After a grueling Tour de France, top riders are racing to recover for Paris Olympics time trial

The conclusion to the Tour de France last Sunday in Nice, where Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar became a three-time champion by dominating rival Jonas Vingegaard and the rest of the field, has sent some of the world's best cyclists into the road race at the Paris Olympics in the best possible shape.

For others, the race is on to recover from three grueling weeks in time for Saturday's time trial.

The cycling schedule was altered for this Summer Games, and the traditional road race that starts the program was pushed back to give riders competing in it a longer break. But to make the revised schedule work, the time trial was pushed ahead to the day after the opening ceremony, which means many riders from the Tour will still have wobbly legs.

The biggest among them is Remco Evenepoel, the 24-year-old from Belgium who won the first of the Tour's two time trials and went on to finish third in the overall. But after Pogacar withdrew from the Olympics, citing fatigue, the race against the clock is wide open, especially given how little time riders have to recover from their trek through the French countryside.

“The big three are Filippo Ganna, Remco and Josh Tarling,” said Brandon McNulty, the American time trial champion, who did not compete in the Tour and hopes his fresh legs can carry him to his nation's first medal in the men's time trial since 2008.

After a pause, McNulty kept on going, throwing out Stefan Kueng of Switzerland as another podium contender. Belgium's Wout van Aert also could be in the mix, provided he has recovered from seven top-10 finishes during the Tour.

The race begins at Invalides and ends at the gilded bridge of Pont Alexandre III. All the riders will pass by Notre Dame, the Place de la Bastille and the former royal residence at Chateau de Vincennes, along with several more of Paris' iconic sites.

One they will avoid: the Champs-Elysée, the historic thoroughfare where the Tour typically finishes but has been taken over during the Olympics and forced the second of the three Grand Tours to finish in Nice.

“It’s pretty flat, a few corners, but it’s pretty simple overall,” McNulty said. "Some bumpy roads and stuff, but fast.”

That could play into the hands of American time trial world champion Chloe Dygert in the women's race.

The 27-year-old from Brownsburg, Indiana, has overcome a lot to become the favorite to win gold in Paris. Dygert was in a career-threatening crash at the world championships in 2020 that derailed her plans to race for gold the following year at the Tokyo Games, then dealt with a series of injuries and illnesses along with some off-the-bike-hurdles in her personal life.

“Looking back at Rio in 2016, I took everything for granted,” said Dygert, who helped the U.S. win silver in the team pursuit in the velodrome that year. “I remember Rio better than Tokyo because I was happier and healthier. I respected and felt so much more grateful for being able to go to Tokyo after my accident. I realized and understood better that being selected for the Olympics is such an accomplishment and that it's such a massive dream for everyone.”

The bigger dream is to win gold, though. Dygert also has a bronze medal from the team pursuit at the Tokyo Games.

Yet the path to the top step of the podium remains a daunting one in Paris.

Dygert's biggest challenge could come from Ellen van Dijk of the Netherlands, who gave birth to her first child in October and returned to racing in March, only to break her ankle while training in June. The three-time world time trial champion decided a few weeks ago that she was in good enough shape to race in Paris.

“It doesn't bother me on the bike and that's the most important thing,” said van Dijk, who was left off the time trial team for Tokyo and watched compatriots Annemiek van Vleuten and Anna van der Breggen take gold and bronze, respectively.

“I haven’t had an ideal preparation and that may affect (my race),” van Dijk added, "but in the end I feel good and I’m going to give it my all. I want to enjoy it, because being here is special as it is.”

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Belgium's Wout van Aert crosses the finish of the twenty-first stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time trial over 33.7 kilometers (20.9 miles) with start in Monaco and finish in Nice, France, Sunday, July 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Belgium's Remco Evenepoel, wearing the best young rider's white jersey, throws his drinking bottle to fans from the podium of the eighteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 179.5 kilometers (111.5 miles) with start in Gap and finish in Barcelonette, France, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Belgium's Remco Evenepoel, wearing the best young rider's white jersey, center, follows teammate Spain's Mikel Landa during the twentieth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 132.8 kilometers (82.5 miles) with start in Nice and finish in La Couillole pass, France, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Belgium's Remco Evenepoel, wearing the best young rider's white jersey, celebrates on the podium after the nineteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 144.6 kilometers (89.9 miles) with start in Embrun and finish in Isola 2000, France, Friday, July 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Belgium's Remco Evenepoel, wearing the best young rider's white jersey, rides during the twentieth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 132.8 kilometers (82.5 miles) with start in Nice and finish in La Couillole pass, France, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Belgium's Remco Evenepoel, wearing the best young rider's white jersey, rides in the group yellow jersey as they climb during the twentieth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 132.8 kilometers (82.5 miles) with start in Nice and finish in La Couillole pass, France, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Belgium's Remco Evenepoel, wearing the best young rider's white jersey, strains as he crosses the finish line of the twentieth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 132.8 kilometers (82.5 miles) with start in Nice and finish in La Couillole pass, France, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The way Todd Downing sees it, Davante Adams' arrival means he'll be able to cook up even more for the New York Jets' offense.

With a heaping helping of Adams catching passes from Aaron Rodgers, of course.

“As a chef, you would want a bunch of ingredients, right?” said Downing, who replaced Nathaniel Hackett last week as the Jets' offensive play caller. “You wouldn’t want to stand in a kitchen and be looking for something in the cupboard. So it’s a good problem to have that we have all these really cool ingredients.”

Adams was acquired from Las Vegas on Tuesday and expects to play Sunday night at Pittsburgh, renewing his on-field connection with Rodgers. The two were teammates in Green Bay for eight seasons, with Adams catching 615 passes for 7,517 yards and 68 touchdowns from Rodgers during that time.

That pre-existing rapport should give Adams an advantage in quickly getting up to speed with the Jets' offense.

“Yeah, certainly ahead of the curve,” said Downing, New York's pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. “Being able to do that Spanish-to-English with Aaron, I think is something that is really going to benefit him. They can even go back to old signals they had together to help remind them of things, so they have that connection and that chemistry.”

The challenge now for Downing is trying to fully maximize the talent he has on the roster, which also includes wide receivers Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard and Mike Williams, running backs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen and tight end Tyler Conklin.

“Just tell Aaron to throw to the open guy,” Downing said with a smile. “That's the easy part.”

He was joking, but the Jets' offense — ranked No. 22 overall — should get a considerable boost from Adams. It also clouds the role of some of the playmakers already on the roster.

While Wilson should be the primary beneficiary of Adams' presence because he'll likely see fewer double teams, Williams could see fewer snaps and might now be expendable. An offseason free agent signing, Williams was having trouble connecting with Rodgers, who has been intercepted on the Jets' final offensive series in the past two games on throws to the former Chargers wide receiver.

On Monday night against Buffalo, Rodgers appeared to slightly underthrow Williams and his toss was intercepted by a diving Taron Johnson. The quarterback later said Williams was not in the right spot.

Williams sat out the team's walkthrough Wednesday and practice Thursday for what the Jets said was for personal reasons, fueling speculation he could be on his way out in a potential trade. Downing said he has no concerns about Williams’ focus.

“Mike’s a pro,” he said.

Williams was with the team during the initial stretching period Thursday and then moved to the trainers area.

“We use different personnel groupings and we find different ways to tag guys to get different combinations of receivers in there and that,” said Downing, who has spoken to Williams in the past about his role. "So I know that he’s seen that and felt that. That’s, again, a part of the ingredients, right?

“We have an accomplished wide receivers room right now and you hope everybody feels that there’s been some intentionality and purpose in how we’re putting the plan together.”

Downing said he and the Jets would see how the week played out before determining how much Adams would play Sunday. The star receiver is coming off a hamstring injury that sidelined him for three games before the trade. Adams was a full participant during the team's first full practice Thursday.

“Obviously, he’s dynamic with the ball in his hands, right?” Downing said. “And so finding ways to get him the football is going to be fun to do. I think his understanding of the game, his savviness, his football IQ, knowing where he fits in zones, knowing how to attack defenses, diagnosing coverages — I think that’s all a premium.”

Rodgers was a full participant, as expected, after sitting out the walkthrough on Wednesday. ... CBs D.J. Reed (groin), and Michael Carter II (ankle) didn't practice and could miss the game. ... TE Tyler Conklin (hip), DE Will McDonald (shoulder), RT Morgan Moses (knee) and LT Tyron Smith (veteran rest day) were limited. ... LB Chazz Surratt (heel) fully practiced a day after being listed as limited.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

FILE - New York Jets passing game coordinator Todd Downing walks the field before an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson, right, intercepts a pass intended for New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams (18) during the second half of an NFL football game in East Rutherford, N.J., Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams speaks to reporters at the team's facility in Florham Park, N.J., on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Dennis Waszak Jr.)