At the top of the Madeleine pass (Savoie), 66 kilometers from the finish, the queen stage of this Tour de France promised to be grand, and not only for the peaks lost in the fog. The Visma-Lease A Bike, which will have decidedly attempted everything, had exploded the peloton and all the UAE teammates of Pogacar. Quickly, the happy pirates returned to the last survivors of the morning escape, including Primoz Roglic (Red Bull Bora) and Felix Gall (Decathlon Ag2R).
The Slovenian found himself lonely in front of his opponent Jonas Vingegaard, still accompanied by Matteo Jorgenson. We led to hope for a reversal, a false note in the ultra domination of the title holder. Behind the two extraterrestrials, for humans, the day looked very long, especially for Kévin Vauquelin. The poor of Arkéa-B & B Hotels had been in the pampa since half of the second ascent outside category of the day (out of three).
And then, nothing. Or almost. In the descent and the plain before the Col de la Loze, the two tenors looked at each other. The drops have returned, whose French, and no one wanted to take the race on his own. We understood that one could think of something else. To the beautiful herds of abundance crossed at the Madeleine. To these Lensois supporters deploying a tarpaulin “Make us pornhub”. To this kid brandishing a sign “Stop making a face”. Or at the Croziflette offered to journalists by the municipality of Courchevel. If we appreciate attention, ours is better.
In this little cat and mouse game between the leaders, Ben O’Connor took advantage of it. The Australian climber of Jayco-Alula, whose beautiful victory in Tignes in 2021, which has been remembered, managed to take off. He won in beauty, in the rain and frozen. It was not hot in the mountains today. If O’Connor lacks regularity to perform general at each big round, he shows again at 29 that he is able to win stages of prestige. “There have been ups and a lot of stockings on this tower, I am extremely relieved to have won”, he said on arrival.
With its 5,500 meters of elevation gain, the stage may be too hard for something really something. In all, it is that Jonas Vingegaard seemed to think, on the finish line: on the finish line: “Violence … Five hours on the saddle … I am not sure I have lived a step as hard on the Tour in the past. It was violence. “ Faced with the superiority of Tadej Pogacar, the big plan of the Visma did not work. If the Danish tried one last time to attack 900 meters from the finish, he was easily countered by the strongest cyclist in the galaxy which took over another ten seconds. The UAE leader gives the impression that he could take much more every day. “It was very hard. I’m just happy to be still in yellow “he said on France TV.
Behind the two lads, the third Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull Bora) had trouble all day and is now threatened by Oscar Onley (Team Picnic). On the French side, if Kévin Vauquelin was able to benefit from the truce at the front to limit the damage, he loses a place and is seventh overall. “I knew I had to go up at my own pace. I am happy with my performancehe said. I fight all day. People are incredible in all passes. “
Small thought also for Lenny Martinez, who lost eight points in his fight for the polka dot jersey. His magnificent “glued can”, where he was hung on to help his team from his Bahrain Victorious team, unfortunately was filmed by the cameras.
Friday, the last mountain stage will arrive at La Plagne. Tadej Pogacar can sleep quietly. Paris, Sunday, reaches out to him.