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By Julien Pretot
ANNECY, France (Reuters) – If the organizers of the Tour de France wanted the World Cup to end before the race begins to heat up, its mission is accomplished.
Since the start of the race, all the best drivers, except for Richie Porte, have been on the first day of rest before the grueling stages in the Alps.
The differences between the main challengers were essentially made in the team World champion Peter Sagan is on track to win a record sixth green jersey for the points classification after winning two stages, just like the sprinters Dylan Groenewegen and Fernando Gaviria
. Crash, panic, bad luck and setback, but defending champion Chris Froome, who has suffered two minor crashes, still does not know who his main challenger is with 12 days of racing.
It could be the action of his teammate Sky Geraint Tho Mas, who is the best rider in the overall standings, having passed the first nine stages without a hitch, including the famous paved Sunday road, which was fatal to Porte's hopes.
The Australian fractured his collarbone in an early accident and gave up the race for the second year in a row.
"We are always here to try to win the race, in any way, I think it's fantastic for us to have these options." Clearly, Geraint is in a place perfect now, we should see it turn yellow in the next few days, "said Britain's Froome to reporters on Monday.
"But I'm still in the game, I think it's great for us to have those options so we can play when we need to, especially looking at rivals who have two or three options in the game. Within their teams, a team like Movistar, for example, has two or three leaders. "
Movistar has three options in Alejandro Valverde, Nairo Quintana and Mikel Landa, but their conservative tactics are unlikely to open the door. race.
Thomas is second overall, 43 seconds behind Greg van Avermaet, but the Belgian will drop the yellow jersey on Tuesday, when the Tour will arrive on the Alps with a daunting 10th stage from Annecy to Grand Bornand which includes four demanding climbs.
Froome 59 seconds later, Vincenzo Nibali, 2014 champion, beats the British six seconds
There will be two more stages in the Alps with a finish at the top of the iconic Alpe d'Huez , but do not expect a fireworks guns are likely to hold up, waiting for the final in the Pyrenees.
Two-time podium of Romain Bardet, hoping to become the first Frenchman to win the Tour since Bernard Hinault in 1985, suffered bad luck with four untimely times p He however limited the damage, unlike the second of the year last, Rigoberto Uran, who lost 1:28 on Sunday after being crushed.
Bardet has already lost two of his teammates. "There are still a lot of contenders in the game, I think the race will be very close in the Alps," said Bardet who is 50 seconds behind Froome
. ] (Reportage of Julien Pretot, edited by Ed Osmond)
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