2 p.m .: Don’t panic, the stage has just started, you can take a little digestive nap or wait a little before turning on the teloche. While waiting for the explanations to begin, here is the anticipated summary of the step:
With a view to defending his polka-dot jersey, Wout Poels embarks on today’s breakaway, made up of sprinters in search of points. Quintana and Woods follow him, these three know they have no chance on a regular basis against Pogacar. At the end of 50 terminals, a second small group emerges, that of the ambitious frustrated and the French in search of victories: Pierre Latour, Kenny Elissonde, Anthony Perez, Aurélien Paret-Peintre, David Gaudu. The presence of the Groupama rider in this small group forces the leaders to work. While the members of the breakaway fart one after the other in the Tourmalet, like a livid Quintana, a real French team is working together. To hell with their respective teams, Alaf’s only tricolor victory is an affront to wash away. Perez and Gaudu still engage in a small duel to take the lead in Tourmalet, won by the rider of the Cofidis.
The two embark on the calculations to arrive at a simple observation: if Gaudu wins at Luz Ardiden, his fortune companion can still leave with the polka dot jersey. The pact is sealed, the French have 4 minutes ahead of the Yellow Jersey in the valley. It’s very short. Latour, Elissonde and Paret-Peintre pass the batons, to the great despair of their sports directors. They will get up to assist their leaders in the last kilometers.
It is the day of unnatural alliances. Wobbling Pogacar, that’s all that matters, and when the Slovenian finds himself lonely after the Tourmalet, Vingegaard and Carapaz do everything to wring him out. Their battle will wait. In turn, they will light wicks to crack the outgoing winner. Two kilometers from the top, too late to create a dangerous gap, he decides to abdicate. Pogacar remains in yellow and is already thinking of Paris. Where Anthony Perez will wear the Tour’s second most popular jersey.