Alaphilippe's dumpling … and the first tricolor podium of this tower!
And we didn't even go far from the hat -trick, Wout van Aert (Visma | lease a bike) being a few seconds later beaten in the sprint by Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor), who even lifted his arms on the line thinking he won, no longer having a radio! Funny day for the Frenchman, spent by all the emotions after a heavy fall at the start of the stage before riding for his teammate Michael Storer… then play this 3rd place out of nowhere, the first French podium of this Tour de France After 15 steps. Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers, 5e), Jordan Iat (Totalnergies, 8th) and Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ, 10th) also take place in this very Franco-Belgian top 10.
Behind, the peloton arrived 6 minutes late, which allows Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos grenadiers), present at the front, to steal the 9th place of the general at Ben Healy (EF Education-Easypost). No other change, Tadej Pogacar lived a quiet day in yellow.
The summary of the race
Another start of the stage run on a completely crazy pace on this Tour de France ! As often during these favorable days on paper to a breakaway and backpackers, the fight to take the right one is very lively and fast. But the main striking fact of these first kilometers is a big collective fall about 150 km from the finish. HAS The exit of a roundabout, a medium-sized land made of very dangerous pebbles dropped many runners. Among them: Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor), Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious), Tiesj Benoot (Visma | Lease a Bike), Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates XRG), Pablo Castrillo (Movistar), Simone Consonni (Lidl-Trek) and others. Even if fortunately all managed to leave, this race is the source of a more than chaotic race part!
Car Jonas Vingegaard has also been delayed by this fall, and the peloton is scattered in many groups. Difficult to see clearly, especially since the battle to form continues to rage among those who have not been embarrassed. Tadej Pogacar is him well in front, and the yellow jersey tries to calm things down, without success. After several kms, the platoons Lipowitz et Awesome end up gathering but are still pointed at a minute from the first peloton. It was at this time that a group of 15 Costauds finally managed to go out and make a small difference, with in particular Mathieu van der Poel, Victor Campenaerts, Wout van Aert, Arnaud de Lie, Alexey Lutsenko, Kaden Groves or Tim Wellensand the only ones Clément Russo et Mattéo Vercher French side.
A crazy race … it finally comes out in the Sorèze coast
Behind, things logically end up going back to normal … but it is only short -lived. Because several teams have missed the check at the front, and with only 40 “late, some like INEOS Grenadiers try to relaunch behind the 15 heads. The showdown again causes some breaks, Kévin Vauquelin is notably trapped for a moment. We are still at more than 50 km/h on average after more than an hour of racing, and some draw their tongues, like a Jonathan Milan in difficulty. The green jersey also sees Van der Poel win the intermediate sprint of Saint-Félix-Lauragais and pocket 20 pts, returning to 41 units from the Italian.
Despite this intense battle and at all times, we only tackle the first difficulty of the day and the most hilly part! Under the leadership ofAlaphilippethe Tudor again relaunches the prosecution in the Côte de Saint-Ferréol, and it explodes everywhere, with deviations that are always so reduced. Quinn Simmons, Jasper Stuyven (Lidl-trek) et Michael Storer (Tudor) Jump on his head. Then presents itself the difficult Côte de Sorèze (6.2km at 5.5%), and the strongest attack at the front. Matej Mohoric revived and is followed by Michael Storer, Quinn Simmons, Victor Campenaerts, Tim Wellens, Alexey Lutsenko et Neilson Powless. Behind these 7 men, the rest of the breakaway is taken up by a large number of runners from the peloton, which Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos grenadiers). Very strong, the 10th in the general classification even manages to return to the top.
The Sant Pas sort in the breakaway … 8 runners for the winner including Barguil
75 km from the finish, the situation clears up a little in this transition portion, and the peloton lets (finally) spin! The eight head runners have 30 to 40 seconds ahead of a large against 26 units, in which we find in particular the French Jordan et Guillaume Martinrespectively 11th and 13th of the general, as well as Julian Alaphilippe et Valentin Madouas. Before the terrible step of the Sant (2.9km at 10.2%), located 50 terminals of the goal, the agreement is not very good in the too much hunting group, even if the differences remain low. Andreas Leknessund take the opportunity to go out alone and make the junction. The peloton is more than 3 minutes away, the victory is at the front.
All groups are held in 30 seconds, but the Sant's step should clean up. From the foot, Michael Storer accelerates and flies with Simmons in the wheel, while the Belgians Wellens et Campenaerts come back to the train. Despite a big attack on the top of Stores To try to make the difference a little more, it is a quartet that “rocks” in the lead, even if the road continues to go up 50 km from the goal. Behind, there is another group of four hunting at around 20 seconds, with Warren Barguil, Carlos Rodriguez, Alexey Lutsenko et Aleksandr vlasov. The rest of the breakaway seems further and not able to go back to play the win. Within the peloton, pointed at 6 minutes, change of physiognomy with the teams EF Education-EasyPost et One-X who ride to protect the places from Ben Healy (9th) and Tobias Johannessen (8e).
A 43 km solitary raid for Tim Wellens !
As the two quartets are about to regroup, Tim Wellens Take advantage of the end of this long rising part towards the Col du Fontbruno to place a large 43 -terminal attack! After was logically one of the least active Within the breakaway in his capacity as teammate of the yellow jersey, the Belgian champion has freshness and makes his power speak to disgust his rivals. Warren Barguil feels the danger and tries to plug the hole … then cracks in turn. Like his issue for his Belgian national title at the end of June, the runnerUAE Team Emirates-XRG launches into a long time and widens irreparably on his pursuers.
Barguil, Campenaerts, Vlasov, Simmons et Stores Relax but the gap increases: 17 “at 40 km, then the minute 30 km from the finish! Mass is said, especially since the final is generally descending before very slightly going up when arriving on Carcassonne. as a good specialist in lonely effort, Wellens manages well and will integrate the closed circle of stage winners on the three large towers, him which already has 2 steps on the Giro and 2 on The return. The Belgian will also continue domination UAE : 5th victory over this Tour de Franceand the 65th this season. Whether with Pogacar At the pedal or an escape, the Emirati training is intractable …
The victory is no longer playable with almost 2 minutes late, the prosecution group (which saw the return of Rodriguez and Lustenko) logically begins to tackle for the places of honor in the final. But by dint of looking at each other, the rest of the breakaway is also similar, like Wout van Aert et Ivan Romeowho came out against and come back to 10 seconds. Campenaerts finally manages to extract alone and will pick 2nd place, while a general grouping takes place right behind him. Van Aert seems to be off to offer a hat -trick to Belgium … but Alaphilippe The jump on the line and lifts his arms, thinking he won.
