Kévin Vauquelin, at the finish of the second stage of the Tour de France, in Bologna (Italy), June 30, 2024. JEROME DELAY / AP
These scenes had disappeared from contemporary cycling: “small” riders capable of beating the “big” ones thanks to courageous breakaways; two French victories achieved in two days, on the first two stages of the Tour de France – the previous one dates back to 1968. This start of the Grande Boucle gives the lie to its own rules. The best of “old-style” cycling seems to be reborn. Unpredictable, generous, more egalitarian between the castes of riders.
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This Sunday, June 30, the evocation of the hero of yesteryear is Kévin Vauquelin, 23, from the Breton team Arkea-B & B Hotels, solo winner of the second stage of the Tour de France, on the Italian roads between Cesenatico and Bologna. The Norman, who is making his debut in the event, succeeds Romain Bardet, winner of the stage on Saturday in a breakaway, and who lost his yellow jersey on Sunday, to Tadej Pogacar. “I knew how to seize opportunities, be a little smart, declares Kévin Vauquelin. I’ve had some disappointments in recent weeks, in recent days, but I told myself that one day the wheel would turn. »
His moment of glory was decided the first time 190 kilometers from the finish, when he got involved in a breakaway of eleven riders, then 14 kilometers from the goal, when he attacked one of the most beautiful sacred hills of transalpine cycling. Its flight took place at the sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca, overlooking Bologna, on a slope which steepens at 20%, under the gaze of the arcades and balconies which line this path, like the boxes of a theater Italian style.
Pogacar’s leniency
The runners had to climb this quasi-pilgrimage path twice. “The first time, I felt very good, I hesitated to attack, but it was too far from the finish [30 kilomètres] », explains Vauquelin. He then throws his strength into the second ascent. “I knew I was punchier than them [ses compagnons d’échappée] »explains the man who then finished alone, crossing the line 36 seconds ahead of his runner-up, the polka dot jersey Jonas Abrahamsen.
On the same slopes, Tadej Pogacar’s offensive was the most anticipated, even feared. The Tour de France favourite likes nothing better than to set the race alight and impose himself wherever he can. But, unusually, the Slovenian did not want to rule the race. He did not order his teammates to come back to the leaders when the gap fell to five minutes. On the contrary, he allowed the stopwatch to reach nine minutes. This comfortable margin de facto protected the escapees in the event of an attack by Pogacar in the finale, which he did on the ramps of San Luca.
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2024-06-30 19:34:28
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