Stage 1: "Not the end of the world – But the homogeneity could have been better"

In the current edition, Denk reports on the first stage of the 2026 Tour de France. "The mood in the team is good. Winning the stage was the goal, but the result is certainly not the end of the world," says the 52-year-old, adding: "The team's homogeneity could have been a bit better, and we had already lost twelve seconds by the first intermediate time check. However, we managed to hold that gap, and Remco rode a sensational race over the last two kilometers," Denk says. Florian Lipowitz is currently in eighth place in the general classification. "Florian also delivered a great performance today. The 35 seconds he lost, though, are a bit more than we had hoped for," Denk evaluates. Additionally, the team manager provides detailed insights into the tactical and equipment-related challenges of a team time trial. The final section focuses on the second stage, which will be ridden on Sunday. A distance of 168.5 kilometers must be covered between Tarragona and Barcelona. "We know the route well from the Volta a Catalunya. I expect a very hectic race and strongly assume that the general classification contenders will battle it out for the win," Denk concludes. Photo: IMAGO / Photo News