Stage 1: "It looks silly now - but it’s not the end of the world."

In the current issue, Denk reports on the first stage of the 2025 Tour de France. “The start was tough, as we expected. Missing the connection to the lead group wasn’t part of the plan and isn’t ideal,” says the 51-year-old. “The riders thought they could form an alliance with the sprinters' teams and close the gap. That didn’t happen. It was mainly a matter of concentration, and at that moment, it was a mistake by the team. Sure, the result looks bad, but it’s not the end of the world,” Denk analyzes. The background topic focuses on rider communication during the race. Denk explains how the radio system works, what is said during the race, and what kinds of misunderstandings can occur. The final part looks ahead to the second stage, which will be held on Sunday. “It’s going to be a really tough stage, constantly up and down. The route — especially the finish — is made for classics specialists. I hope we’ll be more focused tomorrow,” Denk concludes. The original version of this podcast was recorded in German and translated with the help of artificial intelligence. OVB Media accepts no liability for any translation errors. photo: IMAGO/Fotoreporter Sirotti Stefano