2 p.m .: It’s the party, it’s the joy, the fireworks and people in the passes, we love it. While waiting to meet you for the three passes, here is the anticipated summary of the stage :
A breakaway takes off a little with all the candidates for the green jersey.
Zzzzzzz ZzzzzzzZ Zzzzzzzz…. Ah, Matthews took the lead in the intermediate sprint, Cavendish takes what it takes to be calm, Colbrelli is really not a sprinter. First kilometers of ascent, the peloton arrives and swallows these poor men not made for big percentages. Be careful, van Aert and Colbrelli are still cranking three minutes early. The descent, ohlala big fall, Steven Kruijswijk left the Tour, his collarbone in pieces.
Attack, attack by Guillaume Martin at the foot of the Val Louron-Azet pass. The Ineos and UAE trains are squeezing everyone. Guillaume Martin stalls, Vingegaard victim of a craving, there are only 20 runners left at the bottom of Saint-Lary. Aurélien Paret-Peintre tries a blow, it’s an oven but we vibrate. No one has a team-mate anymore, David Gaudu sets off a firecracker, Carapaz in the wheel, Pogacar is slow to react. Endless climb. Marc Madiot in a trance. Gaudu immense, implacable. Gaudu as a dancer, swimsuit open. Gaudu crosses the line. Gaudu prince of Brittany, crowned king of France on July 14. We kiss. Pogacar arrives two short minutes later, the lead is still comfortable. But who cares, we had our stroke of panache. It’s beautiful the bike.