A consolation prize.
The Polish Michal Kwiatkowski and the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, the two teammates of Ineos Grenadiers finished the stage arm in arm, almost two minutes in front of the peloton of the favorites, himself ahead of another group by more than two minutes. composed in particular of Guillaume Martin, Rigoberto Uran and Adam Yates.
In the photo finish, the Pole was named the winner and the Ecuadorian inherited the polka dot jersey.
“It's Richard's idea, he's a beautiful person,” explained Kwiatkowski, 30, world champion in 2014 and winner of Milan-San Remo in 2017, who scored his first success on the Tour.
I hope Egan
(Editor's note: Bernal)
enjoyed it.
We were very sad for him, we wish him good luck for the future.
"
A hierarchy already well drawn
Ineos Grenadiers thus saves the honor even if his Tour has already been missed.
Egan Bernal, its Colombian leader and defending champion, adrift this past week, retired Wednesday morning before the start.
It was the only card of the British team since Geraint Thomas, winner in 2018 and Chris Froome, crowned in 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2013, had been left at home, considered too old.
The most powerful armada of the peloton has therefore given way and the laurels to Jumbo-Visma, a Dutch formation which is preparing to triumph on the Champs-Elysées with Primoz Roglic and already has three stage victories in its purse (two for Van Aert, one for Roglic).
This final mountain stage only confirmed an already well-defined hierarchy.
Tadej Pogacar, who finished 5th just behind his compatriot in yellow and is 57 '' overall, seems resigned to the place of the dolphin.
