Published on : 15/07/2021 – 17:50Modified : 15/07/2021 – 17:47
Everything for Tadej Pogacar! The Slovenian, wearing the yellow jersey, won the 18th stage of the Tour de France, the last mountain, Thursday in Luz-Ardiden, confirming a total control over the event.
Luz-Ardiden (France) (AFP)
Winner for the second time in two days in the Pyrenees, Pogacar beat the Dane Jonas Vingegaard and the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, his following in the general classification.
Under the eyes of the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron, who came to attend the last 52 kilometers, the defending champion has removed his third success since the start and reinforced his yellow jersey three days before the arrival in Paris.
Pogacar, best youngster of the event, also donned the polka dot jersey of the best climber. In the standings, he increased his advantage to 5’45 over Vingegaard, who precedes Carapaz by 6 seconds.
Big loser of the day, the Colombian Rigoberto Uran let go from the Col du Tourmalet, the first of the two climbs of the day. Fourth at the start of Pau, he finished behind and tumbled down in the general classification.
In the legendary Tourmalet, the pass most often used by the Tour for more than a century, David Gaudu came out of the group of favorites. The Frenchman joined the escaped riders (Alaphilippe and Mohoric in particular) and fell to the top just behind Pierre Latour, whom he left behind in the long sunny descent, unlike the climb in the fog.
Gaudu tackled the final ascent, also classified as out of category (13.3 km at 7.4%) with an advantage limited to about fifteen seconds, annihilated by the Carapaz team members 9 kilometers from the summit.
Pogacar accelerated sharply as they approached the last 3 kilometers. He kept four riders with him (Kuss, Vingegaard, Carapaz, Mas) and countered in the last few hundred meters an attack from the Spaniard Enric Mas.
Behind Pogacar (22), defending champion, eleven riders ranked less than a minute from the Slovenian, after this last climb of the Tour 2021.
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