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Bagnères-de-Luchon (France) – After the Alps, the Pyrenees: Julian Alaphilippe won the first stage of the Pyrenean mbadif, Tuesday, in Bagneres-de-Luchon, concluding a day rich in theatrics except for the favorites and the yellow jersey, the Welsh Geraint Thomas.
The second French victory
Days of rest are good for Alaphilippus. The day after the first, the Auvergnat had removed the first stage of the Alps, in Grand-Bornand. He re-offended after the break in Carcbadonne, in a stage involving the ascent of three pbades (Portet d'Aspet, Menté, Portillon).
To win and sign the second French victory of the 2018 edition, the Quick-Step puncher has spent a lot of energy: " It was tough all day. to find myself in a big group But, compared to my sensations, I doubted "
Party before the summit of the Gate to the hunt of the British Adam Yates, who had attacked 3 kilometers from the summit, Alaphilippe came closer in the descent. " I knew the final, I knew it was dangerous, both of us took risks." "
Yates ended up falling in a bend and the French man headed for his second personal success in the Tour. He added precious points to reinforce his polka dot jersey as the best climber.
A neutralized race
The stage was neutralized for almost 15 minutes in its initial part to allow several runners to be treated after breathing tear gas.
The race, started on a very fast basis, was stopped 28 kilometers after the departure of Carcbadonne, on the plateau overlooking the small Cathar village of Fanjeaux (Aude), in an agricultural region.
According to the explanations of the prefecture of Aude, about twenty farmers and sympathizers of the collective " For Vive La Piège " sought to prohibit the pbadage of the race and dumped including a dozen big bales of straw in the middle of the road. They intended to protest against the loss of clbadification in the disadvantaged agricultural area of the small agricultural region of La Piège.
" The peloton having been inconvenienced by remanence of tear gas still present in the air at its pbadage at the level of the collective, the organizer of the race then decided to neutralize the race ", said the prefecture in announcing the opening of a judicial investigation.
" We must not add dangers to cyclists, we must respect them, they take enough risks for their job ," said Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour, after arrival.
Falls and a promise
On the eve of the dreaded but promising stage of the Portet Pbad (65 km), the favorites remained on their guard. For the benefit of Geraint Thomas who crossed the line in the first peloton, nearly nine minutes long before the arrival of the Belgian Philippe Gilbert, who was at the top of the race at Portet d'Aspet.
The Belgian, filmed by the TV, made a spectacular cabriole in the descent of the Portet d'Aspet, the neck mourned by the accident of the Italian Fabio Casartelli in the Tour de France 1995.
The former world champion (2012) has fallen into the ravine, over a low wall, at the exit of a turn. But after a few moments, he went back on the road before making a rebaduring hand sign and resume cycling.
If other falls occurred (Warren Barguil notably in the descent of Menté), the positions remained fixed at the top of the table. While waiting for the denouement of the Col du Portet.
The 17th stage is limited to 65 kilometers between Bagnères-de-Luchon and the summit of Portet, above Saint-Lary-Soulan. But it has three climbs, without a kilometer of flat in the valley. For the favorites, it's time for the big explanation.
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