Richard Plugge doesn't like the Montmartre TDF finish
Visma-Lease a Bike team boss Richard Plugge has slammed the decision to send the final stage of the Tour de France up Butte Montmartre, calling it unsafe. “You’re sending a tired peloton of 150 riders up a risky climb. That’s not the same as the small group during the Olympic road race,” he told WielerFlits.
Two of Plugge's riders, Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert, are already on the record in opposition to the change.
Plugge argues the traditional sprint finish on the Champs-Élysées is a highlight of the season and fears this new route could discourage sprinters from continuing the race. Riders like Van Aert, Evenepoel, and Vingegaard have also criticized the plan, though Mathieu van der Poel’s team is in favor.
Despite the concerns, Plugge is clear: “It’s part of the course now. So we’ll embrace the chaos.”
