This is the big news of the day. Tom Dumoulin, Giro winner 2017 and 2nd in the Giro and the Tour the following year, will change training next year. In distress at Sunweb, where he lives a catastrophic season, the Dutch will try to relaunch at Jumbo Visma, where he will find a more familiar environment. He will probably be the leader there, but he will also find Primoz Roglic and Steven Kruijswijk, 3e of the Giro and the Tour this season
The dream team that shakes Dave Brailsford ?
The question is more than legitimate. If British domination was no longer to be demonstrated since Sky's arrival in the World Tour, Recruitment of Jumbo Visma formation could put her at the top of Froome's rivals list, Bernal and others. Indeed, beyond Dumoulin, Kruijswijk and Roglic, who can each claim victory on a grand tour, the workforce will be very solid, with George Bennett, Sepp Kuss, Robert Gesink, Antwan Tolhoek or Laurens De Plus, able to take their leaders on the most difficult climbs. The time trial exercise, real specialty of the Dutch team, will also be a formidable weapon in an attempt to dethrone the Ineos team.
Ineos, the answer that hurts
But to question the leadership of such a team, it is not enough to rise to its height with a few recruitments. Whether the Jumbo Visma squad will shake more than one sporting director next year, Dave Brailsford should always be able to maintain his composure, thanks to an eagle at 4 heads worthy of a Hollywood movie. Chris Froome, four-time winner of the Tour de France, will continue to evolve alongside Geraint Thomas, winner last year, and Egan Bernal, winner this season. Clear, on the 7 last Tour winners, 6 will be present in the workforce. Even better, with the arrival of Giro d'Italia winner Richard Carapaz in 2020, which means that taking into account the last three seasons, Ineos will concentrate at least 65% grand tour winners. Jumbo Visma, on the other hand, will have in its ranks only one winner. A struggle that therefore still appears unequal, but which could quickly tip against the British formation at the slightest gap. Ineos should therefore continue to dominate the big towers, but this time, the slightest mistake will be fatal, especially since Trek Segafredo, with Nibali, Mollema, Door and Ciccone, or even Mitchelton Scott, around the Yates brothers and Esteban Chaves, will always be in ambush. One thing is certain, the number one spot has probably never been so competitive
