Forty-nine years after Luis Ocana, winner at Orcières-Merlette of a milestone in the history of the Tour, the Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma) won the fourth stage of the Tour de France.
One of the favorites of the Tour sent a message to his opponents: he has legs.
He is there and shows his ambitions.
Julian Alaphilippe did not put his yellow jersey in danger.
He will always have it on his shoulders this Wednesday on the road between Gap and Privas.
It will be the 17th day in yellow of his career.
Frenchman Martin tried
After several attempts at attacks and breakaways which animated the day, in particular that of the French rider Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R-La Mondiale) or the Latvian Krists Neilands (Israel Start-Up), the stage was played out in the final climb.
Always well placed at the front of the race, the yellow jersey perfectly controlled the climb despite the pace imposed by the Jumbo-Visma of Roglic with an attack in the last kilometer of Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) which did not go to the end.
"It was opportunistic, I said I would attack," says Martin after the line at the microphone of France Televisions.
This Tuesday, the Tour favorites observed each other, judged before the big fight to come in the coming days
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