Winner of the 2013 Tour Down Under and two Paris-Nice stages this season, Tom-Jelte Slagter is one of the best-known and most promising debutants on the Tour de France this year. The former Belkin rider transferred before the season to the American team Garmin-Sharp and has taken some big steps on his way to reach his best achievable form.

At 25, he makes his Tour debut as a precious team-mate for Andrew Talansky in the Garmin Sharp team. But the Dutch all-rounder, both fast and comfortable in the hills, also has his own ambitions for this baptism of fire.

“My first objective was the second stage but unfortunately I didn't feel strong or confident enough on the day to go for the win, which was my only goal and we changed plans and decided to toughen the pace in the hills working for Andrew and it turned out well,” he told letour.fr

Even though he has pointed out the stage of today, the head priority is still to protect the GC leader of the team, Andrew Talansky. It might be more important today, as Talansky crashed in the sprint yesterday.

“The other stage I pinned down is the one finishing in Gerardmer [today’s stage]. Of course, the priority is to look after Andrew but if circumstances permit, the course suits me very well, I'm at my best in the mid-mountains,” he added.

The start of his very first Tour was one of the toughest in recent history. Everything in the race, is bigger, more intense.

“It's just the biggest cycling event in the world with the best teams and their nine best riders. Even in the race itself you can tell it's the highest level. I finished stage 2 really tired, my body hurt. I'm just hoping everyone felt the same.”