End of scarcity for tricolor cycling? Kévin Vauquelin kept the leader’s place of the Tour de Switzerland on Saturday June 21 in Emmeten, finishing third in the 7the Step, won by his main opponent on this event, the Portuguese João Almeida. The Frenchman conceded 6 seconds to the leader of the UAE Emirates team in the game of bonuses, but he still has 33 in advance in the general classification.
If he managed to keep the yellow jersey of the event on Sunday, at the end of the last stage, he would become, at 24, the first French runner to win a stage race at the World Tour level since 2007 and the victory of Christophe Moreau during the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré.
This Saturday, Vauquelin tried to anticipate the final sprint by attacking 350 meters from the finish, but he saw Almeida come back a few meters from the line. The Briton Oscar Onley, winner of the 5e Step, Thursday, also exceeded it and finished second. “Each second is important. It will be difficult [de remporter le Tour de Suisse], Because Kévin is also very strong in time “, estimated João Almeida on arrival.
Winner of a stage on Tour 2024
This Saturday, a group of six runners composed of the main favorites had tackled the Emmetten (3.9 kilometers at 8.1 %), a peace judgment of this penultimate stage. Julian Alaphilippe, who was part of the leading group, dropped in the last hectometers. He joined the finish line eight seconds behind Almeida and now occupies the 3e Place in the general classification, 41 seconds from Vauquelin.
The runners will compete on Sunday an exclusively upright trial between Beckenried and Stockhütte (10 kilometers at 8.3 %). This final step seems to be a favorable playground in Almeida, double champion of Portugal for the timed exercise and excellent climber. But the Normand of the Arkéa-B & B team Hotels also proven its qualities by winning, in February, the general classification of the Star of Bessèges, in particular thanks to its victory on the time trial, traced on a hilly course of 10 kilometers.
Kévin Vauquelin, professional since 2022, became known to the general public in 2024 by winning the 2e Stage from the Tour de France, in Bologna (Italy).
