While we will be celebrating our 250th Anniversary here in the States, the Grand Departe of the 113th Tour de France will lead off with a team time trial in Barcelona on Saturday.

As always, I turn to our friend and resident all-thing-TdF Joe Lindsey, managing editor of Escape Collective. He knows the ins and outs of the stages, the courses, the riders, and the teams for all the European race, but we focus this conversation pretty much on the Tour this time around.

My questions go to topics such as which riders might surprise us, how the intense heat could impact the race as we well as the teams, and what this year’s course has in store for us.

Jonas Vinnegard is apparently 100% healthy and ready to go – two full years after his horrific crash in 2024, and he’s already shown some stellar results this year.  He and Tadej will be the ones to watch for that head-to-head rivalry; but, perhaps there is someone else on the horizon? And who is Paul Seixas anyway?

Joe has some thoughts…