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Tour de France
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Nairo Quintana (Movistar) won the race alone at the top of the Portet Pbad on Wednesday after a 17th stage of just 65km. Geraint Thomas (Sky) has confirmed his superiority over all his rivals in general, including Chris Froome, his team-mate, and Romain Bardet (AG2R), who suffered.
Quintana triumphed at the top of Portet. (F.Mons / L'Equipe)
If the air became scarce only at the approach of Saint-Lary-Soulan, at 2215m of altitude, the 146 survivors of the Tour de France lived a afternoon in apnea, Wednesday in the Pyrenees, on the occasion of a 17th ultra-short act (65km) adorned with three pbades and a long and stifling final climb, the Col du Portet, reserved for climbers the more seasoned. On these ramps often over 10% and rightly expected as the justice of peace of this Great Loop, Nairo Quintana feasted … and the yellow jersey did not tremble.
The winner of the day, first: at the foot of the last climb, the Cuban boy Movistar followed a sharp offensive Dan Martin to distort company with the other cadors of the general. Up to the height of his teammate Alejandro Valverde, who left the first kilometers of the stage, he then took over all the escaped: Julian Alaphilippe, who has beautifully defended his jersey polka dots (see also) Rafal Majka, who followed him for a while before giving in, and Tanel Kangert, the lonely animator of the day. Launched alone in the front 6km from the summit, he maintained without difficulty his lead to prevail with the way and get back into the Top 5 overall.
Froome tried, then cracked
Geraint Thomas, again, managed with a disgusting mastery his advance to the general. While wondering about his ability to maintain his form in the third week, the yellow jersey wavered only once: when Primoz Roglic, followed by Chris Froome, attacked 13 kilometers from the line. Led by Tom Dumoulin, then by his teammate Egan Bernal, the Welshman easily returned. And it was finally after a Dutch offensive, two terminals from the top, that Thomas eventually left "Froomey" even unable to follow Bernal. Consequence: the yellow jersey is consolidated, and the quadruple laureate of the Great Loop (+ 2'31) loses its second place in the general in favor of Dumoulin (+ 1'59).
Bardet grimaces, Alaphilippe smiles
In a bad day, Romain Bardet could not keep up with the yellow jersey group: he fell to 8th overall (+5'13). The day after his second victory, Julian Alaphilippe, he spun in the breakaway to consolidate his jersey of best climber, he is now almost guaranteed to return to Paris.
A departure that made "pschit"
The other attraction of this 17th stage, in addition to its short distance and difficulty, was his "online" start, Formula 1 grid, a novelty on the Great Loop. But this attraction brought nothing: the leaders did not take any risk, and the fighters (including Kangert, who spent 90% of the stage in the front) attacked in stride. Serious things began only in the second ascent, to Val Louron-Azet, where AG2R settled at the forefront. Luckily, Bardet did not have enough crew to make a difference, and the Sky quickly put things in place. Without ever panicking, the British armada leaves this sprint in the mountains with the feeling of a job well done, and the badurance of a much quieter day Thursday, between Tries-sur-Baise and Pau (171km flat). Despite the Pyrenean recital that awaits Friday, it is hard to see how the machine can still be stopped …
Gaétan Scherrer
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