The Tour de France, with its caravan of teams, media, publicity and security, was visible everywhere around Bilbao on Thursday, as reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard prepared to start his title defense.
"I feel good, I feel ready, I'm where I want to be," said Vingegaard, who rides for Jumbo-Visma.
Vingegaard said he was ready to renew his rivalry with two-time champion Tadej Pogacar and laughed off suggestions that the Slovenian would be hampered by the wrist injury he suffered in April.