Romain Bardet during the final of the 16th stage of the Giro in Cortina d’Ampezzo, May 24, 2021. – Luca Bettini / AFP
For Thomas Voeckler, the Tokyo Olympics are starting to look like a puzzle. The coach of the France cycling team already knew that he would have to compose without the future dad Julian Alaphilippe. He will also have to do without Romain Bardet.
The seventh of the last Vuelta, initially very motivated by the route of the Japanese road race, scheduled for July 24 around Mount Fuji, has changed his mind. “We have big goals with DSM that await us at the end of the season and it was not possible to have peak form in Tokyo with this program”, he indicated to The team, after a discussion with Voeckler and his German team, which he joined this season.
If he will not participate in the next Tour de France (June 26-July 18), Bardet will line up on the Vuelta, from August 14 to September 5.