The 14th stage of Tour de France promised to be grand this Saturday with 5,000 meters of elevation gain and the Tourmaletl’Aspin, Peyresourde and finally Luchon-Superbagnères To climb to reach the finish, all in the rain. A day in the shape of roller coasters that Kévin Vauquelin could frankly fear … but the leader ofArkéa-B&B Hotels has once again amazed and more than responded among the favorites of this Tour. The Norman has been snatched again and gave everything to cross the line to a remarkable 10th position, conceding two minutes to Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) But rather limiting the damage to his rivals for the general. Result, the French does not lose any place vis-à-vis its competitors, and it even benefits from the abandonment of Remco Evenepoel (Sudal Quick-Step) to grab a place and reintegrate the general top 5.
“I would never have bet on that at the start of the year”
What to approach with confidence and ambition the crossing of the Alps in the last week. But before that, Kévin Vauquelin of course debrief in length this day with the media after arrival. “”I had rather good legs on the whole stage. The pace at the end was a little hard for me suddenly I preferred to climb at my own pace and I fought until the end. Frankly it was a good day: I had my teammates with me, we were well placed in the peloton. With the fog, I saw nothing so I gave everything I had. I said I will give everything and that's what I did. I think I don't waste too much time on certain rivals, so it's pretty good. It was probably one of the biggest stages of the tour and succeed in being there with 5,000 meters of elevation, I would never have bet on that at the start of the year, so it's just positive “he explained.
“What does not reassure me is that you have to get on all the time, it's really hard“He continues.”But I am frankly happy with my level of the day. Because I’m doing the days, and finally the legs are still there. In any case, I manage to be too far from the group of leaders, so it's a big course crossed in my career. The white jersey following the abanodn of Remco Evenepoel? I had this goal in mind, I wanted to see depending on the legs, you never know in the last climb. But maybe it was slightly too long for me for the moment, I still have a lot of work“.
Now 5th of the general at 2'28 “of the podium and the white jersey held by Florian Lipowitz, Kévin Vauquelin does not forbid anything for the future, even if Primoz Roglic only point to 13 seconds. “”I think I'm still in the game, there are a week left. I will see how I recover, but it doesn't matter what will happen next week, that I explode, Rapetto or even won a step … My turn is successful. And that of our team too. We all worked a lot, and the work pays so it's too good. What can we really ask more in fact?“, concludes the one who will certainly remain as one of the very rare ray of sunshine for the French on this Tour.
