Thibaut Pinot conquers the Tourmalet in Tour de France, Alaphilippe keeps Yellow
Jul 20 2019 11:14 pm CET
Photo of Thibaut Pinot by Groupama-FDJ
Groupama-FDJ's Thibaut Pinot has taken the victory of the 14th stage of the Tour de France. The Frenchman was the strongest of the reduced group at the finish line of the Tourmalet on a day where many GC favourites struggled to keep up.
The shortest linear stage of the French grand tour was 117.5 kilometres long over a profile that included one climb of the first category -Col du Soulor and a finish on an Hors-Category ascent -Tourmalet. Vincenzo Nibali and Peter Sagan took the lead of the race soon into the stage and they were followed by a group of around 15 riders.
After the Col du Soulor, the front group slimmed down until only Romain Sicard remained in front and Gesbert and Lilian Calmejane were in the chase group. In the first kilometres of the Tourmalet, Gesbert got to Sicard and left him behind while the pack got closer.
The speed of the peloton proved too much for Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), who said farewell to his chances to win the race. With 10 kilometres to go, Gesbert was reeled back in by the pack led by Movistar, which kept setting a high pace despite Nairo Quintana getting dropped.
With nine kilometres to go, the French national champion Warren Barguil (Arkea Samsic) launched an attack and a couple of kilometres later David Gaudu made a move from the reduced pack and took his leader Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) with him. They were followed by Jakob Fuglsang, Mikel Landa, Alejandro Valverde and three Jumbo-Visma's riders including Steven Kruijswijk.
The pace set by Gaudu left Enric Mas (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) and Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo) struggling behind and moments later Jumbo-Visma took control of the pace and managed to drop Valverde. Kruijswijk arrived to the last kilometres with two teammates, while all the other leaders were already by themselves. In the last kilometres, riders like Rigoberto Uran, Fuglsang and Geraint Thomas struggled in the back.
Pinot attacked in the last moments and crossed the finish line six seconds ahead of Alaphilippe and Kruijswijk, while Emanuel Buchmann and Bernal completed the top five of the day. Uran lost 30 seconds, Thomas 36 seconds, Valverde 58 seconds, Porte two minutes and five seconds and Quintana crossed the finish line three minutes and 24 seconds behind Pinot.
Alaphilippe remains at the top of the General Classification, followed by Thomas at two minutes and two seconds and Kruijswijk at two minutes and 14 seconds.
Race report: Thibaut Pinot conquers the Tourmalet in Tour de France, Alaphilippe keeps Yellow https://t.co/TBYbrfsByw#TDF2019
— CyclingPub (@CyclingPub) July 20, 2019
?A.S.O./P.Ballet pic.twitter.com/BE16jA3UvE
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