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The general classification of the Tour de France
Pogacar at the top of its game
The art and the way.
By attacking 100 meters from the line, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) crushed his two pursuers Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), whom he relegated to more than 5'30 in the general classification .
At the cost of another demonstration, the Slovenian reinforced his yellow jersey and headed straight for a double on the Grande Boucle.
Insatiable attacker, Pogacar took advantage of Rafal Majka's hard work for a while before planting banderilla on banderilla in the last seven kilometers.
Barely surprised by Carapaz's attack, the outgoing Tour winner ended up blowing up the competition to sign his second stage victory this year.
Gaudu as a finisher
Unhooked for two weeks, David Gaudu is the excellent surprise of the second week. Already on the initiative Tuesday in the last difficulties, the Breton clung to the yellow jersey peloton before being powerless in front of the attack of the favorites at the front. Without discouraging him, since he took the train of pursuers before planting everyone 5 km from the line to get a convincing fourth place, proof of a state of form which is skyrocketing. "He's someone who finishes the Grand Tours well," analyzes his manager Marc Madiot for
Eurosport
. "
From there to return to the front on Thursday, when the peloton will once again arrive at the top, at Luz Ardiden?
"In any case, the desire is there", assures Madiot.
Here he is three minutes from Pello Bilbao and the top 10. "It puts him in the hierarchy, it's interesting that he finishes the Tour this way," notes his manager.
Perez at the party
The opportunity to shine was a good one for Anthony Perez, whose two-year extension at Cofidis was announced this Wednesday morning.
Helmet and blue-white-red gloves, the one who had announced his intention to be at the front was the great host of the day, passing second and then leading the first two difficulties.
18 points from the mountain gleaned for the last polka-dot jersey of Paris-Nice, which would have worn this tunic on the last Tour without a fall which forced him to retire last year.
Swallowed by the sharp attack from Pogacar, the Toulousain was at the end of himself, spending a large majority of the stage up front.
He will still climb on the podium, logically elected the most combative rider of the day.
Read also: Tour de France: Untouchable Pogacar at the top
Flops
The French famine continues
No one will imitate Warren Barguil, the last French winner on July 14 (at Foix 2017). If the prospect of July 14 gave reason to dream of a bouquet intended for a tricolor, Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step), winner of the first stage, will wait to find out his successor on this Grande Boucle. Unhooked at the bottom of the last ascent, the world champion was not in a position to win at the culmination of this Tour 2021, nor was Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), unhinged 12 km from the finish. However, this stage gave pride of place to the French, who are always keen to shine on this national holiday. From the surprising Dorian Godon (AG2R-Citroën) to the great host Perez through the volunteer Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies), the French will have been at the front of the race from start to finish.And if the honor is saved thanks to the new performance of Gaudu, the picture remains insufficient as the end of this edition approaches.
That of the Ineos Grenadiers too
Richard Carapaz saw fit to carry the blow to 1.5 km from the summit. It was without counting without the ruthless Pogacar, still fresh when the moment to jump in his wheel to overflow him a terminal later. Victory will wait for the Ineos Grenadiers, who arrived with solid certainties after the various stage races but off topic in this Tour. Betrayed by the falls of Geraint Thomas and Richie Porte, the British ambitions in general quickly shifted to Carapaz, with solid shoulders and remarkable temerity, but whose inability to win Pogacar was still flagrant. Tactically also, the British, masters of the peloton for a decade, seem to suffer the race and show a wait-and-see attitude, like Carapaz in the last kilometers. The Ecuadorian had certainly hidden his game to better place his attack,But it was not enough. Tactically too, the competition has taken off.