This Thursday, July 17, between Auch and Hautacam on Thursday, on the occasion of the 12th stage of the 112nd edition, the yellow jersey did not feel its Toulouse convertible the day before. He wanted to hit the Pyrenees from the start, it’s done …
Tadej, this time you liked Hautacam…
I knew, the first time I recognized Hautacam, that it was a superb climb … I have always been looking forward to climbing it, and then the 2022 Tour arrived … I was back in the general race, I was fighting body and soul to resume the yellow jersey. But Jumbo was too strong at the time. I had almost forgotten all that. I only thought of today. Many people came to tell me: it’s the moment of revenge … When we got to the foot of the climb, it was the inverted story: another Belgian at the front, but our team in mind. I’m super happy to take time and save here. Because after the fall of yesterday (Wednesday), there were a lot of question points.
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Tour de France in the Hautes-Pyrénées: the incredible incident at the origin of the fracture of Bryan Coquard
Don’t you feel it?
You never know how the body will react after a fall. But it was not too serious. It was not a bad fall. I only feel my hip if I do acrobatics, but there I just go bike, so it’s okay!
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VIDEO. Tour de France in the Hautes-Pyrénées: when Tadej Pogacar signals a problem on the TV motorcycle… in full ascent of Hautacam
Was this attack at the foot of the final ascent programmed?
Yes, we can say that everything went as planned today (yesterday). We did exactly what we had decided. We really did a great job. The team has really rolled the whole stage. Bravo also in Ben Healy and EF. They tried to defend the jersey. They showed a beautiful spirit. The UNO-X too, they fight for their ranking … It was a difficult day for everyone. But in the end, when we needed, we were really strong. This step, we had in mind for a long time, and we did what we wanted to do. I would especially like to dedicate my victory dedicated to Samuele (mortally injured the day before at Val d’Aosta, editor’s note) and all his family … because it’s really sad. This is the first thing I read this morning. In the last kilometer, I thought of him, how hard this sport can be, and how much it can make suffer.
