Australian Simon Clarke (Israel PT) won the fifth stage of the Tour de France on Wednesday between Lille and Arenberg, after which Belgian Wout van Aert kept his yellow jersey at the cost of a formidable comeback during the last twenty kilometres.
The stage run partly on the cobblestones turned out badly for the Jumbo team, dominating the day before: if van Aert saved his yellow jersey despite a fall, the Slovenian Primoz Roglic lost more than two minutes on the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, the first of the favorites at the finish.
A close one đź‘€
A victory at the photo-finish đź‘€#TDF2022 |
@TISSOT pic.twitter.com/7klXn83DYu
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 6, 2022
The breakaway at the start of the stage held until the end, after a race marked by numerous crashes on the cobblestones of the North.
Simon Clarke won the final sprint by more than a kilometer, clinching Boasson Hagen, Van Der Hoorn, Cort Nielsen and Powless, despite the latter's attack trying to recover the yellow jersey.
“It's the best victory of my career, it's just incredible, said Clarke at the microphone of France Télé.
Cobblestones are not my specialty.
I have some experience and tried to remember the reflexes so as not to fall.
" On the sprint victory, Clarke admits having had cramps... "But I gathered all my strength and threw my bike forward.
I didn't even know if I had won.
»
Finally, the yellow jersey will remain on the shoulders of Van Aert for 13 seconds.
The leader of the general classification had fallen in the middle of the stage but managed to pick up again after a good effort.
18 km from the finish, Jasper Stuyven and Tadej Pagacar left the peloton to try to join the breakaway.
Arrived shortly after the 5 leading men, the Slovenian pulled off a good move and won 14 seconds over his direct competitors.
It's a more complicated day for the Jumbo, and especially for Primoz Roglic who loses 2 minutes on the other favorites.