Going for broke: why breaks have been so successful at this year's Tour
Crashes, fatigue and a growing trend for Classics-style aggressive racing has led to this Tour being one of the most watchable for years

Bahrain Victorious directeur sportif Rolf Aldag is happy but a little bewildered. Speaking prior to the start of the Tour de France’s 10th stage in Albertville, he has seen his riders clinch two wins and a third place on the first big days in the hills and mountains, but he confesses that he’s been completely taken aback by how those performances have come about.
“Seeing how we’ve raced here, I was like, ‘Guys, are you sure? It’s a long way to the line. Maybe you should wait a little longer,” he says, adding: “But there’s no hesitation. It’s all fall in or fall out.”
>>>>Subscribe to CW magazine and get more out of your riding
Every Tour is expected to begin at ferocious intensity, the pace high, nerves jangling, the fear of crashes almost tangible.
Yet, order and a sense of control tend to arrive quickly, imposed to a large extent by the sprint and general classification teams, but also by the knowledge that Grand Tours can’t be rushed, and especially the Tour, where the pressure, the level of competition and the rewards are higher than anywhere. Caution is the watchword.
Or at least it was until this year, when almost every stage has been raced like a one-day Classic.
This was to be expected during the opening two stages in Brittany, both uphill finishes that suited and were won by those persistent dynamiters of established strategy, Julian Alaphilippe and Mathieu van der Poel.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Yet, that frenzy has been sustained. By the end of the Tour’s first week, it became apparent that no one team was able to impose enough control to suppress the peloton’s anarchic desires.
You can read the rest of this feature in the July 15 issue of Cycling Weekly magazine - the perfect companion to your Tour viewing. You can order single issues online of on the shelves of supermarkets and WHSmiths. You can also subscribe to Cycling Weekly magazine, get your issue delivered each week and get more out of your riding.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Peter Cossins has been writing about professional cycling since 1993, with his reporting appearing in numerous publications and websites including Cycling Weekly, Cycle Sport and Procycling - which he edited from 2006 to 2009. Peter is the author of several books on cycling - The Monuments, his history of cycling's five greatest one-day Classic races, was published in 2014, followed in 2015 by Alpe d’Huez, an appraisal of cycling’s greatest climb. Yellow Jersey - his celebration of the iconic Tour de France winner's jersey won the 2020 Telegraph Sports Book Awards Cycling Book of the Year Award.
-
Gear up for your best summer of riding – Balfe's Bikes has up to 54% off Bontrager shoes, helmets, lights and much more
Supported It's not just Bontrager, Balfe's has a huge selection of discounted kit from the best cycling brands including Trek, Specialized, Giant and Castelli all with big reductions
By Paul Brett
-
7-Eleven returns to the peloton for one day only at Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Uno-X Mobility to rebrand as 7-Eleven for Sunday's Monument to pay tribute to iconic American team from the 1980s
By Tom Thewlis
-
Colombian climbing star and former Vuelta a España winner Lucho Hererra could be investigated over murders of four people
A judge has called for an investigation into the former Vuelta winner who is alleged to have worked with paramilitary groups in Colombia
By Tom Thewlis
-
'It's a great place to start' - Edinburgh MP 'absolutely' backs Tour de France Grand Départ in 2027
Scottish city expected to host opening stage of the Tour de France, according to reports
By Tom Davidson
-
'I'm doing 1,000km more than Lachlan Morton' - Cycling influencer to ride every stage of the 2025 Tour de France
Amy Hudson plans to ride the entire Tour route, including the transfers, totalling 6,300km
By Tom Davidson
-
'A stage win in the Tour de France really changed my profile': Steve Cummings on working as a chef, idolising Michele Bartoli, and playing football like Trent Alexander-Arnold
Jayco-AlUla Sports Director discusses his most significant career victory and how he got into cycling
By Tom Thewlis
-
Cycling coverage is getting much more expensive in the UK – tell us what you think
Eurosport is closing down in the UK and there will be no more free-to-air Tour de France coverage in Britain from 2026
By David Bradford
-
No free-to-air live coverage of Tour de France in UK from 2026, broadcaster confirms
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) boss says free coverage of the Tour is “not on our road map”
By Tom Davidson
-
Former Tour de France yellow jersey maker placed into receivership
Le Coq Sportif also produced kit for the French Olympic Federation during Paris 2024
By Tom Thewlis
-
Tour de France 2025 route: Pyrenees triple, Mont Ventoux return and Alps climax on menu
Race to take place 5-27 July, with Grand Départ in Lille, before an anti-clockwise route
By James Shrubsall