The Great Belt Bridge – A spectacular drama in the crosswinds

Since opening in 1998 the Great Belt Bridge has functioned as one of the most important traffic junctions in Denmark. In total, the bridge spans 17,5 km from coast to coast – 17,5 kilometres where the riders will be directly exposed to the wind.  

The past couple of years have shown how crosswind-heavy stages can set the stage for massive dramas in the Tour de France. Crosswinds make it harder to draft, stretches out the peloton and carries the threat of the peloton breaking apart. Especially the GC favourites fear being caught too far down in the peloton and will fight to maintain a position at the front.   

The riders will race for 50 km along the west coast of Sjælland before reaching the bridge. This means that we could experience a scenario where heavy crosswinds from Kattegat have already managed to split the peloton into a plethora of smaller groups before we even hit the bridge.  

To further complicate matters, the bridge constitutes a small climb rising an average of 2% over the first three kilometres up to the top of the bridge at 65m above sea level. Maybe one of the peloton’s punchers can use the world’s third longest suspension bridge to challenge for the stage victory and the yellow jersey? 

At the very least we will bear witness to a splendid sight when the riders pass under the 254-meter-high pylons that carry the 6790-meter-long East Bridge.  

Coming back down, the riders will easily reach speeds of over 60 km pr. hour towards the small island, Sprogø, which links the two parts that make up the bridge. For many hundreds of years, Sprogø served as a strategic outpost for protecting shipping through the Great Belt. Valdemar the Great (1131-1182) raised a castle on the island whose ruins can still be seen to this day. And during the Viking Age the Germanic Wends used the island as a base of operation for their pirate raids. 

If one or more riders manage to establish a breakaway over Sprogø they will ride in solemn majesty over the 6,6 long, flat and straight West Bridge. A section that could easily become the hardest part of the stage. The riders will be tired and completely at the mercy of the wind. This section could provide viewers around the world a better understanding of the relative strength of the peloton’s strongest engines as they must clear this tough test.   

The stage will be unpredictable and no matter whether the sprint teams or a single breakaway rider manage to come out on top, it will be hard to imagine a more magnificent setting for a world class racing drama.