] He was 26 years old.
He crashed yesterday during
the 5th stage of the Tour de Suisse.
He was found unconscious
in a ravine at the side of the road.
[reporter 3] Gino was flown
by helicopter to hospital,
and, tragically, was unable
to recover from his injuries.
He was 26 years old.
[melancholy music playing]
[thunder rumbling]
[wind blowing]
[man] Hello, everyone.
And welcome to this year's Tour de France.
We've decided that for the next
three weeks, jersey number 61
will be assigned to Gino Mäder,
whose wish was to race here.
For him, his family, his friends,
we will all show our respect
with a minute's silence.
[O'Connor] It was pretty shocking.
[music continues]
I think it kind of, uh, awakened
a little bit of fragility in in everyone.
[Chainel] It's hard to accept that
that a guy lost his life
not only doing his job,
but doing what he loved.
It just goes to show
that it could happen to any of them.
[Chennaoui] The loss of Gino Mäder
has been felt through the entire peloton.
The fact that it was so recent
has really highlighted once again
the dangers of this sport,
and just what's at risk,
what the consequences can be.
[Alaphilippe] It's the kind of moment
when you realise that you are
you are nothing on this Earth.
We're nothing.
Especially in the saddle.
[Jurdie] It's clear that
the Tour de Suisse
and the tragic loss of Gino,
it has traumatised the whole peloton.
But life has to continue and, in our
profession, the risks continue too, sadly.
[crowd cheering]
[fans] Pello, Pello!
[cheering]
The location of the start
of the Tour this year is a big risk.
It's the Basque Country.
[Chennaoui] The first stages
of the Tour de France
are always quite dangerous.
Everybody's nervous.
Everybody's desperate to get a stage.
What we have in the Basque Country,
though, compounds all of that.
The Basque Country is known for
its tight, narrow, grippy little roads.
Sharp ascents.
Fast descents.
It's going to be incredibly dangerous.
[rider] Whoa!
Naturally, all the riders
in the Tour de France
start training six months before
and it could take just
one bend in the road
to dash all their hopes.
[indistinct chatter]
[Niermann] Important for today,
we are always in front.
I think that's a very important thing.
Especially the first days.
Goal one, always,
the whole tour, keep Jonas safe.
Because of all the twisting and turning,
and the up and down,
there will be a big fight.
We have to make sure
we're keeping Jonas out of trouble.
But that's easier said than done.
[indistinct PA announcement]
[child] Please, please, please.
We need to follow just Vingegaard
and check Vingegaard,
but in the end,
it's better to stay in front.
[inaudible]
My name is Mauro Gianetti
and I'm the CEO and team principal
of UAE Team Emirates.
[interviewer] What are your fears
about this year's Tour de France?
Crashes.
Because crashes
are awful.
[tense rhythmic music playing]
[moderator] First question
for Tadej Pogačar.
[reporter] Tadej, since
your wrist is not 100% recovered,
does it mean that you are not 100%
ready to win the Tour de France?
This we will see in the race itself.
I hope I'm ready.
[interviewer] Do you think that this crash
could affect his performance
during the Tour?
I think not.
And I'm actually happy it
will not affect anything.
[interviewer] Why?
Because I'd rather
try to win the Tour again when he's 100%.
It's difficult to imagine this rivalry
between the two big favourites
being more finely poised.
Anyone else winning the Tour de France
would be a big, big surprise.
[Vaughters] We've won pretty much
every major race in the world
except the Tour de France.
Welcome everybody to Bilbao.
This year, I want to produce the biggest
dark horse win of the Tour de France
in the last two decades.
So, how do we have
a successful Tour de France?
What's the What's the broad plan?
2023 is going to be a big year for us.
We have the only rider in the world
that could actually challenge
the two favourites for the Tour de France.
[commentator] And now
all of Ecuador can celebrate
because the 102nd Giro d'Italia
goes to Richard Carapaz!
[Vaughters] Richard won a Grand Tour.
He's the defending Olympic gold medallist.
He was the singular most important rider
that made a team transfer last year.
Ever since I was 16 years old,
I wanted to cycle professionally,
but in my country
there is no real cycling tradition
and I left home when I was very young.
In the end, though,
it became clear to me what my goal was
[fans cheering]
To win the Tour de France.
Richard has a grittiness and persistence
that those who were
spoon-fed a bit more don't have.
That's the only way anyone will be able
to upset the Vingegaard-Pogačar dynamic.
For better or for worse,
if we forget about the GC for a minute
and we just say, "Who's our
best chance of winning stage one?"
It's probably Richard.
Yeah. I think so.
[Wegelius] We're going to ride
the race true to our real identity,
which is going after wins when we can,
and keeping, uh, Richard's GC going.
[Vaughters] And we're gonna
try to win Stage 1 with Richard.
[Wegelius] Yeah.
Richard is the most expensive rider
that we've ever had on this team
by by a fair margin.
His success or failure,
it does put
the entire team in the balance.
It's a big play, and it's a big risk.
[dramatic tone playing]
[fans] Thibaut! Thibaut! Thibaut!
[loud ticking]
The Tour is faster, harder,
bigger than every other race.
[air hissing]
Let's have it.
Stage one, as we mean to go on.
I'm Tom Pidcock.
I'm a rider for INEOS Grenadiers.
Winning on Alpes d'Huez last year,
I showed what I can do.
This year,
I want to come away with something.
And And I know I can win it.
[reporter on computer] Hi, Tom.
We all know you for your spectacular,
maybe sometimes risky downhilling.
Having the accident
at the Tour de Suisse in mind,
would you say it
might affect your riding style?
Um
Well, yeah, I think so.
I think that was,
especially for everyone at the race,
it was pretty hard-hitting,
and I didn't see a single rider
take any risks after that incident.
I was one of the last people to be
riding with Gino before he crashed.
You know, I love descending.
I love the risk.
The calculated risk.
But it really put light on
what can go wrong.
[crowd cheering]
[fan] Go, Mathieu!
[helicopter blades whirring]
[commentator] The first stage
of the Tour de France
is a 182-kilometre loop around Bilbao.
We're counting down to the start
of the race and the 110th Tour de France.
The challenge is to survive.
You cannot win the Tour
on the first stage.
But definitely you can lose it.
[announcer in Basque]
Six, five, four, three, two, one Go!
[in English] And like we say in France
[in French] And they're off!
[Chennaoui in English]
This is the first stage.
There'll be a lot of
tension in the peloton.
There are some pretty winding descents,
so they will have to be really careful.
The Tour de France is
the most dangerous race all year long.
But if you think it's not worth that risk
it almost makes it more dangerous.
Now, you're the one really pulling hard
on your brakes when nobody else is.
You can't think about it.
That's what we love about Richard.
He takes unmitigated risks.
[commentator 1] 4.2 kilometres still to go
in the penultimate climb of the day.
Quite a crowd. Fuck's sake.
There are masses there. Wow!
[horns blowing]
Oh, fuck's sake.
[cheering]
Whoa, whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa.
[commentator 1] We make our way downhill
towards the base of the final climb.
[man on radio]
It's a very fast descent. Be careful.
The downhill is four kilometres down.
A small narrow road.
BACK OF THE RACE
[Vaughters] We will plan and we will race.
But ultimately, I sit on the team bus,
watch it on television, and and hope.
[commentator 1] Carapaz moves up on the
left in his Ecuadorian champion colours.
[Carapaz] I'm a rider
that likes to keep active.
I like attacking. That's kind of my style.
[commentator 1] Still in the technical
part of the descent of the Côte de Vivero.
[commentator 2] This descent is very fast.
Come on.
[commentator 1] Crash of riders.
Crash on the right! Crash on the right!
Carapaz and Enric Mas!
[commentator]
Richard Carapaz hits the deck.
- Oh! Fuck!
- [man] Oh no! Fuck!
[man on radio] Get a bike!
He's there, he's there.
He's there. Bike, bike.
[on radio] Bike.
[Vaughters] Shit.
[commentator 1] He didn't seem hurt,
but now he's had to sit down now.
That's not a very good sign.
Carapaz in all sorts of difficulty.
- Ah, shit.
- [man] Ah, yeah.
[Vaughters] Yeah, something's wrong-wrong.
He hit his knee pretty damn hard.
Juanma, we have to go!
What the fuck!
[Carapaz] The first thing I did
was look myself over,
but in these moments
you're in a state of shock.
And it's like I start
to try and move and ugh.
Then I try and stand up,
but can't manage it properly
'cause it hurt so much.
It was horrible.
I said, "Shit. Ah."
[commentator]
And he's going to give it a go.
Over four kilometres to the last climb
of the first stage of the Tour de France.
Carapaz is pedalling.
He's going to try to finish the stage.
It hurt so much and
and I couldn't stand the pain.
Well, he's riding.
Not fast.
The important thing
is to get back to be checked over and
I didn't want
to let people down. Or myself.
[commentator] This is
a cruel moment for this rider
who dreamt of finishing on the podium.
He is the rider
that makes or breaks our team.
Richard is on the bike, but he's far away.
[Vaughters] Is there pressure there on me?
I mean, absolutely. I've risked
everything on Richard Carapaz.
[intense music playing]
[commentator]The UAE team is in front
to get Pogačar and Yates
into a good position.
Last year, Tadej Pogačar and UAE
couldn't cope against
the might of Jumbo-Visma.
[crowd cheering]
This year, UAE are really going for it.
[commentator] Adam Yates is impressive
as soon as he gets out of the saddle.
And look, there's a gap.
[Chainel] Recruiting Adam Yates
was a master-stroke.
He's already come 4th in the Tour,
and he would be a leader in any team.
[fan cheering]
For me, I just have to
survive for as long as possible,
and be there for Tadej when he needs me.
[commentator 1] And UAE Team Emirates
are working together to block Vingegaard.
Pogačar accelerates!
Testing himself
for the first time in this Tour de France.
[commentator 2] Vingegaard looking strong,
staying right on his wheel.
[commentator 1] Pogačar and Vingegaard
are dominating the Tour already.
Jonas, you have to focus on Pogačar.
We were expecting
a fight between UAE and Jumbo.
So every second counts.
[commentator 1]
Pidcock doesn't have the legs.
He's dropping like a stone
out of this group.
Come on, guys.
Keep fighting. Keep fighting.
[Pidcock] It's just one of them days.
I think I already knew that
I wasn't going to be good enough.
I was I was stuck on the road.
[commentator]
Attack from UAE Team Emirates.
I came over the top with speed and
I thought I'd use that momentum to attack
and see what the reaction behind was.
When Adam went clear,
I saw the opportunity for him,
and I said to him in the radio, "Go! Go!"
I had a little gap. I looked behind
and I see my brother chasing me, so, uh
[laughs]
My brother, he's not a bad bike rider.
Come on. Try to catch them.
[commentator]Yates and Yates.
A ten-second lead for
the twin duo, Adam Yates, Simon Yates.
Such a great story.
[dramatic music playing]
[commentator]The Yates brothers
are still in the breakaway
with two kilometres to go.
If one of the riders further back
wants to win, they'll have to attack now.
They mustn't let
these two riders get too big a lead.
It's still possible to catch them.
It's still possible. Come on.
[commentator] Adam Yates in front.
Simon Yates on his wheel.
Just another 500 metres
for one of them to break away.
Brothers in arms. The two twins.
Yates of UAE Team Emirates
accelerates away.
It's Adam Yates of UAE.
Yellow jersey, Adam Yates!
And Pogačar sprints to get third.
Third place goes to Tadej Pogačar!
UAE Team Emirates
are a force to be reckoned with.
[whistle blowing]
Oh, well done.
This is what the season's all about.
When you get
your arms in the air on the first stage.
Kind of, you know [laughs]
You know, we played our cards,
and it worked out.
[commentator] Adam Yates
is the first yellow jersey
of the 110th Tour de France.
[Chainel] Right from the first stage,
UAE team wanted to make a point,
to demonstrate unequivocally
to Jumbo-Visma
that they're a force
to be reckoned with this year.
[reporter] A word on your, uh, wrist.
Is it perfectly fine?
Yeah, now, it's a bit sore
after all the sprinting today. Uh
Yeah, but, uh Every day is better.
[Pogačar] Don't be sad!
Don't cry, Adam!
No, but after one vino
[commentator] And here comes
Richard Carapaz, reaching the finish line.
But at what price?
- [fan 1] Go!
- [fan 2] Richard!
- Richard, Richard!
- Richard!
[Gárate] Crashes can happen,
but when the crash happens to your leader
in the first stage
of the main goal of the year
Uh, it's hard. It's hard to deal with.
Richard! Richard! Richard!
[Gárate] The doctors,
they will decide what to do.
There was a lot of worry.
Would I carry on or was it over?
[medic] Can you move it, Richard?
Can you bend your knee?
[Carapaz] A little.
[coach] It's getting
It's getting stiffer all the time.
It's, like, "Come on, relax now.
Let's examine it, Richard."
Here.
I'm, like, trying to stay positive,
hoping it's okay.
- [doctor] Axial view of the patella.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
So you have a crack
in the top of the kneecap here.
So
[Carapaz] It was
a bitter pill for me to swallow.
I'm done. Tour's over for this year.
[doctor] Now bend as far as you can.
- [Carapaz] Ow.
- Because the muscle joins on there,
and then when you bend the leg,
the muscle pulls where the crack is.
So, on the flat it was okay,
but on the last climb, at the top
After everything I've done to get here
and just one shitty fall
It's all gone to shit.
[Vaughters] When Carapaz crashed,
he was positioned well.
He did nothing wrong.
It just hasn't rolled
our direction this year.
[fans cheer]
[Vaughters] And that is
the cruel part of the sport.
These athletes are risking everything,
putting their lives on the line.
And then they crash, and
From an investor's standpoint,
bad luck is not acceptable.
And that dissonance is brutal.
[crowd cheering]
[Chainel] The winner of the first stage
will wear the yellow jersey.
All the other riders in the Tour
have now lost their chance
at the best possible start.
[indistinct chatter]
- [interviewer] How was that for you today?
- I was shit.
I expected more.
It was nowhere nowhere near.
So, yeah. That's what It is what it is.
Fucking hell. Do you think Tom
had enough pancakes this morning?
Or what do you think, Diego?
He was hoping to fight
for the yellow jersey on Stage 1.
And it hasn't happened.
He's super talented,
but he's still learning.
He's still developing.
[knocking]
[Cummings] Mate, how was your day?
[Pidcock] Could have
been better, couldn't it?
It's not how I imagined it to go,
to be honest.
Yeah.
But it was
That's all I had.
Don't cry about it.
You can if you want.
[laughs]
Not with fucking Netflix here.
Last year was
it was different. I don't think there was
I didn't feel any pressure at any point.
But then this year,
it's like, all right, okay.
You know, there is
a pressure to to step up.
[Pidcock] I didn't have
that much confidence.
[Cumming] So, you didn't
have confidence for what?
I don't know, just in
in myself, you know?
- So
- Back yourself, mate. Forget
Well, you can back yourself,
but it doesn't just give you
confidence magically, does it?
- What you need to do
- Earn that shit.
When you go to bed tonight, you remember
all the good Pidcock performances.
- Yeah, but
- Put them in the forefront of your mind.
- You're only as good as your last race.
- That's bullshit.
That's bullshit, mate.
[tense rhythmic music playing]
Thank you so much.
- [child] Pidcock. Pidcock!
- [woman] A picture please.
- Thank you.
- [clicks]
Last year was, yeah,
a really special period for us as a team.
[masseur in Flemish] You think they'll
stick to the plan? Or will they change it?
[van Aert] I don't know
On one hand, I think they shouldn't change
too much about our approach.
[masseur] Mm-hmm.
[van Aert in English] Winning it again
is just the biggest thing
you can achieve in cycling.
This year,
I really don't care which stage I win,
but I want to win as much as possible.
Today then, guys,
our goals are so, so clear.
Aim from the start for the breakaway.
And then your next objective is
to keep Ben safe
for the finish in Jaizkibel.
I'm not afraid to say it, it's clear
that of all the French teams out there,
we've been at the forefront for years.
We have this huge ambition.
You all did a really good job, guys,
out there yesterday.
As a team, you need
to do the same again today.
This year with Ben, we want podium glory.
[Niermann] Some words about yesterday?
We started the stage to win
and to go for the yellow jersey.
Unfortunately, that didn't work out.
Huh? But, yeah.
Apparently, they also, uh, the other guys
also trained in the winter, huh? So, uh
Today the baseline is just, with Jonas
we have to be in front all the time.
We have to be in front of trouble.
Also want to go for the sprint with Wout.
[crowd chattering]
[van Aert]
It's a super exciting first week.
It's just super hard
straight from the start with tough climbs.
Van Aert can win any type of stage.
He's so versatile, so good as
a puncher, climber and sprinter.
[van Aert] This year, my approach in the
Tour de France will be slightly different,
for, uh, a few reasons.
With the pregnancy,
it was a pressure on me, like,
I wanted to leave my mark
as soon as possible.
Because I could leave the next day.
[Chennaoui] The terrain for Stage 2
is classic Wout van Aert territory.
He'll want to be the rider to launch
that attack and take the stage win.
[cheering]
San Sebastián. Here we come.
[commentator 1]Wout van Aert,
nine stage wins on the Tour
and perhaps a 10th today.
This is a very, very fast pace now.
I was a bit nervous because these
Basque roads, they're quite dangerous.
[commentator 2]
A lot of long, straight roads,
and then you come
into a bunch of hairpins.
It's really important
to keep the focus on the race.
[commentator 1] A short descent
through this section.
Oh, wait, there's a crash in the peloton.
And, Ben O'Connor, I think, has come down.
Has he? At the side of the road?
[commentator 2] That's O'Connor.
Fuck's sake.
Riding a bike can be real shit sometimes.
[siren wailing]
[commentator] Ben O'Connor
having to have a bike change.
[O'Connor] Three guys
crash in front of you.
That's bad luck.
[commentator] Ben O'Connor never
has a good start to the Tour, does he?
[tense synth music playing]
[Chainel] The first strategic point
of this Tour de France is Jaizkibel.
At the summit, there's an eight-second
bonus for whoever takes the lead.
[commentator] Now we see
the favourites take position at the front.
[music continues]
[commentator]
Pogačar is looking comfortable.
Vingegaard is out of the saddle
and on his wheel.
Jonas, you still try to go in
for the wheel of Pogačar.
[commentator] 300 metres to the summit.
Simon Yates in the lead.
Vingegaard and Pogačar join him.
And Vingegaard jostles for position.
[Pogačar] To attack,
you need to understand your opponent.
You need to know when he's suffering.
[dramatic music playing]
And Jonas Vingegaard launches his sprint.
Vingegaard and Pogačar battling for
the bonus seconds at the top of Jaizkibel.
And it goes to Pogačar.
[in Dutch] Aw. Shit!
Pogačar, five points
and eight bonus seconds.
[commentator] And Pogačar
isn't holding back in the descent.
[Vingegaard] I think for sure,
you could see at this point
that he was in the shape he wanted.
He He was very strong.
Jonas, you keep the wheel of Pogačar.
[commentator] Tadej Pogačar
asks Vingegaard to give him a turn,
but a little shake
of the head from Vingegaard.
In the last stretch
of a stage in the Tour,
you all need to cooperate
and sort of help each other out.
If you're on the wheel,
it's much more easier than to be in front.
[commentator] Last year's two top riders
battling it out to lead the Tour,
even though the second stage
isn't even over yet.
Fight for that wheel, eh?
That's your wheel.
[Chainel] Pogačar or Vingegaard could win,
but right now they need to work together.
And Vingegaard refuses to do that.
He won't collaborate.
[Pogačar] Jonas didn't pull over Jaizkibel
because he knew if we come together
to the finish line
that I will take four more
bonus seconds ahead of him.
[commentator]Suddenly, there's
a big group of riders about to catch them.
I don't want to to pull with him
because I have Wout behind me,
and he wants to go for the stage win.
[commentator] And Wout van Aert is here,
surrounded by his teammates.
For the sprint, you know it.
Wout, you go for victory.
Jonas, you always stick
to the wheel of Pogačar.
[helicopter blades whirring]
[van Aert] I was there, like,
after all this fighting was over,
I wanted to just focus on the sprint,
and I was convinced that I would
have the chance to sprint for victory.
Stage 2 of the Tour.
No one knows exactly where they are.
It's going to be a bit cagey.
[commentator] Is someone
prepared to risk it?
I decided I was going to have a go.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] And here we go.
The attack happens.
It only needs a split second
and you have a gap.
Then, that's it. You're away.
[commentator] The rising star
of the Tour de France, Pidcock,
has now thrown everything and gone for it.
Tom Pidcock is always a threat.
I knew I needed to be
straight on his wheel.
But Pidcock is prepared
to ignite the touchpaper
and try and win the stage.
[music intensifies]
I don't think
I picked the moment quite right.
You know, I race with Wout a lot.
I'm someone who doesn't
really slip under his radar.
[van Aert] When I neutralised him,
I thought the biggest danger was Pogačar.
For me, that was, uh,
what what I was focusing on.
Wout will win today.
Really good. Almost there, huh?
[commentator 1] What a finish!
It's tactical and there's tension
[commentator 2] The right side
of the road, the rider from Cofidis!
[van Aert] Ah, shit. What just happened?
By the time he passed me,
he's already double the speed, let's say.
[commentator 1] And Lafay of Cofidis
pulls it out of the bag in
the last kilometre under the flamme rouge.
He took a nice advantage straight away.
Victor Lafay, 40-metres lead
on the peloton
led by the Jumbo-Visma riders!
Shit.
[commentator 1] He played that well!
He's going for it!
Less than 300 metres to go
while Wout van Aert is going for it now.
[commentator 2]
sprint if he wants to win.
Then I was just hoping that he would fade.
In the lead, Victor Lafay
with less than 200 metres to go.
And we could just take him.
[commentator 1] Victor Lafay!
All the way to the end! Victor Lafay!
Victor Lafay in the lead!
A victory for France in San Sebastián!
- [groaning]
- Fuck off!
- [commentator 1] What a finish!
- [commentator 3] Amazing! Woah!
[commentator 1] Cofidis have been waiting
for this win since 2008.
[commentator 3] Look at
the emotion on his face.
Fuck!
Fuck! Lafay wins.
Lafay wins with a late attack.
Fucking hell!
[music turns victorious]
[reporter] What you just did is massive,
to win a stage of the Tour de France
like that, do you realise that?
I'm not really taking it in.
When I made my attack, I wasn't
even thinking about winning. You know?
I was just pushing myself
up to the maximum. It's crazy. [laughs]
[Chainel] What happened
with Cofidis was incredible,
and for Lafay, in that last kilometre,
I think everyone
was worried they'd catch him up.
Fifteen years of frustration
gone in ten seconds.
[overlapping fan support]
[crowd applauding]
[van Aert in Flemish] Shit!
How the hell is this possible?
[in English]
I could see, Wout was pretty angry.
I mean, I would be also.
We were happy.
We had the yellow jersey, white jersey,
but we still, uh, knew it was coming.
Jumbo will never give up.
[Chainel] Now,
psychological warfare is raging.
Whoever is ahead,
whoever wins the most stages,
he's the one.
He's in your head.
He's there every night, driving you crazy.
[music becomes reflective]
[muttering]
[indistinct chatter on TV]
Ah, no.
I should have followed Lafay.
Close.
- I'm sorry.
- No.
- I understand. Yeah.
- I'm just angry because I missed it.
I'm not angry with how we rided.
But fuck! Two days in a row.
I have the feeling that I could have
done something to help him.
And yeah,
that's something that I would have
If I would do it again, I would
I would change it.
Yeah. It will come.
- It will come, eh?
- [laughs]
It's a tricky situation for us.
UAE is in the jersey,
and and we have to cope with it.
[crowd cheering]
Not everything plays out
like you planned it.
Yeah, that's something
you just have to deal with.
[O'Connor] Fuck!
[man] It's nothing.
- [O'Connor] No, it's fucking everything.
- I know
- [O'Connor] I'm fucked.
- Yeah.
You go from being
one of the best in the peloton,
to being one of the fucking worst.
Fucking joke.
Ben, uh, he lost time out there,
and that's not good.
It's frustrating.
[O'Connor] I'm not taking any media.
- [man] This is important.
- I'm not doing anything.
- Ben, you need to do
- No, I don't care. I don't care.
I have nothing, man.
I don't know what's wrong.
And Well, you can't help but think that
that something bad is happening here.
There's 25 guys in front.
I don't know what's wrong.
[dramatic percussive music playing]
This Tour de France, we have a new plan.
Fuck them or get fucked.
[commentator] Big crash!
Nice! [laughs]
[O'Connor] I just want to show
that I can race at the front again.
[Hindley] Any Aussie, you wanna beat them.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
[Cummings] Tom might
have to sacrifice himself.
I'm here to win. Not here to come second.
[Pidcock] Can you turn the cameras off?
Where's Daddy?
[Cavendish] It's my last Tour de France.
I have to try and win.
[commentator]
Mark Cavendish, going it alone.
Pogačar is suffering, Jonas.
Pogačar is suffering.
[commentator] Attack of Jonas Vingegaard.
[chuckling]
Fuck, what was that?
[fans] Jonas! Jonas!
[Vingegaard] I'm clean.
How is that possible?
[cheering]
This is my last Tour de France.
I don't want to let people down.
- [rider] Oh!
- [screams]
Fuck!
When your legs feel the pain,
think of those assholes.
If it touches a nerve, then maybe
that's something to think about.
Don't attack my riders.
I get nasty if you attack my riders.
[dramatic music playing]
[crew laughing]
[deep dramatic tone playing]
It's gotta be
the toughest challenge in the world.
[Alaphilippe] It can
take you to the top, the summit
[all] Yeah!
Or it can crush you.
[commentator] Whoa, a crash!
A crash in the peloton.
Even speaking about it,
I can get goosebumps.
[commentator] Attack of Pogačar.
Everybody should
kill somebody to win a stage.
Fuck them or get fucked.
- [rider yelling]
- No!
Accidents happen.
You better get used to it.
[crowd cheering]
I haven't actually crashed that much.
Why would you say that out loud
a week before the Tour?
[rider] Oh!
If they can kill you,
they're gonna kill you.
[chuckling] We're not here
to make friends with other teams.
Ah, fuck!
[in Flemish] How's that possible?
[in English] It's really gonna hurt.
It's gonna burn!
Fuck's sake. My balls hurt. [groans]
The face of pain.
[Cavendish] Risk's a part of it.
- Oh, oh, oh!
- Go, go, go.
I love the risk,
but it's not necessarily in your control.
We will show our respect
with a minute's silence.
[Hindley] It's cutthroat, savage.
[screams]
You sacrifice your life, your family.
Julian Alaphilippe costs a lot of money.
[interviewer]
So, how much do you get paid?
A bit too much for Patrick. [chuckles]
- [loud cheering]
- This is legendary, come on.
[Chainel] On this Tour, we seem
to go from one scandal to the next.
[fan] Jonas! Jonas!
[interviewer]
So do you think that he's doping?
Fuck!
I feel betrayed now.
I'm not taking any media.
He's questioning my riders' honour.
[crowd booing]
- It's pathetic.
- Turn the cameras off.
[Pidcock] Can you turn the cameras off?
[Pogačar] I plan to go all in.
No mercy.
[commentator] Pogačar attacks,
Vingegaard surprised!
The challenge is to survive.
[bikes clattering]
[O'Connor] Fuck this.
Sponsors won't pay
for a rider who gives up like that.
[Pogačar] I'm gone. I'm dead.
[Madiot] We all want
to find out who we are
and, generally, you find out
if you compete here.
[crowd cheering]
[all screaming]
- You gonna keep that?
- [crew chuckle]
[dramatic theme music playing]
[light electronic music playing]
One, two, three. Go, Nino!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
And under!
[woman] Go, Nino. Go.
[Alaphilippe] The Tour is unique.
No other race can make you
feel this passion, this emotion.
- Go, Nino, go, go, go, go!
- Look at him.
[Alaphilippe] There he goes!
[woman] Well done.
[Alaphilippe] The fact that I'm French
inevitably adds another dynamic.
An extra pressure, y'know?
Stress and adrenaline.
- Not yet.
- To make crêpes with Daddy, you need eggs.
- You want to shine out there, be a hero.
- [in French] Eggs!
- [in English] No! I'll take that away.
- Easy. You don't wanna crack them.
[laughing] Er Yes.
Things haven't been
going my way now for a few seasons.
And I really want
to have a good Tour this year,
to be a key player.
[Rousse] You're under
enough pressure right now, making crepes.
[Alaphilippe] Thanks for that.
No pressure whatsoever.
The hardest part
isn't making your dreams come true,
it's keeping them alive afterwards.
What dream keeps me going?
It's just winning.
[birds chirping]
[interviewer] How long
have you fished here?
For over ten years now.
It was the first thing
I bought when I turned pro.
The Tour de France is a competition, sure.
It's the toughest challenge in the world.
I think people
will be shocked seeing this.
Why's that?
All these croissants.
[both laugh]
After 14 years of pro-cycling,
this is my last season
and I really want a great final year.
But cycling has changed.
Things aren't the same.
There are two big favourites this year,
Vingegaard and Pogačar.
They're in a league of their own.
[ethereal music playing]
- That's from Macron. A gift.
- [woman 2] Is it?
[Urška] When you
win the Tour, you get this one.
It's okay if you break it.
We have another one.
He won two Tour de Frances.
[laughing]
Pogačar won the Tour two years in a row
and we all thought he was unbeatable.
But then last year, things changed.
[Pogačar] 2022, I gave
everything that I could.
But, uh, in the end, Jonas was better.
[Urška] It wasn't the easiest
because it's like this realisation,
"I'm not the best anymore."
Vamos.
Oh!
[groans] One more time, I hit my butt.
But then it brought back the hunger
that he really wants to prove
that he's the best again.
- Now, Jonas is the number one guy.
- Yeah.
And you're the one who has to attack him.
It's obvious who is the main rival.
It's Jonas.
[dramatic music playing]
I'll do everything
to win it for the second time.
I think I'm better than last year, no?
I've just improved more and more.
I'm still focused,
still want to be the best.
[coach] Today, six hours training.
No one is sure
of his Tour de France selection.
Last one is out.
[all laughing]
To win the Tour de France twice
would be amazing.
But I think that
it will be a really, really hard fight.
This year, we have
a super, super strong team.
And I feel better
coming into the first part of the season
than any other year.
[commentator] A massive acceleration
by Tadej Pogačar.
Pogačar's been on fire this season.
He's an animal. He's won everything.
[commentator] Pogačar wins at the top
of the first mountain of Paris-Nice.
[Gianetti] Tadej knows how strong he is.
And when he's on fire,
no one out there is better.
[commentator] He's an absolute killer
when it comes to a finish.
And then, uh
Yeah, I crashed in Liège.
[commentator]Tadej Pogačar
crashed after 84 kilometres.
It was a really nasty crash.
[commentator] It's over for him.
He had to abandon the race.
I'm lucky that I only fractured my wrist.
Still not 100%.
Scaphoid is still fractured.
But I will never give up.
[tense music playing]
[Pogačar] Now I start with
a little bit different training.
I try to bounce back.
You need to push yourself.
Because Tour de France is Tour de France.
Everybody comes here in top shape.
[music continues]
I've been training all year
for the Tour de France.
And, of course, every team
that competes here wants a stage win.
It's still the biggest
bike race in the world.
It is beautiful
and the pinnacle of any season.
Pogačar and Vingegaard
have both won the Tour
and they really are
the best climbers in the world.
But we all know that anything can happen
and anyone of us could fail on the road.
We all suffer for one goal.
[panting]
[Pogačar] Victory.
[O'Connor] This year,
I feel like I'm now at that level
where I can finish on the podium.
The dream? To be wearing
the yellow jersey from day one.
But, cycling is a sport where
just so many things can go wrong.
[Barrett] Hey, can I have a word?
Did you see the news about Gino Mäder?
- Did you?
- Huh?
Did you see the news about Gino?
Gino Mäder in the Tour de Suisse?
No, I didn't see it.
[Barrett] Yeah, he and Ben
were good buddies.
I'm a little worried
that he'll check his phone
- and see all these messages and, er
- Yeah.
So I think I'm gonna
stop here and break it to him.
- All right?
- [O'Connor] Yeah.
I have some news.
- Huh?
- Some news.
- What?
- Gino.
He Did he?
Yeah.
[clears throat]
All right?
[clears throat]
[O'Connor] Oh no.
Oh no.
Fuck.
- Fuck, he was such a good guy.
- Yeah.
- So
- Well, that's shit.
Fuck.
[reporter] A cycling race
turns to tragedy.
The Swiss rider, Gino Mäder,
died this morning.
[reporter 2] He was 26 years old.
He crashed yesterday during
the 5th stage of the Tour de Suisse.
He was found unconscious
in a ravine at the side of the road.
[reporter 3] Gino was flown
by helicopter to hospital,
and, tragically, was unable
to recover from his injuries.
He was 26 years old.
[melancholy music playing]
[thunder rumbling]
[wind blowing]
[man] Hello, everyone.
And welcome to this year's Tour de France.
We've decided that for the next
three weeks, jersey number 61
will be assigned to Gino Mäder,
whose wish was to race here.
For him, his family, his friends,
we will all show our respect
with a minute's silence.
[O'Connor] It was pretty shocking.
[music continues]
I think it kind of, uh, awakened
a little bit of fragility in in everyone.
[Chainel] It's hard to accept that
that a guy lost his life
not only doing his job,
but doing what he loved.
It just goes to show
that it could happen to any of them.
[Chennaoui] The loss of Gino Mäder
has been felt through the entire peloton.
The fact that it was so recent
has really highlighted once again
the dangers of this sport,
and just what's at risk,
what the consequences can be.
[Alaphilippe] It's the kind of moment
when you realise that you are
you are nothing on this Earth.
We're nothing.
Especially in the saddle.
[Jurdie] It's clear that
the Tour de Suisse
and the tragic loss of Gino,
it has traumatised the whole peloton.
But life has to continue and, in our
profession, the risks continue too, sadly.
[crowd cheering]
[fans] Pello, Pello!
[cheering]
The location of the start
of the Tour this year is a big risk.
It's the Basque Country.
[Chennaoui] The first stages
of the Tour de France
are always quite dangerous.
Everybody's nervous.
Everybody's desperate to get a stage.
What we have in the Basque Country,
though, compounds all of that.
The Basque Country is known for
its tight, narrow, grippy little roads.
Sharp ascents.
Fast descents.
It's going to be incredibly dangerous.
[rider] Whoa!
Naturally, all the riders
in the Tour de France
start training six months before
and it could take just
one bend in the road
to dash all their hopes.
[indistinct chatter]
[Niermann] Important for today,
we are always in front.
I think that's a very important thing.
Especially the first days.
Goal one, always,
the whole tour, keep Jonas safe.
Because of all the twisting and turning,
and the up and down,
there will be a big fight.
We have to make sure
we're keeping Jonas out of trouble.
But that's easier said than done.
[indistinct PA announcement]
[child] Please, please, please.
We need to follow just Vingegaard
and check Vingegaard,
but in the end,
it's better to stay in front.
[inaudible]
My name is Mauro Gianetti
and I'm the CEO and team principal
of UAE Team Emirates.
[interviewer] What are your fears
about this year's Tour de France?
Crashes.
Because crashes
are awful.
[tense rhythmic music playing]
[moderator] First question
for Tadej Pogačar.
[reporter] Tadej, since
your wrist is not 100% recovered,
does it mean that you are not 100%
ready to win the Tour de France?
This we will see in the race itself.
I hope I'm ready.
[interviewer] Do you think that this crash
could affect his performance
during the Tour?
I think not.
And I'm actually happy it
will not affect anything.
[interviewer] Why?
Because I'd rather
try to win the Tour again when he's 100%.
It's difficult to imagine this rivalry
between the two big favourites
being more finely poised.
Anyone else winning the Tour de France
would be a big, big surprise.
[Vaughters] We've won pretty much
every major race in the world
except the Tour de France.
Welcome everybody to Bilbao.
This year, I want to produce the biggest
dark horse win of the Tour de France
in the last two decades.
So, how do we have
a successful Tour de France?
What's the What's the broad plan?
2023 is going to be a big year for us.
We have the only rider in the world
that could actually challenge
the two favourites for the Tour de France.
[commentator] And now
all of Ecuador can celebrate
because the 102nd Giro d'Italia
goes to Richard Carapaz!
[Vaughters] Richard won a Grand Tour.
He's the defending Olympic gold medallist.
He was the singular most important rider
that made a team transfer last year.
Ever since I was 16 years old,
I wanted to cycle professionally,
but in my country
there is no real cycling tradition
and I left home when I was very young.
In the end, though,
it became clear to me what my goal was
[fans cheering]
To win the Tour de France.
Richard has a grittiness and persistence
that those who were
spoon-fed a bit more don't have.
That's the only way anyone will be able
to upset the Vingegaard-Pogačar dynamic.
For better or for worse,
if we forget about the GC for a minute
and we just say, "Who's our
best chance of winning stage one?"
It's probably Richard.
Yeah. I think so.
[Wegelius] We're going to ride
the race true to our real identity,
which is going after wins when we can,
and keeping, uh, Richard's GC going.
[Vaughters] And we're gonna
try to win Stage 1 with Richard.
[Wegelius] Yeah.
Richard is the most expensive rider
that we've ever had on this team
by by a fair margin.
His success or failure,
it does put
the entire team in the balance.
It's a big play, and it's a big risk.
[dramatic tone playing]
[fans] Thibaut! Thibaut! Thibaut!
[loud ticking]
The Tour is faster, harder,
bigger than every other race.
[air hissing]
Let's have it.
Stage one, as we mean to go on.
I'm Tom Pidcock.
I'm a rider for INEOS Grenadiers.
Winning on Alpes d'Huez last year,
I showed what I can do.
This year,
I want to come away with something.
And And I know I can win it.
[reporter on computer] Hi, Tom.
We all know you for your spectacular,
maybe sometimes risky downhilling.
Having the accident
at the Tour de Suisse in mind,
would you say it
might affect your riding style?
Um
Well, yeah, I think so.
I think that was,
especially for everyone at the race,
it was pretty hard-hitting,
and I didn't see a single rider
take any risks after that incident.
I was one of the last people to be
riding with Gino before he crashed.
You know, I love descending.
I love the risk.
The calculated risk.
But it really put light on
what can go wrong.
[crowd cheering]
[fan] Go, Mathieu!
[helicopter blades whirring]
[commentator] The first stage
of the Tour de France
is a 182-kilometre loop around Bilbao.
We're counting down to the start
of the race and the 110th Tour de France.
The challenge is to survive.
You cannot win the Tour
on the first stage.
But definitely you can lose it.
[announcer in Basque]
Six, five, four, three, two, one Go!
[in English] And like we say in France
[in French] And they're off!
[Chennaoui in English]
This is the first stage.
There'll be a lot of
tension in the peloton.
There are some pretty winding descents,
so they will have to be really careful.
The Tour de France is
the most dangerous race all year long.
But if you think it's not worth that risk
it almost makes it more dangerous.
Now, you're the one really pulling hard
on your brakes when nobody else is.
You can't think about it.
That's what we love about Richard.
He takes unmitigated risks.
[commentator 1] 4.2 kilometres still to go
in the penultimate climb of the day.
Quite a crowd. Fuck's sake.
There are masses there. Wow!
[horns blowing]
Oh, fuck's sake.
[cheering]
Whoa, whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa.
[commentator 1] We make our way downhill
towards the base of the final climb.
[man on radio]
It's a very fast descent. Be careful.
The downhill is four kilometres down.
A small narrow road.
BACK OF THE RACE
[Vaughters] We will plan and we will race.
But ultimately, I sit on the team bus,
watch it on television, and and hope.
[commentator 1] Carapaz moves up on the
left in his Ecuadorian champion colours.
[Carapaz] I'm a rider
that likes to keep active.
I like attacking. That's kind of my style.
[commentator 1] Still in the technical
part of the descent of the Côte de Vivero.
[commentator 2] This descent is very fast.
Come on.
[commentator 1] Crash of riders.
Crash on the right! Crash on the right!
Carapaz and Enric Mas!
[commentator]
Richard Carapaz hits the deck.
- Oh! Fuck!
- [man] Oh no! Fuck!
[man on radio] Get a bike!
He's there, he's there.
He's there. Bike, bike.
[on radio] Bike.
[Vaughters] Shit.
[commentator 1] He didn't seem hurt,
but now he's had to sit down now.
That's not a very good sign.
Carapaz in all sorts of difficulty.
- Ah, shit.
- [man] Ah, yeah.
[Vaughters] Yeah, something's wrong-wrong.
He hit his knee pretty damn hard.
Juanma, we have to go!
What the fuck!
[Carapaz] The first thing I did
was look myself over,
but in these moments
you're in a state of shock.
And it's like I start
to try and move and ugh.
Then I try and stand up,
but can't manage it properly
'cause it hurt so much.
It was horrible.
I said, "Shit. Ah."
[commentator]
And he's going to give it a go.
Over four kilometres to the last climb
of the first stage of the Tour de France.
Carapaz is pedalling.
He's going to try to finish the stage.
It hurt so much and
and I couldn't stand the pain.
Well, he's riding.
Not fast.
The important thing
is to get back to be checked over and
I didn't want
to let people down. Or myself.
[commentator] This is
a cruel moment for this rider
who dreamt of finishing on the podium.
He is the rider
that makes or breaks our team.
Richard is on the bike, but he's far away.
[Vaughters] Is there pressure there on me?
I mean, absolutely. I've risked
everything on Richard Carapaz.
[intense music playing]
[commentator]The UAE team is in front
to get Pogačar and Yates
into a good position.
Last year, Tadej Pogačar and UAE
couldn't cope against
the might of Jumbo-Visma.
[crowd cheering]
This year, UAE are really going for it.
[commentator] Adam Yates is impressive
as soon as he gets out of the saddle.
And look, there's a gap.
[Chainel] Recruiting Adam Yates
was a master-stroke.
He's already come 4th in the Tour,
and he would be a leader in any team.
[fan cheering]
For me, I just have to
survive for as long as possible,
and be there for Tadej when he needs me.
[commentator 1] And UAE Team Emirates
are working together to block Vingegaard.
Pogačar accelerates!
Testing himself
for the first time in this Tour de France.
[commentator 2] Vingegaard looking strong,
staying right on his wheel.
[commentator 1] Pogačar and Vingegaard
are dominating the Tour already.
Jonas, you have to focus on Pogačar.
We were expecting
a fight between UAE and Jumbo.
So every second counts.
[commentator 1]
Pidcock doesn't have the legs.
He's dropping like a stone
out of this group.
Come on, guys.
Keep fighting. Keep fighting.
[Pidcock] It's just one of them days.
I think I already knew that
I wasn't going to be good enough.
I was I was stuck on the road.
[commentator]
Attack from UAE Team Emirates.
I came over the top with speed and
I thought I'd use that momentum to attack
and see what the reaction behind was.
When Adam went clear,
I saw the opportunity for him,
and I said to him in the radio, "Go! Go!"
I had a little gap. I looked behind
and I see my brother chasing me, so, uh
[laughs]
My brother, he's not a bad bike rider.
Come on. Try to catch them.
[commentator]Yates and Yates.
A ten-second lead for
the twin duo, Adam Yates, Simon Yates.
Such a great story.
[dramatic music playing]
[commentator]The Yates brothers
are still in the breakaway
with two kilometres to go.
If one of the riders further back
wants to win, they'll have to attack now.
They mustn't let
these two riders get too big a lead.
It's still possible to catch them.
It's still possible. Come on.
[commentator] Adam Yates in front.
Simon Yates on his wheel.
Just another 500 metres
for one of them to break away.
Brothers in arms. The two twins.
Yates of UAE Team Emirates
accelerates away.
It's Adam Yates of UAE.
Yellow jersey, Adam Yates!
And Pogačar sprints to get third.
Third place goes to Tadej Pogačar!
UAE Team Emirates
are a force to be reckoned with.
[whistle blowing]
Oh, well done.
This is what the season's all about.
When you get
your arms in the air on the first stage.
Kind of, you know [laughs]
You know, we played our cards,
and it worked out.
[commentator] Adam Yates
is the first yellow jersey
of the 110th Tour de France.
[Chainel] Right from the first stage,
UAE team wanted to make a point,
to demonstrate unequivocally
to Jumbo-Visma
that they're a force
to be reckoned with this year.
[reporter] A word on your, uh, wrist.
Is it perfectly fine?
Yeah, now, it's a bit sore
after all the sprinting today. Uh
Yeah, but, uh Every day is better.
[Pogačar] Don't be sad!
Don't cry, Adam!
No, but after one vino
[commentator] And here comes
Richard Carapaz, reaching the finish line.
But at what price?
- [fan 1] Go!
- [fan 2] Richard!
- Richard, Richard!
- Richard!
[Gárate] Crashes can happen,
but when the crash happens to your leader
in the first stage
of the main goal of the year
Uh, it's hard. It's hard to deal with.
Richard! Richard! Richard!
[Gárate] The doctors,
they will decide what to do.
There was a lot of worry.
Would I carry on or was it over?
[medic] Can you move it, Richard?
Can you bend your knee?
[Carapaz] A little.
[coach] It's getting
It's getting stiffer all the time.
It's, like, "Come on, relax now.
Let's examine it, Richard."
Here.
I'm, like, trying to stay positive,
hoping it's okay.
- [doctor] Axial view of the patella.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
So you have a crack
in the top of the kneecap here.
So
[Carapaz] It was
a bitter pill for me to swallow.
I'm done. Tour's over for this year.
[doctor] Now bend as far as you can.
- [Carapaz] Ow.
- Because the muscle joins on there,
and then when you bend the leg,
the muscle pulls where the crack is.
So, on the flat it was okay,
but on the last climb, at the top
After everything I've done to get here
and just one shitty fall
It's all gone to shit.
[Vaughters] When Carapaz crashed,
he was positioned well.
He did nothing wrong.
It just hasn't rolled
our direction this year.
[fans cheer]
[Vaughters] And that is
the cruel part of the sport.
These athletes are risking everything,
putting their lives on the line.
And then they crash, and
From an investor's standpoint,
bad luck is not acceptable.
And that dissonance is brutal.
[crowd cheering]
[Chainel] The winner of the first stage
will wear the yellow jersey.
All the other riders in the Tour
have now lost their chance
at the best possible start.
[indistinct chatter]
- [interviewer] How was that for you today?
- I was shit.
I expected more.
It was nowhere nowhere near.
So, yeah. That's what It is what it is.
Fucking hell. Do you think Tom
had enough pancakes this morning?
Or what do you think, Diego?
He was hoping to fight
for the yellow jersey on Stage 1.
And it hasn't happened.
He's super talented,
but he's still learning.
He's still developing.
[knocking]
[Cummings] Mate, how was your day?
[Pidcock] Could have
been better, couldn't it?
It's not how I imagined it to go,
to be honest.
Yeah.
But it was
That's all I had.
Don't cry about it.
You can if you want.
[laughs]
Not with fucking Netflix here.
Last year was
it was different. I don't think there was
I didn't feel any pressure at any point.
But then this year,
it's like, all right, okay.
You know, there is
a pressure to to step up.
[Pidcock] I didn't have
that much confidence.
[Cumming] So, you didn't
have confidence for what?
I don't know, just in
in myself, you know?
- So
- Back yourself, mate. Forget
Well, you can back yourself,
but it doesn't just give you
confidence magically, does it?
- What you need to do
- Earn that shit.
When you go to bed tonight, you remember
all the good Pidcock performances.
- Yeah, but
- Put them in the forefront of your mind.
- You're only as good as your last race.
- That's bullshit.
That's bullshit, mate.
[tense rhythmic music playing]
Thank you so much.
- [child] Pidcock. Pidcock!
- [woman] A picture please.
- Thank you.
- [clicks]
Last year was, yeah,
a really special period for us as a team.
[masseur in Flemish] You think they'll
stick to the plan? Or will they change it?
[van Aert] I don't know
On one hand, I think they shouldn't change
too much about our approach.
[masseur] Mm-hmm.
[van Aert in English] Winning it again
is just the biggest thing
you can achieve in cycling.
This year,
I really don't care which stage I win,
but I want to win as much as possible.
Today then, guys,
our goals are so, so clear.
Aim from the start for the breakaway.
And then your next objective is
to keep Ben safe
for the finish in Jaizkibel.
I'm not afraid to say it, it's clear
that of all the French teams out there,
we've been at the forefront for years.
We have this huge ambition.
You all did a really good job, guys,
out there yesterday.
As a team, you need
to do the same again today.
This year with Ben, we want podium glory.
[Niermann] Some words about yesterday?
We started the stage to win
and to go for the yellow jersey.
Unfortunately, that didn't work out.
Huh? But, yeah.
Apparently, they also, uh, the other guys
also trained in the winter, huh? So, uh
Today the baseline is just, with Jonas
we have to be in front all the time.
We have to be in front of trouble.
Also want to go for the sprint with Wout.
[crowd chattering]
[van Aert]
It's a super exciting first week.
It's just super hard
straight from the start with tough climbs.
Van Aert can win any type of stage.
He's so versatile, so good as
a puncher, climber and sprinter.
[van Aert] This year, my approach in the
Tour de France will be slightly different,
for, uh, a few reasons.
With the pregnancy,
it was a pressure on me, like,
I wanted to leave my mark
as soon as possible.
Because I could leave the next day.
[Chennaoui] The terrain for Stage 2
is classic Wout van Aert territory.
He'll want to be the rider to launch
that attack and take the stage win.
[cheering]
San Sebastián. Here we come.
[commentator 1]Wout van Aert,
nine stage wins on the Tour
and perhaps a 10th today.
This is a very, very fast pace now.
I was a bit nervous because these
Basque roads, they're quite dangerous.
[commentator 2]
A lot of long, straight roads,
and then you come
into a bunch of hairpins.
It's really important
to keep the focus on the race.
[commentator 1] A short descent
through this section.
Oh, wait, there's a crash in the peloton.
And, Ben O'Connor, I think, has come down.
Has he? At the side of the road?
[commentator 2] That's O'Connor.
Fuck's sake.
Riding a bike can be real shit sometimes.
[siren wailing]
[commentator] Ben O'Connor
having to have a bike change.
[O'Connor] Three guys
crash in front of you.
That's bad luck.
[commentator] Ben O'Connor never
has a good start to the Tour, does he?
[tense synth music playing]
[Chainel] The first strategic point
of this Tour de France is Jaizkibel.
At the summit, there's an eight-second
bonus for whoever takes the lead.
[commentator] Now we see
the favourites take position at the front.
[music continues]
[commentator]
Pogačar is looking comfortable.
Vingegaard is out of the saddle
and on his wheel.
Jonas, you still try to go in
for the wheel of Pogačar.
[commentator] 300 metres to the summit.
Simon Yates in the lead.
Vingegaard and Pogačar join him.
And Vingegaard jostles for position.
[Pogačar] To attack,
you need to understand your opponent.
You need to know when he's suffering.
[dramatic music playing]
And Jonas Vingegaard launches his sprint.
Vingegaard and Pogačar battling for
the bonus seconds at the top of Jaizkibel.
And it goes to Pogačar.
[in Dutch] Aw. Shit!
Pogačar, five points
and eight bonus seconds.
[commentator] And Pogačar
isn't holding back in the descent.
[Vingegaard] I think for sure,
you could see at this point
that he was in the shape he wanted.
He He was very strong.
Jonas, you keep the wheel of Pogačar.
[commentator] Tadej Pogačar
asks Vingegaard to give him a turn,
but a little shake
of the head from Vingegaard.
In the last stretch
of a stage in the Tour,
you all need to cooperate
and sort of help each other out.
If you're on the wheel,
it's much more easier than to be in front.
[commentator] Last year's two top riders
battling it out to lead the Tour,
even though the second stage
isn't even over yet.
Fight for that wheel, eh?
That's your wheel.
[Chainel] Pogačar or Vingegaard could win,
but right now they need to work together.
And Vingegaard refuses to do that.
He won't collaborate.
[Pogačar] Jonas didn't pull over Jaizkibel
because he knew if we come together
to the finish line
that I will take four more
bonus seconds ahead of him.
[commentator]Suddenly, there's
a big group of riders about to catch them.
I don't want to to pull with him
because I have Wout behind me,
and he wants to go for the stage win.
[commentator] And Wout van Aert is here,
surrounded by his teammates.
For the sprint, you know it.
Wout, you go for victory.
Jonas, you always stick
to the wheel of Pogačar.
[helicopter blades whirring]
[van Aert] I was there, like,
after all this fighting was over,
I wanted to just focus on the sprint,
and I was convinced that I would
have the chance to sprint for victory.
Stage 2 of the Tour.
No one knows exactly where they are.
It's going to be a bit cagey.
[commentator] Is someone
prepared to risk it?
I decided I was going to have a go.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] And here we go.
The attack happens.
It only needs a split second
and you have a gap.
Then, that's it. You're away.
[commentator] The rising star
of the Tour de France, Pidcock,
has now thrown everything and gone for it.
Tom Pidcock is always a threat.
I knew I needed to be
straight on his wheel.
But Pidcock is prepared
to ignite the touchpaper
and try and win the stage.
[music intensifies]
I don't think
I picked the moment quite right.
You know, I race with Wout a lot.
I'm someone who doesn't
really slip under his radar.
[van Aert] When I neutralised him,
I thought the biggest danger was Pogačar.
For me, that was, uh,
what what I was focusing on.
Wout will win today.
Really good. Almost there, huh?
[commentator 1] What a finish!
It's tactical and there's tension
[commentator 2] The right side
of the road, the rider from Cofidis!
[van Aert] Ah, shit. What just happened?
By the time he passed me,
he's already double the speed, let's say.
[commentator 1] And Lafay of Cofidis
pulls it out of the bag in
the last kilometre under the flamme rouge.
He took a nice advantage straight away.
Victor Lafay, 40-metres lead
on the peloton
led by the Jumbo-Visma riders!
Shit.
[commentator 1] He played that well!
He's going for it!
Less than 300 metres to go
while Wout van Aert is going for it now.
[commentator 2]
sprint if he wants to win.
Then I was just hoping that he would fade.
In the lead, Victor Lafay
with less than 200 metres to go.
And we could just take him.
[commentator 1] Victor Lafay!
All the way to the end! Victor Lafay!
Victor Lafay in the lead!
A victory for France in San Sebastián!
- [groaning]
- Fuck off!
- [commentator 1] What a finish!
- [commentator 3] Amazing! Woah!
[commentator 1] Cofidis have been waiting
for this win since 2008.
[commentator 3] Look at
the emotion on his face.
Fuck!
Fuck! Lafay wins.
Lafay wins with a late attack.
Fucking hell!
[music turns victorious]
[reporter] What you just did is massive,
to win a stage of the Tour de France
like that, do you realise that?
I'm not really taking it in.
When I made my attack, I wasn't
even thinking about winning. You know?
I was just pushing myself
up to the maximum. It's crazy. [laughs]
[Chainel] What happened
with Cofidis was incredible,
and for Lafay, in that last kilometre,
I think everyone
was worried they'd catch him up.
Fifteen years of frustration
gone in ten seconds.
[overlapping fan support]
[crowd applauding]
[van Aert in Flemish] Shit!
How the hell is this possible?
[in English]
I could see, Wout was pretty angry.
I mean, I would be also.
We were happy.
We had the yellow jersey, white jersey,
but we still, uh, knew it was coming.
Jumbo will never give up.
[Chainel] Now,
psychological warfare is raging.
Whoever is ahead,
whoever wins the most stages,
he's the one.
He's in your head.
He's there every night, driving you crazy.
[music becomes reflective]
[muttering]
[indistinct chatter on TV]
Ah, no.
I should have followed Lafay.
Close.
- I'm sorry.
- No.
- I understand. Yeah.
- I'm just angry because I missed it.
I'm not angry with how we rided.
But fuck! Two days in a row.
I have the feeling that I could have
done something to help him.
And yeah,
that's something that I would have
If I would do it again, I would
I would change it.
Yeah. It will come.
- It will come, eh?
- [laughs]
It's a tricky situation for us.
UAE is in the jersey,
and and we have to cope with it.
[crowd cheering]
Not everything plays out
like you planned it.
Yeah, that's something
you just have to deal with.
[O'Connor] Fuck!
[man] It's nothing.
- [O'Connor] No, it's fucking everything.
- I know
- [O'Connor] I'm fucked.
- Yeah.
You go from being
one of the best in the peloton,
to being one of the fucking worst.
Fucking joke.
Ben, uh, he lost time out there,
and that's not good.
It's frustrating.
[O'Connor] I'm not taking any media.
- [man] This is important.
- I'm not doing anything.
- Ben, you need to do
- No, I don't care. I don't care.
I have nothing, man.
I don't know what's wrong.
And Well, you can't help but think that
that something bad is happening here.
There's 25 guys in front.
I don't know what's wrong.
[dramatic percussive music playing]
This Tour de France, we have a new plan.
Fuck them or get fucked.
[commentator] Big crash!
Nice! [laughs]
[O'Connor] I just want to show
that I can race at the front again.
[Hindley] Any Aussie, you wanna beat them.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
[Cummings] Tom might
have to sacrifice himself.
I'm here to win. Not here to come second.
[Pidcock] Can you turn the cameras off?
Where's Daddy?
[Cavendish] It's my last Tour de France.
I have to try and win.
[commentator]
Mark Cavendish, going it alone.
Pogačar is suffering, Jonas.
Pogačar is suffering.
[commentator] Attack of Jonas Vingegaard.
[chuckling]
Fuck, what was that?
[fans] Jonas! Jonas!
[Vingegaard] I'm clean.
How is that possible?
[cheering]
This is my last Tour de France.
I don't want to let people down.
- [rider] Oh!
- [screams]
Fuck!
When your legs feel the pain,
think of those assholes.
If it touches a nerve, then maybe
that's something to think about.
Don't attack my riders.
I get nasty if you attack my riders.
[dramatic music playing]