Archiv der Kategorie: Tour de France

TdF – Info with two days to go

30. Juni 2022Etappenrennen, Tour de France, Vorschau109. Tour de France, ASO, PlomiGerhard Plomitzer

Key points:
 The teams’ presentation in the Tivoli gardens at Copenhagen marks the beginning of a popular Grand Départ in Denmark.
 Lots of ambitions expressed by the riders during the pre-race press conferences: Taco van der Horn, Wout van Aert, Michael Matthews, Geraint Thomas and Ben O’Connor are the selected few.
 Groupama-FDJ to race with David Gaudu as sole leader.

A GUARD OF HONOUR FOR THE CHAMPIONS
The teams set to take part in the 109th Tour de France have gathered in the Tivoli gardens, the world’s oldest theme park (since 1843), to be introduced to the fans. It gives the riders an indication on the crowds that also await them on the road sides for the first three stages to be held in Denmark. The teams’ presentation is also an occasion to discover the Tour de France special jerseys, since Jumbo-Visma, Bora-Hansgrohe, EF Education-Easypost, Israel-Premier Tech, Trek-Segafredo and Alpecin-Deceuninck have decided to modify their image. It’s party time as well, hence the presence of the Lukas Graham band, well known worldwide on the pop scene a couple of years ago and still very popular on home soil, maybe as much as the likes of Tadej Pogacar, Primoz Roglic and especially local favourites Jonas Vingegaard, Mads Pedersen, Kasper Asgreen and Michael Morkov…

VAN DER HOORN SEES MEINTJES IN THE FINAL TOP 10
Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux opened the series of pre-race press conferences to express their multiple ambitions: GC with Louis Meintjes who aims at delivering the first top 10 overall for the team that had Guillaume Martin 12th in 2019 as their best final result so far, sprint stages with Alexander Kristoff and breakaways with the likes of Taco van der Horn and Georg Zimmermann. “The chances to win from a breakaway are very small but I’ll take them as much I can”, said Van der Hoorn ahead of his first participation to the Tour de France. “We also have a good sprint train with Andrea [Pasqualon] and Adrien [Petit]. Furthermore we have Louis for GC, I told him: don’t count on me on the last climb but on the first climb I’ll be there. He showed he was good at the Dauphiné.” The Belgian squad also sets his sights particularly on stage 5 featuring the cobblestones including a pavé sector dedicated to his local rider Adrien Petit.

JUMBO-VISMA TO GO FOR GREEN AND GOLD
Jumbo-Visma also has multiple ambitions in the 109th Tour de France: the green jersey with Wout van Aert and the overall win with either Primoz Roglic or Jonas Vingegaard. “Going for the Maillot Jaune is the dream this group has been hunting for a couple of years already”, Van Aert explained. “I’ll contribute again but the green jersey takes energy as well. I’ve showed that I can as well help the team and go for stages. I’ll have more freedom to try and catch as many points as possible. It’s a good thing to have two captains for GC because some bad things like crashes can also happen. Wearing the yellow jersey myself at the beginning of the race has also been a big goal for me all season. I don’t want to give up on that with just a setback. I don’t really feel pain anymore but I have to be careful with my knee every day. It’s quite a technical course, a bit longer than a prologue and it suits me. I’m looking forward to this start in Denmark. The first time I rode in this country, I was surprised by the amount of people on the road sides. After two years, we can finally have a Grand Départ with huge crowds as it should be.”

MICHAEL MATTHEWS FORECASTS A VERY INTERESTING FIRST WEEK
Australia’s Michael Matthews gave some interesting comments regarding his seventh participation to the Tour de France and his new cooperation with Dylan Groenewegen at Team BikeExchange-Jayco: “The Tour de France has been a roller coaster for me, with lots of lows”, the fast man from Canberra said. “Right now I’m just excited to be back on the bike (Giant) I won the green jersey with (in 2017). But I’m not aiming for the green jersey this year. To win it, you have to go for every intermediate sprint and bunch sprint. With Dylan [Groenewegen] who is the fastest guy in the world at the moment, our goal is to try and assemble as many stage wins as possible. Ahead of the flat sprints, I’ll put him on the best position, on the undulated stages when it’s too hard for him, I’ll go for it. I also want to see on Friday how close I can be to the time trial specialists because I have the big goal to take the yellow jersey in one of the first few stages but many fast riders have the same goal and it’ll it a very interesting first week.”

GERAINT THOMAS COUNTS ON THE NUMBERS
One of the three Tour de France winners back in contention along with Chris Froome and Tadej Pogacar, Geraint Thomas, the 2018 victor, offered his views on the 109th edition. “In the past we had one of the big favourites coming into the start: Froome, Wiggins, myself, Egan…”, the Welshman said, “whereas now, Roglic, Pogacar, the MVPs for the last couple of years, are our rivals. In the end, men will be men. We’ve got a strong team, we will have numbers come certain moments of the race… and we hope to use them to our advantage. The vibe on the team is as good as ever. It’s been a good group and it’s the same now. We have a good atmosphere at the minute and we will try and enjoy a great Tour de France together.”

BEN O’CONNOR BEST OF THE REST?
Third of the recent Critérium du Dauphiné, Australia’s Ben O’Connor thus confirmed his fourth place at the Tour de France last year. “I wasn’t that far off the best riders of the world, so even though Primoz [Roglic] and Jonas [Vingegaard] were one step above, I’m maybe the best of the rest. Lots of things are going, so I might be at their level or even ahead of them at the end. I’m here to try because occasions like this are rare in a cycling career.

GROUPAMA-FDJ BEHIND DAVID GAUDU
Team boss Marc Madiot opened the Groupama-FDJ press conference with some news. “Earlier this year we said we were going to ride the Tour with three GC guys, David Gaudu, Thibaut Pinot and Michael Storer”, the Frenchman said. “But things have changed during the season and our sole leader is Gaudu. Pinot will be his garden angel in the mountains.” Clearly, the recent stage winner at the Tour de Suisse who finished third overall at the France back in 2014 and appeared like a potential winner in 2019 until he injured his knee before the Alps will target mountain stage wins and will alternatively support Gaudu. Pinot confirmed that he didn’t feel himself able to ride for GC this time around. The team’s ambitions are openly to place the Breton climber on the final podium. “Except for two or three Slovenians, everyone else is playable”, Madiot noted.

All information about the Tour de France on letour.com

Paula Patiño: „I know Colombia has its eyes on me“ (3/5)

25. Juni 2022Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, Tour de France, VorschauASO, Paula Patino, Plomi, Tour de FranceGerhard Plomitzer

IN THE PELOTON ….

From the 24th to the 31st July, we will be looking at a handful of favourites for the Maillot Jaune on the Super Planche-des-Belles-Filles. Nevertheless there are many riders amongst the 144 taking to the start-line that will be looking for their moment in the sun on this historic first edition. Let’s meet 5 champions with an ambition to shine.

Paula Patiño: „I know Colombia has its eyes on me“ (3/5)

From the heights of Antioquia, Paula Patiño has developed her climbing talents to shine in stage races and hilly classics alongside Annemiek van Vleuten, her leader in the Movistar Team Women outfit. The young Colombian, who grew up as a rider with Fernando Gaviria’s father and then discovered European racing in the UCI’s World Cycling Centre, returned home to prepare for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, where she will be the only rider from her country to chase the „sueño amarillo“ (the yellow dream).

Paula Patiño’s road to professionalism took a decisive turn with a one-year stay at the World Cycling Centre based in Aigle, Switzerland. It was „the best cycling school“ according to the young Colombian, who was then able to join Movistar. Fernando Gaviria represents the Colombian school of sprinting and was the first wearer of the Yellow Jersey of the Tour de France 2018 during his only participation. His father Hernando, at the helm of a cycling club in Antoquia, introduced Paula to competitive cycling. Rigoberto Uran has been a pioneer for the current generation of Colombian champions. He won a stage in 2017, the year he also stepped on the final podium (2nd). He’s also a mentor to Paula Patiño, who even shares training rides with Uran in Colombia.

Where do you prepare for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift?
I’m currently in La Ceja, Antioquia. It’s where I was born and where I’ve lived all my life. I return there when my race schedule allows me. This year, I returned very recently, after staying in Spain since January. I’ll go back to Europe on June 23rd, and it will soon be time for the Giro Rosa and then the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

Many Colombian cycling talents come from Antioquia…
It’s a great place to ride. For example, these days, I’ve seen Sergio Higuita a lot. We have a good relationship and he also trains in Eastern Antioquia. We often meet each other and, depending on our program, we ride together a bit. Dani Martinez is around here often too. He’s not from Anitoquia, but he lives there with his wife and their kids. And there’s Rigo Uran who is from the area. So I see those three a lot and we share some training rides. Antioquia also attracts many foreign riders.

What is so good about cycling in Antioquia?
I think it comes down to the landscape, the mountains and especially the altitude. I live 2.200m above the sea. And you can ride on the flat, hilly routes or into the mountains. Antioquia is also a region with very open people. So when foreigners come here, the people will always try to help them find their way and understand the language.

And you got into cycling with a local figure…
I started with Hernando Gaviria, who is the father of Fernando Gaviria. With my brothers, we were doing all sorts of sports with the municipality programs, and Hernando is the one that really pushed me towards cycling. He had a club and he saw that I could have a talent for this. But at first, I was telling him that I didn’t see it for myself, I was saying myself that it was too hard a sport for a girl. Women cycling wasn’t as visible as it is now, it was only the men’s races that would get broadcasted. I told him I didn’t think I could do it, that there wasn’t a future there. And he was convinced that he could train me and that I could be a great rider. So one day he came to my home with an iron bike and a helmet and he told me: „Tomorrow morning I expect you at 7 for a training ride.“ I couldn’t say no anymore. The next day, I was riding with the club and he trained me until the junior ranks.

We know the Colombian fans and how they wake up early to support their riders in Europe. What is your experience with the Tour de France?
With my two brothers, we loved all sports, but it was always cycling that got us more excited. We would get up for the Grand Tours, especially the Tour. And I think that’s something that really defines the Colombian people. We are very patriotic people and cycling runs in our veins. If there’s a Colombian to watch, we get up and support any Colombian. Here, my family and everyone, they love it when I’m in Europe. They wake up at 2 or 3 AM, whatever it takes to watch the race. I think it’s lovely and it says a lot about Colombians.

Who were the idols that got you to get out of bed?
In the men’s peloton, I’ve always admired Rigo, not only because he’s Colombian, but also for the way he is. He’s always very natural. On or off the bike, it doesn’t matter if things have been going his way or not, he’s always the same person. I love what he shows us and what he teaches us. About the women, I’ve always admired Anna van der Breggen, Marianne Vos and Annemiek van Vleuten for the type of riders they are and everything they’ve accomplished. I’ve been able to race with the first two and I’m a teammate with Annemiek. She’s a great leader. At first, we were all a bit stressed when she came, because she’s number 1 in the world ranking, and we had to be up to helping her. I think she’s happy, and we’re happy as well. We’ve learned a lot from her.

What does it mean to represent Colombia in this first Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift?
I’m immensely proud. It’s one of the biggest goals, one of the biggest dreams that I had for this year. When we got aware this would happen, we all wanted to be there. The Tour de France is the biggest cycling event in the world, so to have it for the women means a lot. It’s a big achievement. To represent Colombia makes me happy and I feel a responsibility as well. I know the country has its eyes on me, that people will be thinking: ‚There’s a Colombian, we hope it will work well for her, that she will do great.‘

The Giro Rosa is a reference in Paula’s young career: she finished 8th in the overall standings in the 2020 edition, won by Anna van der Breggen. The 2022 Vuelta a Andalucia was particularly successful for Movistar: while her Cuban teammate Arlenis Sierra won two stages and the general classification, Serbia’s Jelena Eric won the third stage, and Paula was rewarded for her efforts with the 4th place in the final hierarchy. The Spanish classic contested in Irurzun, in the Basque Country, saw Paula Patiño display her ability to shine in one-day races. She takes 3rd place here, just after her teammate Sarah Gigante victoriously concluded a breakaway.

Paula Patiño (Movistar Team Women)

Born on March 29, 1997 in La Ceja (Antioquia, Colombia)
Teams: UCI WCC Women’s Team (2018), Movistar Team Women (2019-2022)

Major results :
• 2018: 1 stage of the Tour of Colombia, 4th GP de Plumelec-Morbihan
• 2019: 18th La Course by Le Tour, 20th World Championships
• 2020: 8th Giro d’Italia Donne
• 2021: 2nd Colombia Nationals, 22nd Olympic Games
• 2022: 4th Vuelta a Andalucia, 3rd Emakumeen Nafarroako, 9th Itzulia Women

Particular sign: the only Colombian in the Women’s World Tour! In the ranks of Movistar Team Women, Paula Patiño has one Latin-American teammate, Cuba’s Arlenis Sierra, five Spanish companions, and one from France, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Serbia and Australia.

**************************************

Next episodes:
• Marta Cavalli (ITA / FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope)
• Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (ZAF / Teams SD Worx)

TOUR DE FRANCE FEMMES AVEC ZWIFT Episode 1+2

22. Juni 2022Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, Tour de France, VorschauASO, Chloe Dygert, Juliette Labous, Plomi, Tour de FranceGerhard Plomitzer

Episode 1/5 : Chloé Dygert: „The Tour is such a huge goal!“

IN THE PELOTON ….

One of the best track riders in recent years with seven World Champion titles and two Olympic medals, USA’s Chloé Dygert also aims to make the most of her raw power on the road. It started off in impressive fashion with the 2019 World Championships on the road, where she took the rainbow jersey in the time-trial and finished 4th of the road race. Since then, the 25-year-old star has suffered serious misfortunes with a crash in the roadside barriers at the 2020 Worlds and the Epstein-Barr virus earlier this season. Dygert says she’s been used to setbacks since she was a kid, and she’s always come back stronger. She’s now in her „last bit of rehab work“ as she aims to chase the Maillot Jaune next month with Canyon//Sram Racing.

Chloé Dygert stormed to the podiums as soon as she appeared on the international scene as a junior. A former basketball player, upset by injuries, she won the world championships in the United States in Richmond… in the time trial and in the road race. Her collection of titles and rainbow jerseys rapidly grew as she joined the Elite ranks, first on the track. In 2016, she became a world champion in the team pursuit in London. Among the many feats of her career on the track, Chloé Dygert broke the world record of the individual pursuit for the first time in 2018 at the world championships in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands. She has since improved it twice at the 2020 Worlds.

Almost three months after being diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus, how are you?
Every day is a new day. Sometimes I’ll have really good days, and other days feel like I took three steps back. It’s been a very frustrating process but I’m just trusting those around me as we’re doing everything we can with the team, USA Cycling and my doctors. I’m in Indiana right now and tomorrow [on June14th] I fly back to Colorado Springs to do my last bit of rehab work. I’m just taking it day by day and hoping I can overcome this soon because I still have a lot of things that I want to do this season. I planned at the beginning of the year to do Nationals, Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and the Worlds. So those are still on my list to accomplish. It’s just a matter of if my body can get there in time.

How do you hang on when you can’t be a rider?
I go back to my faith and I think of this being just God’s plan. And as much as I don’t agree with it all the time, I know that in the end I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing in his terms. I remember the first injury that I had when I was a little girl, it was a back injury. I’m very used to setbacks. It is frustrating, especially when I’m having to sit out for such a long period of time but I do think it’s an advantage to have been able to mentally overcome these physical setbacks. I struggle with it, every day, it’s not easy. But it also makes it easier when things go wrong on race days. Like, in the 2019 World Championships, when the time-trial was delayed because of the weather conditions, I remember it being such a huge deal for all the girls. For me, yes, it might have been a little bit frustrating, but I didn’t want it to affect me, because everybody is in the same boat. It’s just something that we have to adapt to and we have to overcome.

“I hope there’s gonna be time trials in the next years,
that it will just grow and become the all-time
best women’s event cycling can have.”

How did road racing enter your horizon?
I was bribed! I started mountain biking. And I was told: “If you do the Junior Nationals on the road, you can use your brother’s wheels on your mountain bike”. I was like: “Yeah! Ok, I’ll go.” That’s how I got into road, and then I went to the junior Worlds in 2015, the year before the Rio Olympics. USA Cycling had access to all my data and everything, and with that, I was put in touch with Andy Sparks at the time, the coach on the track, and he invited me out for a camp, just to see where I’d fit in and how I would perform. It got me to Rio and now I’m a dual discipline athlete.

Were you also following the sport as a fan?
I was more interested in doing things rather than watching them! In America, when you think of cycling, when you don’t know anything about it, you think of the Tour de France! So the fact that now we have a Women’s Tour de France is a huge accomplishment.

So have you been talking about the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift with your father?
Of course! I’ve been talking about it with everybody! It’s such a huge goal! It’s a goal for all these women to be part of the first ever Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. It’s a huge step forward for all of us and I hope this is just the benchmark, the starting ground to what it’s gonna become. I hope there’s gonna be time trials in the next years, that it will just grow and become the all-time best women’s event cycling can have.

The eight stages will bring different types of challenges. How do you approach them?
We have a super strong team, so if I’m there I’m gonna do what’s good for me but also for the team. If that means I work for the team the whole time, that’s what I’m gonna do. This is such a huge opportunity. Being on the top step, it doesn’t matter if it’s me or someone else wearing our colours. It would be such an honour to be part of it and help us go for that Maillot Jaune.

How do your abilities on the track translate on the road?
I do enjoy being in a peloton and I always set my standards high. Everybody makes it sound that it’s such a hard thing, being in the peloton. I actually was told that I probably wouldn’t make it in the front group in my first European race, and that was the World Championships in Yorkshire. Lizzie Deignan said, and it stuck with me: “You either have that instinct or you don’t.” I think I have been blessed with… I know in my head where I should go. Sometimes it doesn’t always work, but at least I know. I can’t wait to race more because I do have the confidence in my performance, I do have the confidence in my training, I know I have the strength to accomplish the goals that I want to accomplish. It’s about getting the experience, the time on the bike, with the team, and really learning how to work as a team and focusing on that dynamic to pull together the win.

Chloé’s power extends to the road with a bang in 2019. At the world championships in Yorkshire, she won the time trial ahead of Anna van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten. In the road race, she finished just off the podium (4th). Chloé’s winning streak came to a halt at the Imola Worlds in 2020, when a violent crash prevented her from completing her race towards another rainbow jersey. The consequences of her injuries then disrupted her 2021 season. After a long period of interruption, the American rider was able to resume competition at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She left with 7th place in the individual time trial… and also a bronze medal on the track.

Chloé Dygert (Canyon//Sram Racing)
Born on January 1, 1997 in Brownsburg (Indiana, United States of America)
Teams: Twenty16-Ridebiker (2015-2016), Twenty20 Pro Cycling (2017-2020), Canyon//Sram Racing (2021-2022)

Major results :
• 2015: junior World champion in the road race and the ITT
• 2016: World champion in the team pursuit, silver medalist in the team pursuit at the Olympic Games
• 2017: World champion in the individual and team pursuits, Pan American champion in the ITT
• 2018: World champion in the individual and team pursuits
• 2019: World champion in the ITT, Pan American champion in the ITT, winner of Joe Martin Stage Race
• 2020: World champion in the individual and team pursuits
• 2021: USA champion in the ITT, bronze medalist in the team pursuit at the Olympic Games

Distinctive sign: with 1m75 and 67 kg, Chloé Dygert is easily noticed, even when she does not wear a rainbow jersey. “I will never climb better than girls who are 50 pounds lighter than me but I do everything to be the best rider possible.”

Juliette Labous: „I feel the pressure mounting“ (2/5)

As one of France’s promising up-and-coming cyclists since the junior category, Juliette Labous has been rising a little higher each year in the hierarchy of the best female climbers. At 23 years of age, she carries on her shoulders the greatest French hopes for a good result in the general classification, provided she is chosen by her DSM team, which is not in doubt. She feels ready to aim for the Top 5 in this first Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, a year after she finished seventh in the Giro Rosa. The Bisonta native has just gotten a boost of confidence after winning her first World Tour race, the Tour of Burgos, in mid-May, just before her training stage in Tignes (25 May to 15 June).

BMX, mountain biking, cyclocross… Juliette Labous experimented on all types of terrain before becoming a professional on a road bike. In the youth categories, she was even one of the winners.
It was in the mud of the French championships in Pont-Château that Juliette Labous won her first tricolour jersey, then in the junior category. Still, in the junior category, it was then on a global scale that Juliette Labous made her mark, with a bronze medal in the time trial at the 2016 Doha Worlds.
You were born in Besançon and have always lived in the area, but Labous is a Breton surname (pronounce the S), and it was in Finistère, in Kerlouan, that your brother taught you how to ride a bicycle on the paved terrace of a gîte.
Yes, I must have been three years old. I remember falling into a flower pot! There were a few falls, but then it was all over, and I’ve never stopped since. Every summer, we spent a week in Finistère. My paternal grandfather is from there. But otherwise, I’m franc-comtoise!

You have a sister, ten years older, and a brother, five years older. It was thanks to him that you developed a passion for cycling.
Yes, Quentin made me want to do it. I followed him everywhere. He was my role model! Quentin started with BMX, and I followed him. It was the same for mountain biking and then for the road. Our parents supported us but never pushed us. One day they brought in trucks to lay down soil to turn our garden into a mini-BMX track!

Your brother stopped his studies at 18 to give himself a chance to go pro.
Yes, school no longer suited him. It was now or never, but it didn’t work out, but it could have.

By achieving this yourself, do you feel fulfilling a dream for two?
A little bit. Yes and no. My brother taught me a lot and always gave me the right advice. He wasn’t lucky enough to meet the right people and for everything to go smoothly, which was my case.

You were trained at the Besançon hopefuls centre, under the supervision of Matthieu Nadal, before joining the professional ranks as soon as you left the juniors with your current team. Was this the very first team to contact you?
Yes, they did after the Richmond Worlds, when I was a J1. The team’s sporting director had contacted me on Facebook. I didn’t know at first if it was real! He arranged for me to do training camps at the beginning of J2, and our relationship developed naturally. They took youngsters to the „Talent Days“ scouting camp every year. It went well, and I won a stage at Albstadt in the Nations Cup. After that, they said to me: „You are welcome in the team!” FDJ contacted me, but it was practically a done deal with Liv-Plantur (the former name of Sunweb and Team DSM). I wanted to join them because they were a foreign team, and I wanted to experience the Dutch cycling culture. It was a dream; there was little question about it.

At the time, Marianne Vos was a particular inspiration to you.
Yes, because she won everything! Women’s cycling didn’t get much media coverage in those days. In the few races we saw, it was her or Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. Julie Bresset also inspired me with her Olympic title in London (in mountain biking). I had my idols in BMX when I was younger, like Laetitia le Corguillé. I took a photo with her when I was very young. I ran into Laetitia again two years ago during a seminar in Dijon. She and I took another picture together and had a good laugh. I learned that she had named her daughter Juliette!

As a child, could you identify with the male riders watching the Tour?
No, not really. I liked watching, but as there were no girls, I couldn’t say I wanted to do it. It was like becoming a professional; the idea didn’t come until later. But I went to see the Tour when it passed by my place. It happened two or three times. I remember the time trial in Besançon in 2012. We went to ride the day before to try to see the pros! It left an impression on me. There is another thing too: during a training camp with the Franche-Comté committee, Sandrine Guironnet took us to see the Route de France in Arc-et-Senans… I recently spoke to Evita Muzic about it because she was there too. Watching all those female teams motivated me. I had the impression that they were pros, even if, at the time, this was not the case.

You will be the best French chance for the general classification, to aim for a top 5. How do you feel about the pressure you’ll be under with a month left to go before the race?
I can feel it starting to mount. I am hearing more about it from the general public to those around me, but I think I’m ready for it. I was the only representative at the Olympics last year, where I was already feeling the pressure. Generally speaking, it’s not something that holds me back. It doesn’t scare me too much.

Have you talked with Romain Bardet about this? He has been in this role for a long time and has also ridden for Team DSM since last year?
No, but there would indeed be something to talk about! We talk sometimes. It was complicated last year because of Covid and the bubbles to be respected. At the last meeting with the men’s team, we had a good chat with all the French riders, including the newcomers, Romain Combaud and Léa Curinier.

Do you have any idea what your friends and family have in store for you for the two stages in the Vosges? La Planche des Belles Filles is only 100 kilometres from Besançon.
No, but I think there will be a lot of people! It’s going to be something special.

Do you have a fan club?
No, not officially!
But you can count on the support of your parents. Your brother told us that they have said they only want to follow a few stages. But he thinks they are lying and will, in fact, do the whole thing!
It’s not impossible! I don’t think they will be there in Paris, it’s a bit difficult, even if only logistically. I believe they will be too eager to come after watching a stage or two on TV. They have already deviated from their initial plan! At first, they were only talking about the last three stages. They are starting to say they could come and help the team on the white paths of the fourth stage!

Juliette Labous‘ climbing skills coexist perfectly with her riding abilities. For example, she beat Audrey Cordon-Ragot and Aude Biannic in the French time trial championships in 2020. In 2021, Juliette Labous confirmed her ability to compete with the best in the time trial: 9th at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, then 6th at the World Championships in Bruges. The Flèche Wallonne is one of Juliette Labous‘ favourite events. In 2021, she finished 6th at the top of the Mur de Huy.

Juliette Labous (Team DSM)
Born 4 November 1998 at Besançon (France)
Teams: Sunweb (2017 to 2020), Team DSM (2021-2022)

Major results :
• 2014: French Cadette Road Champion
• 2015: French junior Time Trial champion, 4th in the European Junior Championship, French Junior Cyclo-Cross Champion.
• 2016: French Junior Time Trial and Road Race Champion, 3rd in the European and World Time Trial Championships.
• 2017: 4th overall Tour de Feminin
• 2018: French U23 Time Trial champion, 7th overall Tour de Yorkshire
• 2019: 1st Young Rider Classification Giro Rosa (11th overall), 3rd Overall Tour de Bretagne
• 2020: French Elite and U23 Time Trial Champion, 6th in the European Time Trial Championship, 8th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes
• 2021: 2nd overall Women’s Tour, 6th Flèche Wallonne Femmes and World Time Trial Championship, 7th overall Giro Rosa, 9th in the Tokyo Olympic Games Time Trial
• 2022: 1st overall Vuelta a Burgos, 5th overall Flèche Brabançonne, 11th overall Trofeo Binda and Amstel Gold Race, 12th overall Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes

Particular sign: Gifted at school, little Juliette Labous skipped a grade (CE1) and dreamed of becoming an astrophysicist. She had a map of the constellations projected onto her bedroom ceiling, and during clear nights, she observed the stars through a telescope.

Next episodes:
• Paula Patiño (COL / Movistar Team Women)
• Marta Cavalli (ITA / FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope)
• Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (ZAF / Teams SD Worx)

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Team Selection

30. März 2022Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, Tour de France, VorschauASO, Plomi, Tour de France FemmesGerhard Plomitzer

@ASO

The organisers of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift have selected the teams for the first edition. The start will be given from the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Sunday 24 July and the finish judged at the Super Planche des Belles Filles in the Haute-Saône department on Sunday 31 July after eight stages.

In accordance with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) regulations, the fourteen UCI Women’s WorldTeams automatically entered are:

Canyon / / SRAM Racing (GER)
EF Education – Tibco – SVB (USA)
FDJ Nouvelle – Aquitaine Futuroscope (FRA)
Human Powered Health (USA)
Liv Racing Xstra (NED)
Movistar Team Women (ESP)
Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad (SUI)
Team BikeExchange – Jayco (AUS)
Team DSM (NED)
Team Jumbo – Visma (NED)
Team SD Worx (NED)
Trek – Segafredo (USA)
UAE Team ADQ (UAE)
Uno-X Pro Cycling Team (NOR)

Furthermore, the three best 2021 UCI Women’s Continental teams will participate by right at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift:

Ceratizit – WNT Pro Cycling Team (GER)
Parkhotel Valkenburg (NED)
Valcar – Travel & Service (ITA)

The organisers have invited the seven following teams:

AG Insurance – NXTG Team (NED)
Arkéa Pro Cycling Team (FRA)
Cofidis Women Team (FRA)
Le Col Wahoo (GBR)
Plantur – Pura (BEL)
Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime (FRA)
St Michel – Auber 93 (FRA)

TdF 2022 route: one for the attackers

16. Oktober 2021Etappenrennen, Tour de France, Vorschau109. Tour de France, ASO, PlomiGerhard Plomitzer

Key points:
 The route of the 109th Tour de France, scheduled for the 1st to the 24th July 2022, has been unveiled in its traditional venue in Paris. The Palais des Congrès again opened its doors to thousands, including the reigning champion, Tadej Pogačar, the joint record holder for most stage wins, Mark Cavendish, and two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe.
 The big hitters of the next Tour discovered a route filled with opportunities to go on the attack on every terrain following the Grand Départ in Copenhagen. The mountains will then set the stage for a series of showdowns to decide who gets to take the yellow jersey home, including the Super Planche des Belles Filles in the Vosges department, the Col du Granon and Alpe d’Huez to wrap up the Alpine chapter of the race, before Peyragudes and the Hautacam in the Pyrenees, where the climbers will have the chance to set the race alight.
 In a historic first, riders from the women’s peloton attended the ceremony to witness the birth of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. The race director, Marion Rousse, announced that the inaugural edition of the race will start on 24th July, heading east before finishing on the Super Planche des Belles Filles on 31st July.

As the world of cycling looks forward to the 2022 Tour de France, the powerful scenes from the previous edition are still fresh in the mind. In the first week, viewers were treated to a no-holds-barred contest from riders who have made their mark on cycling’s current era thanks to their aggressive racing style. Riders such as Julian Alaphilippe, Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert set the tone and inspire the rest of the peloton to follow their example with their victorious escapades. There will be plenty of opportunities for them and the rest to go on the attack throughout the Tour, starting with the Danish stages, where the masters of echelons will be right in their element in the 18 km crossing of the Baltic Sea, coming after a time trial for power riders in Copenhagen, the world capital of cycling, and before the sprint stage that will cap the Scandinavian adventure in Sønderborg.

The peloton will return to French soil in the Nord department. Next up, an exhausting ride to Calais, a serving of Roubaix cobblestones, a launch pad for punchers in Longwy and the first clash between the crown pretenders at La Planche des Belles Filles, this time in its „Super“ version. Unless the weather turns the race into a war of attrition, the 2022 Tour offers mountain goats a prestigious path to the overall title. The Alps will start with a summit finish on the Col du Granon, 2,413 metres above sea level, on the same road that Bernard Hinault wore the yellow jersey for the last time in his career back in 1986, followed by a carbon copy of the stage from Briançon to the Alpe d’Huez, won by the Frenchman after crossing the finish line hand in hand with Greg LeMond. On the way to the Pyrenees, the Saint-Étienne and Carcassone stages have „sprint finish“ written all over them, unlike the one to Mende. At this point, the bell will call the leaders back into their mountain rings. Tadej Pogačar could soar on the ascent to Peyragudes after the Col d’Aspin and the Hourquette d’Ancizan have softened up the legs of the contenders. Regardless of whether he is in yellow by this point, the reigning champion will have to tame his rivals on the road to Hautacam, which will offer no respite with the climbs up the Aubisque and the Col de Spandelles, making its debut in the race. The final time trial will also enter uncharted waters with its finish on the Rocamadour promontory. It will be time to see where everyone stands… 24 hours later, it’ll be time to celebrate the winner on the Champs-Élysées. A new adventure will then begin with the women in the spotlight.

BE HINAULT FOR A DAY ON THE 2022 L’ÉTAPE DU TOUR DE FRANCE
The 30th edition of the L’Étape du Tour de France will be held on 10th July 2022 on the same course as the Tour de France’s 12th stage, stretching for 170 km from Briançon to Alpe d’Huez, featuring the Galibier and the Croix de Fer for a total altitude gain of 4,700 metres.
The cyclosportive event’s fourth finish at Alpe d’Huez is steeped in historical symbolism, as the course is a carbon copy of the 1986 trek from Briançon to Alpe d’Huez on which Bernard Hinault took his final Tour de France stage win.
Registration opens on the timeto.com platform at 4 pm on Monday 18th October. You will need to follow a rigorous training regimen to overcome this extraordinary challenge and raise your arms in celebration in Alpe d’Huez.

More information about Tour de France 2022 on www.letour.fr/en/

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2022

15. Oktober 2021Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, Tour de France, VorschauASO, Discovery, Eurosport, Plomi, Tour de France FemmesGerhard Plomitzer

WRITING HISTORY WITH THE TOUR DE FRANCE FEMMES AVEC ZWIFT

Key points:
 Race director Marion Rousse presented the inaugural edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, scheduled for 24th to 31st July 2022, at the Palais des Congrès in Paris this morning.
 The eight stages that make up the event capture the essence of cycling past, present and future, from the Champs-Élysées, where the opening stage will be decided right before the men’s Tour de France comes to a close, all the way to the Super Planche des Belles Filles, not to mention the Ballon d’Alsace and a white gravel road stage in the vineyards of Champagne.

„We will be looking back on this in 100 years“, said an enthusiastic Marion Rousse, aware of the historic significance of the birth of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Indeed, the minds that drew up the route of this watershed event in women’s cycling turned to the legacy of the Grande Boucle for inspiration. The guiding principle of this eight-stage race is to honour the past of the event whilst looking forward to the future and staying true to the standards of the present. The show will get on the road on the Champs-Élysées, which has hosted the final stage of the Tour since 1975 and where the first bouquet will be awarded to whoever wins there on 24th July. A sprint finish is on the cards on the next day in Provins, so the yellow jersey could jump from rider to rider in a merry-go-round, not least because the wearer will also have to defend it on the stage to Épernay… held on the same puncheur-friendly terrain where Julian Alaphilippe lit up the Tour in 2019.
The next stage has something new in store in the heart of the vineyards of Champagne: white gravel roads of the sort that often animate the men’s races, including Paris–Tours and stages over the Plateau des Glières. Halfway through the Tour, Bar-sur-Aube will provide an opportunity to take stock of the situation. The peloton could change tack as it delves deeper into eastern France, starting with a trek through the Alsatian vineyards that will leave breakaway specialists licking their lips. The stage 7 finish at the top of Markstein, in contrast, is one for the mountain goats: the Petit Ballon–Platzerwasel–Grand Ballon sequence will be a Vosges classic of sorts. The closing stage will cram in several hallowed sites of cycling, where legends have been written in every era, from René Pottier, the first rider to go over the Ballon d’Alsace in the 1905 Tour to Tadej Pogačar, who turned the 2020 edition on its head on La Planche des Belles Filles. The women of the class of 2022 will be tackling the „Super“ version of the climb, which is one kilometre longer and will set the stage for the climactic showdown.

The eight stages of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift:

Sunday 24 July
Stage 1: Paris Eiffel Tower > Paris Champs-Élysées, 82 km
Monday 25 July
Stage 2: Meaux > Provins, 135 km
Tuesday 26 July
Stage 3: Reims > Épernay, 133 km
Wednesday 27 July
Stage 4: Troyes > Bar-sur-Aube, 126 km
Thursday 28 July
Stage 5: Bar-le-Duc > Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, 175 km
Friday 29 July
Stage 6: Saint-Dié-des-Vosges > Rosheim, 128 km
Saturday 30 July
Stage 7: Sélestat > Le Markstein, 127 km
Sunday 31 July
Stage 8: Lure > Super Planche des Belles Filles, 123 km

Frauen-Radsport: Discovery Sports präsentiert die “Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift” den Zuschauern in ganz Europa

• Neue exklusive Rechtevereinbarung für mehr als 50 Märkte: Eurosport, GCN+ und discovery+ zeigen die erste “Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift” in ganz Europa
• Langfristige Vereinbarung umfasst Live-Berichterstattung von Paris-Roubaix Femmes als Teil des erweiterten Angebots im Frauen-Radsport
• Zusätzliche Rennen stärken die Position von Discovery Sports als „Home of Cycling“ – schon 2021 wurden alle Rennen der UCI Women’s World Tour übertragen

Radsport-Fans in ganz Europa können sich ab 2022 auf ein neues Highlight freuen. Discovery Sports macht die “Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift” einem breiten Publikum auf dem gesamten Kontinent zugänglich. Darauf einigten sich Discovery Sports und Eurovision Sport am Donnerstag.
Im kommenden Jahr wird auf den Champs-Élysées Geschichte geschrieben, wenn die erste Auflage mit exklusiver Berichterstattung für Zuschauer in mehr als 50 Märkten in ganz Europa* (außer Frankreich) über das Sender- und Plattformportfolio von Discovery Sports, einschließlich Eurosport, sowie im Streaming über die Eurosport-App, das Global Cycling Network mit GCN+ und discovery+ beginnt. Wenn die besten Fahrerinnen der Welt um das Gelbe Trikot kämpfen, können die Zuschauer:innen auf den Abo-Streaming-Plattformen von Discovery Sports live, ohne Unterbrechung und werbefrei bei jeder Etappe dabei sein. Darüber hinaus gibt es nach dem Rennen lokale Highlights und Analyse-Shows mit Einblicken von den besten Experten im Radsport**.
Der langfristige Vertrag, der bis 2025 läuft, macht es möglich, dass Discovery Sports die UCI Women’s World Tour weiterhin Millionen von Zuschauern in ganz Europa zugänglich machen kann. Damit baut Discovery Sports sein umfassendes Radsportangebot aus dem Jahr 2021 weiter aus, in dem es den Fans alle Rennen der Women’s World Tour präsentierte. Discovery Sports hat sich auf die Fahnen geschrieben, die Berichterstattung über die Elite-Rennen der Männer und Frauen ausgewogen zu gestalten und die Fans für ein breites Spektrum an Sportarten und Athlet:innen zu begeistern.
Die Vereinbarung mit Eurovision Sport umfasst auch die exklusiven Rechte*** für die Übertragung des Eintagesrennens Paris-Roubaix Femmes in ganz Europa bis 2025. Anfang Oktober diesen Jahres war die erste Auflage des Rennen bereits auf den Sendern und Plattformen von Discovery Sports zu sehen.
Die acht Etappen der Tour de France Femmes finden vom 24. bis 31. Juli statt und beginnen zeitgleich mit dem Abschluss der Tour de France der Männer in Paris. Die mit Spannung erwartete Strecke der “Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2022” wird vom Veranstalter Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) am heutigen Donnerstag offiziell vorgestellt.
Guy Voisin, Director of Cycling bei Discovery Sports: „Die erste Auflage der ‘Tour de France Femmes’ hat lange auf sich warten lassen und wir sind überglücklich, dass wir mit Eurovision Sport eine Vereinbarung treffen konnten, die garantiert, dass jede Etappe live und auf Abruf über unsere Sender und Plattformen zu sehen sein wird.
Wir haben es uns zur Aufgabe gemacht, in mehr Weltklasse-Frauenrennen zu investieren, weil es einfach großartiger Sport ist, der Radsport so weiter wachsen kann und wir die Erwartungen unserer Zuschauer auf allen Ebenen erfüllen können. Wir werden unser umfassendes Radsport-Know-how und unsere Reichweite nutzen, um die Berichterstattung einem möglichst breiten Publikum in ganz Europa zugänglich zu machen und damit die Potenziale des Sports voll auszuschöpfen.“
Discovery Sports bietet den Fans nicht nur Live-Übertragungen von allen Rennen der UCI Women’s World Tour, sondern auch von allen großen Landesrundfahrten und Monumenten im Straßenradsports sowie von allen großen Welt- und Europameisterschaften in den Bereichen Cyclo-Cross, Mountainbike, BMX und Urban Cycling sowie die von Discovery Sports Events organisierte UCI Track Champions League.
—

UCI Women’s World Tour schedule live in Europe on Eurosport, GCN+ and discovery+ (in available markets):
Stage races:
• 5-7 May: Tour of Chongming Island, China
• 13-15 May: Itzulia Women, Spain
• 19-22 May: Vuelta a Burgos, Spain
• 27-29 May: RideLondon Classique, Great Britain
• 6-11 June: Women’s Tour, Great Britain
• 1-10 July: Giro d’Italia Donne, Italy
• 24-31 July: Tour de France Femmes, France
• 9-14 August: Battle of the North, Norway
• 30 Aug – 4 Sept: Boels Ladies Tour, Netherlands
• 8-11 September: Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta, Spain
One-day races:
• 5 March: Strade Bianche, Italy
• 13 March: Ronde van Drenthe, Netherlands
• 20 March: Trofeo Alfredo Binda, Italy
• 24 March: Oxyclean Classic Brugge-De Panne, Belgium
• 27 March: Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields, Belgium
• 3 April: Ronde van Vlaanderen, Tour des Flandres, Belgium
• 10 April: Paris-Roubaix, France
• 17 April: Amstel Gold Race, Netherlands
• 20 April: La Flèche Wallonne, Belgium
• 24 April: Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Belgium
• 6 August: Postnord Vargarda TTT, Sweden
• 7 August: Postnord Vargarda RR, Sweden
• 27 August: GP Lorient Agglomération-Trophée Ceratizit, France
• 18 October: Tour of Guangxi, China

108. Tour de France – Etappe 21 Zielankunft Paris

18. Juli 2021Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Teamnews, Tour de France108. Tour de France, ASO, Bora-Hansgrohe, Herbert Moos, Jumbo-Visma, Plomi, Tadej Pogacar, UAE Team Emirates, Wout van AertGerhard Plomitzer

Photo by HERBERT MOOS

Chatou – Paris/Champs-Élysées (108,4 km)

Photo by HERBERT MOOS

1 WOUT VAN AERT (JUMBO – VISMA) 02h 39′ 37“
2 JASPER PHILIPSEN (ALPECIN – FENIX) + 00h 00′ 00“
3 MARK CAVENDISH (DECEUNINCK – QUICK – STEP) + 00h 00′ 00“
4 LUKA MEZGEC (TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE) + 00h 00′ 00“
5 ANDRÉ GREIPEL (ISRAEL START-UP NATION) + 00h 00′ 00“
6 DANNY VAN POPPEL (INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATERIAUX) + 00h 00′ 00“
7 MICHAEL MATTHEWS (TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE) + 00h 00′ 00“
8 ALEX ARANBURU DEBA (ASTANA – PREMIER TECH) + 00h 00′ 00“
9 CYRIL BARTHE (B&B HOTELS P/B KTM) + 00h 00′ 00“
10 MAXIMILIAN RICHARD WALSCHEID (TEAM QHUBEKA NEXTHASH) + 00h 00′ 00“

Endstand:
1 TADEJ POGACAR (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 82h 56′ 36“
2 JONAS VINGEGAARD (JUMBO – VISMA) + 00h 05′ 20“
3 RICHARD CARAPAZ (INEOS GRENADIERS) + 00h 07′ 03“
4 BEN O’CONNOR (AG2R CITROEN TEAM) + 00h 10′ 02“
5 WILCO KELDERMAN (BORA – HANSGROHE) + 00h 10′ 13“
6 ENRIC MAS (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 00h 11′ 43“
7 ALEXEY LUTSENKO (ASTANA – PREMIER TECH) + 00h 12′ 23“
8 GUILLAUME MARTIN (COFIDIS) + 00h 15′ 33“
9 PEIO BILBAO (BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS) + 00h 16′ 04“
10 RIGOBERTO URAN (EF EDUCATION – NIPPO) + 00h 18′ 34“
11 DAVID GAUDU (GROUPAMA – FDJ) + 00h 21′ 50“
12 MATTIA CATTANEO (DECEUNINCK – QUICK – STEP) + 00h 24′ 58“
13 JHOAN ESTEBAN CHAVES (TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE) + 00h 37′ 48“
14 LOUIS MEINTJES (INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATERIAUX) + 00h 38′ 09“
15 AURÉLIEN PARET PEINTRE (AG2R CITROEN TEAM) + 00h 39′ 09′

Endstand Punktewertung
1 MARK CAVENDISH (DECEUNINCK – QUICK – STEP) 337 PTS
2 MICHAEL MATTHEWS (TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE) 291 PTS
3 SONNY COLBRELLI (BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS) 227 PTS
4 JASPER PHILIPSEN (ALPECIN – FENIX) 216 PTS
5 WOUT VAN AERT (JUMBO – VISMA) 171 PTS

Endstand Bergwertung
1 TADEJ POGACAR (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 107 PTS
2 WOUTER POELS (BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS) 88 PTS
3 JONAS VINGEGAARD (JUMBO – VISMA) 82 PTS
4 WOUT VAN AERT (JUMBO – VISMA) 68 PTS
5 NAIRO QUINTANA (TEAM ARKEA – SAMSIC) 66 PTS

Kämpferischster Fahrer
FRANCK BONNAMOUR (B&B HOTELS P/B KTM)

Endstand Mannschaftswertung
1 BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 249h 16′ 47“
2 EF EDUCATION – NIPPO + 00h 19′ 12“
3 JUMBO – VISMA + 01h 11′ 35“
4 INEOS GRENADIERS + 01h 27′ 10“
5 AG2R CITROEN TEAM + 01h 31′ 54“
6 BORA – HANSGROHE + 01h 36′ 44“

Erfolgreiche Tour für BORA – hansgrohe geht an der Champs-Élysées zu Ende: Kelderman am Ende Fünfter der Gesamtwertung

Traditionell endet die 21. und letzte Etappe der Tour de France auf der Champs-Élysées in Paris. Nach dem Start in Chatou ließ es das Peloton locker angehen und es war Zeit für das eine oder andere Siegerfoto. Als Paris erreicht war, begann auch der Kampf um den letzten Sieg, denn erst acht Teams konnten in diesem Jahr eine Etappe gewinnen. BORA – hansgrohe war mit zwei Tagessiegen und Rang fünf in der Gesamtwertung durch Wilco Kelderman eine der erfolgreichsten Mannschaften. Dennoch wollte sich das Team aus Raubling auch heute noch einmal entsprechend präsentieren und fuhr erneut ein aggressives Rennen. Immer wieder attackierten vor allem Konrad und Schelling und versuchten auch im Finale den Sprintern ein Schnippchen zu schlagen. Dies gelang aber nicht und am Ende holte W. Van Aert den letzten Tagessieg. Nach mehr als 3400 Kilometern und drei Wochen konnte BORA – hansgrohe dennoch das Ende einer sehr erfolgreichen Tour de France feiern.

Von der Ziellinie

„Ich bin glücklich mit dem fünften Platz und vor allem zufrieden mit meiner Leistung über die drei Wochen. Das gesamte Team hat mich großartig unterstützt, jeder hat einen tollen Job gemacht und der Teamgeist war einfach großartig. Ich denke, das war der Schlüssel zum Erfolg, denn obwohl es eine harte Tour war und wir auch einige Rückschläge zu verkraften hatten, hatten wir Spaß und jeder war für den anderen da. Am Ende war es eine sehr erfolgreiche Tour für BORA – hansgrohe und ich bin stolz, dass ich dazu beitragen konnte. Normalerweise habe ich ein oder zwei super Tage während einer Grand Tour, das hat diesmal vielleicht gefehlt. Es ist schwer zu sagen, woran das gelegen hat, aber generell habe ich schon den einen oder anderen Punkt im Kopf, den wir noch verbessern können. Es ist noch Luft nach oben und ich bin heiß darauf, da gemeinsam mit dem Team konsequent weiterzuarbeiten. Ich fühle mich hier sehr wohl und bin sicher, dass wir auch in Zukunft erfolgreich sein können.“ – Wilco Kelderman

„Es war eine sehr erfolgreiche Tour für uns und wir sind wirklich sehr zufrieden. Diese Tour war sicherlich speziell, der aggressive Fahrstil, die Intensität hat den Fahrern alles abverlangt, war für die Zuseher aber richtig attraktiv. Wir haben da auch einiges beigetragen, waren in vielen Gruppen und so gut wie immer vorne vertreten. Natürlich war es ein harter Rückschlag, als Peter die Tour mit einer Knieverletzung verlassen musste, aber die Mannschaft hat sich nicht hängen lassen, sondern hat die richtige Antwort gefunden, darauf bin ich sehr stolz. Wir haben mit Nils und Patrick zwei Etappen gewonnen, aber vor allem die Art und Weise, wie wir diese Etappen gewonnen haben, war beeindruckend. Dann hatten wir zu Beginn der Tour ja auch noch eine Woche lang das Bergtrikot durch Ide, auch das darf man nicht vergessen. Als Tourneuling war vor allem die Emotion beeindruckend, mit der er drei Tage lang in jeder Gruppe um die Punkte gekämpft hat. In der Gesamtwertung war unser Ziel die Top-Fünf und am Ende hat auch das geklappt. Wilco war über drei Wochen einer der konstantesten Fahrer und immer vorne dabei, obwohl er nicht immer vom Glück verfolgt war und einige Stürze zu verkraften hatte. Da hat er viel Moral bewiesen, sich nie hängen lassen und wurde am Ende belohnt. Um das alles zu erreichen, haben wir als Team zusammengearbeitet und sind füreinander eingestanden. Das war schön zu sehen und jeder einzelne hat einen super Job gemacht. Da kann man als Teamchef nur Danke sagen.“ – Ralph Denk, Team Manager

Van Aert and Pogacar triumph in Paris

Belgian champion Wout van Aert managed to win the bunch gallop of the Champs-Élysées after he took the Mont Ventoux stage and the time trial in the vineyard of Saint-Émilion, bagging the last two stages of the 108th Tour de France ahead of his compatriot Jasper Philipsen and Mark Cavendish. The Briton however won the points classification ten years after his first time. Tadej Pogacar won the Tour de France overall for the second time with Jonas Vingegaard and Richard Carapaz rounding out the podium.

Attacks by trios
141 riders took the start of stage 21 in Chatou at 16.39. One non-starter: Jakob Fuglsang (Astana). Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) took the only KOM point available at côte des Grès (km 7) to enter the 63-man strong climbers’ classification. The riders covered 30.8km in the first hour of racing. The race truly started after Pogacar passed the line on the Champs-Élysées along with his whole team with 52km remaining. Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-Nippo), Casper Pedersen (DSM) and Harry Sweeny (Lotto-Soudal) created the first breakaway of the day. Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe) caught up with them to make it a leading quartet. Pedersen was first to drop down.

One last Champs-Elysées feeling for Philippe Gilbert
It was bunched up again 32km before the end. Another leading trio was formed at the initiative of Ide Schelling (Bora-Hansgrohe) with superstars Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step) and Philippe Gilbert (Lotto-Soudal) joining him at the front. Gilbert enjoyed his last ride on the Champs-Elysées as he announced this is his last Tour. With 27km to go, it was the turn of Brent Van Moer (Lotto-Soudal) and Michael Valgren (EF Education-Nippo) to pedal at the front with Schelling. They got no more than 25’’ lead over the bunch led by Deceuninck-Quick Step.

Third stage win for van Aert
With the help of Cyril Gautier, Franck Bonnamour (B&B) tried to bridge the gap by himself but it didn’t work out. It was bunched up with 6km to go in the last lap as Ineos Grenadiers made the last effort to bring Van Moer, Valgren and Schelling back. Deceuninck-Quick Step kept the peloton under control but van Aert, propelled by Mike Teunissen, launched his sprint earlier and fended off Philipsen and Cavendish to take his third stage win in the 108th Tour de France. He’s the tenth Belgian to impose himself on the Champs-Elysées (since 1975). By beating Cavendish, he maintained his compatriot Eddy Merckx on top of the tally of all-time stage winners, along with the Manxman (34). Pogacar is the first double Tour de France overall winner at the age of only 23.

108. Tour de France – Etappe 20 EZF

17. Juli 2021Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Teamnews, Tour de France, Zeitfahren108. Tour de France, ASO, Bora-Hansgrohe, Herbert Moos, Jumbo-Visma, Plomi, Tadej Pogacar, UAE Team Emirates, Wout van AertGerhard Plomitzer

Libourne – Saint-Emilion ITT – 31 Km

Photo by HERBERT MOOS

1 VAN AERT Wout BEL JUMBO – VISMA 00:35:53
2 ASGREEN Kasper DEN DECEUNINCK – QUICK – STEP 00:21
3 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO – VISMA 00:32
4 KÜNG Stefan SUI GROUPAMA – FDJ 00:38
5 BISSEGGER Stefan SUI EF EDUCATION – NIPPO 00:44
6 CATTANEO Mattia ITA DECEUNINCK – QUICK – STEP 00:49
7 BJERG Mikkel DEN UAE TEAM EMIRATES 00:52
8 POGACAR Tadej SLO UAE TEAM EMIRATES 00:57
9 NIELSEN Magnus Cort DEN EF EDUCATION – NIPPO 01:00
10 VAN BAARLE Dylan NED INEOS GRENADIERS 01:21
11 MCNULTY Brandon USA UAE TEAM EMIRATES 01:35
12 ARMIRAIL Bruno FRA GROUPAMA – FDJ 01:46
13 CASTROVIEJO Jonathan ESP INEOS GRENADIERS 01:47
14 FRAILE Omar ESP ASTANA – PREMIER TECH 01:47
15 WRIGHT Fred GBR BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 01:56

GESAMT:
1 POGACAR Tadej SLO UAE TEAM EMIRATES 80:16:59
2 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO – VISMA 05:20
3 CARAPAZ Richard ECU INEOS GRENADIERS 07:03
4 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROEN TEAM 10:02
5 KELDERMAN Wilco NED BORA – HANSGROHE 10:13
6 MAS Enric ESP MOVISTAR TEAM 11:43
7 LUTSENKO Alexey KAZ ASTANA – PREMIER TECH 12:23
8 MARTIN Guillaume FRA COFIDIS 15:33
9 BILBAO Peio ESP BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 16:04
10 URAN Rigoberto COL EF EDUCATION – NIPPO 18:34

Wilco Kelderman auch nach dem Abschlusszeitfahren bei der Tour auf Rang fünf der Gesamtwertung

Mit einem 30,8 Kilometer langen Einzelzeitfahren von Libourne nach Saint-Émilion fiel heute die Entscheidung in der Gesamtwertung der Tour de France 2021. Während es alle anderen Fahrer von BORA – hansgrohe ruhig angehen lassen konnten, ging es für Wilco Kelderman noch um die Ränge vier bis sechs in der Gesamtwertung. Auf dem leicht welligen Kurs, der technisch wenig anspruchsvoll war, setzte K. Asgreen eine erste Richtmarke mit einer Zeit von 36:14. Nur noch W. Van Aert war am Ende in der Lage, diese Zeit zu unterbieten, um in 35:53 den Tagessieg einzufahren. Um 17:11 rollte Wilco Kelderman von der Startrampe und begann verhalten im ersten Streckenteil. Bei der ersten Zwischenzeit hatte der Kapitän von BORA – hansgrohe fünf Sekunden Rückstand auf B. O’Connor, dem Vierten der Gesamtwertung. Von da an fand Kelderman aber besser zu seinem Rhythmus und holte Sekunden um Sekunde auf. Am Ende erreichte er das Ziel in 38:13 und war damit 21 Sekunden schneller als O’Connor, konnte den jungen Australier aber dennoch nicht in der Gesamtwertung überholen. Der fünfte Gesamtrang vor der morgigen Abschlussetappe ist aber in jedem Fall als Erfolg zu werten. T. Pogacar verteidigte auch heute souverän seine Gesamtführung.

Von der Ziellinie
„Es war ein sehr harter Kurs, schlechter Asphalt, rauf und runter und ein normaler Tag für mich, würde ich sagen. Das richtige Tempo zu finden war nicht einfach, im Grunde habe ich einfach versucht durchzuziehen und alles aus meinen Beinen herauszuholen. Natürlich wollte ich noch versuchen O’Connor anzugreifen, aber wir waren schon beim ersten Zeitfahren nah beieinander. Am Ende haben 11 Sekunden gefehlt, aber ich bin nicht enttäuscht, ich freue mich über Rang fünf. Ich habe alles gegeben und mehr war nicht drin. Es ist schön, nun auch eine Top-Fünf Platzierung bei der Tour zu haben, nach Rang drei beim Giro und Rang vier bei der Vuelta, denn die Tour ist das größte Rennen in unserem Sport. Ich kann mit meiner Leistung über die drei Wochen hier zufrieden sein und bin auch stolz darauf, was ich geleistet habe. Wir haben eine erfolgreiche Tour als Team und das ist ebenfalls ein tolles Gefühl. “ – Wilco Kelderman

„Wilco hat ein gutes Zeitfahren gefahren, vor allem wenn man bedenkt, dass er gestern den Sturz hatte. Man konnte sehen, dass er nicht immer in der besten Position auf dem Zeitfahrrad fahren konnte und auch keinerlei Risiko eingegangen ist. Er ist noch an Rang vier herangekommen, aber 11 Sekunden sind eben 11 Sekunden und Rang fünf bei der Tour ist ein tolles Ergebnis. Jetzt müssen wir noch einen Tag lang konzentriert bleiben. Aber wenn es so bleibt, können wir mit Rang fünf in der Gesamtwertung und zwei Etappensiege sehr zufrieden sein.“ – Enrico Poitschke, sportlicher Leiter

Van Aert in the vineyard

Wout van Aert who came to the Tour de France with the first ambition of winning sprints and wearing the yellow jersey claimed an impressive time trial victory in the vineyard of Saint-Émilion after the Mont Ventoux stage. Kasper Asgreen and Jonas Vingegaard rounded out the podium of stage 20. Tadej Pogacar finished with 8th best time and retained the yellow jersey with an advantage of 5’20’’ over Vingegaard.
Stefan Bissegger for one and half hour on the hot seat

Successively, Tim Declercq, Mark Cavendish, Michael Morkov, Dries Devenyns, all from Deceuninck-Quick Step, set a time of reference. Max Walscheid (Qhubeka-NextHash) bettered the Belgian but the first big specialist to ride over 50km/h was Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) in 36’45’’ (50.3km/h). Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-Nippo) rode eight seconds faster in 36’37 (50.4km/h). Bissegger and Bjerg topped the tally until Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-Quick Step) outclassed them. In both time checks, the Danish champion was 6’’ ahead of the Swiss winner of the time trial at Paris-Nice who remained on the hot seat for one hour and ten minutes. Asgreen was the eighth leader of the stage with an average speed of 51km/h (36’14’’).

Big disillusion for Stefan Küng
European champion Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) was the hot favourite to dethrone the Dane. He started on a high note, with 6’’ lead over Asgreen at Pomerol (km 7.6) but had already lost his advantage at Montagne (km 20). Towards the end, he paid for his efforts and missed out on the stage win he wanted badly. Asgreen was eventually ousted by Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) who rode in 35’53’’ at 51.5km/h, which was 21’’ faster than the previous leader!

First ITT win at the Tour de France for van Aert
In the battle for GC positions, all riders who were threatened by their closest follower retained their supremacy: Vingegaard (2nd) over Richard Carapaz, Ben O’Connor (4th) over Wilco Kelderman, Enric Mas (6th) over Alexey Lutsenko and Guillaume Martin (8th) over Pello Bilbao. Van Aert had won bunch sprints and a mountain stage previously but this is his first time trial victory. For the second time, Pogacar, 23, will ride to Paris in the yellow jersey.

108. Tour de France – Etappe 19

16. Juli 2021Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Teamnews, Tour de France108. Tour de France, ASO, Bora-Hansgrohe, Herbert Moos, Matej Mohoric, Plomi, Tadej Pogacar, UAE Team EmiratesGerhard Plomitzer

Mourenx – Libourne – 203 Km

Photo by HERBERT MOOS

1 MOHORIC Matej SLO BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 04:19:17
2 LAPORTE Christophe FRA COFIDIS 00:58
3 PEDERSEN Casper DEN TEAM DSM 00:58
4 TEUNISSEN Mike NED JUMBO – VISMA 01:02
5 POLITT Nils GER BORA – HANSGROHE 01:08
6 THEUNS Edward BEL TREK – SEGAFREDO 01:08
7 HUNDAHL Michael Valgren DEN EF EDUCATION – NIPPO 01:08
8 ZIMMERMANN Georg GER INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATERIAUX 01:08
9 TURGIS Anthony FRA TOTALENERGIES 01:10
10 STUYVEN Jasper BEL TREK – SEGAFREDO 01:10
11 BERNARD Julien FRA TREK – SEGAFREDO 02:37
12 WALSCHEID Maximilian Richard GER TEAM QHUBEKA NEXTHASH 02:37
13 BALLERINI Davide ITA DECEUNINCK – QUICK – STEP 02:37
14 DILLIER Silvan SUI ALPECIN – FENIX 02:37
15 RUTSCH Jonas GER EF EDUCATION – NIPPO 02:37

Gesamt:
1 POGACAR Tadej SLO UAE TEAM EMIRATES 79:40:09
2 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO – VISMA 05:45
3 CARAPAZ Richard ECU INEOS GRENADIERS 05:51
4 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROEN TEAM 08:18
5 KELDERMAN Wilco NED BORA – HANSGROHE 08:50
6 MAS Enric ESP MOVISTAR TEAM 10:11
7 LUTSENKO Alexey KAZ ASTANA – PREMIER TECH 11:22
8 MARTIN Guillaume FRA COFIDIS 12:46
9 BILBAO Peio ESP BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 13:48
10 URAN Rigoberto COL EF EDUCATION – NIPPO 16:25

Nils Politt auf Rang 5 in Libourne nach erneutem Tag in einer Fluchtgruppe

Am Papier sah die 19. Touretappe von Mourenx nach Libourne nach einer klaren Sache für die Sprinter aus, mit über 200 Kilometern und vielen Teams im Peloton, die einem Erfolg noch hinterherlaufen, war aber auch möglich, dass das Rennen einmal mehr von Ausreißern bestimmt werden würde. Entsprechend explosiv verlief auch der Beginn der Etappe. Nach einigen Attacken ereignete sich ein Massensturz, der diesmal allerdings glimpflich ausging, während an der Spitze sechs Fahrer die erste Gruppe des Tages bildeten. Da das Peloton nun wartete, bis alle Fahrer wieder aufgeschlossen hatten, war der Abstand zwischen Spitze und Feld schnell auf vier Minuten angewachsen. Leider folgte dann ein zweiter Massensturz, in dem auch Kelderman, Politt und Konrad von BORA – hansgrohe zu Boden gingen. Alle drei konnten das Rennen ohne gröbere Blessuren fortsetzen, für Kelderman aber sicher keine optimalen Voraussetzungen vor dem Zeitfahren morgen. Nach dem Zwischensprint wurde das Rennen noch einmal unruhig, als plötzlich mehrere Fahrer erneut attackierten. Nils Politt initiierte eine stark besetzte Verfolgergruppe, die rund 100 km vor dem Ziel die Spitze einholte, während auch im Feld immer noch einige Mannschaften Tempo machten. Etwa 25 km später gab das Feld aber auf und es war klar, dass der Sieger aus der 20-Mann-Spitzengruppe kommen würde. Kurze Zeit später begannen auch schon die ersten Attacken, es dauerte allerdings, bis die Gruppe auseinanderfiel. Politt schaffte den Sprung in die erste Gruppe und attackierte dort erneut einige Male. Am Ende setzte den entscheidenden Angriff aber M. Mohoric der einen Solosieg feiern konnte. Nils versuchte sich zwar weiter von den Verfolgern zu lösen, am Ende musste er sich heute aber mit Rang fünf begnügen nach einem sehr starken Auftritt.

Von der Ziellinie
„Es war ein brutal harter Tag mit fast 49 km/h trotz Gegenwind und ein hektischer Start mit den beiden Stürzen. Nach 50 km gab es dann erneut Attacken. In der Gruppe vorne habe ich dann heute etwas länger gewartet, denn ich war alleine. Das Finale war recht hügelig und ich habe an fast jeder Steigung attackiert, um die Gruppe zu verkleinern. Das hat gut geklappt, aber leider hat Mohoric dann über eine Kuppe ein kleines Loch reißen können und dahinter haben alle mich angesehen. Ich denke, nach meinem Sieg wissen alle, wie stark ich bin, da ist es viel schwieriger, sowas zu wiederholen. Es gab einfach keine Kooperation, als Mohoric vorne war, obwohl manche Teams zwei Fahrer in der Gruppe hatten.“ – Nils Politt

„Es war wieder ein harter Tag, härter als einige dachten. Aber viele Teams haben hier noch keinen Sieg und versuchen wirklich alles, um noch einen Erfolg einzufahren. Leider war Wilco in den zweiten Sturz verwickelt, es geht ihm bis auf ein paar Abschürfungen gut, aber optimal ist das natürlich nicht vor dem Zeitfahren morgen. Dennoch können wir sonst mit dem Tag zufrieden sein. Wir sind erneut ein aktives Rennen gefahren und waren am Ende mit Nils in der entscheidenden Gruppe. Ich denke, er war mit Mohoric der Stärkste. Er hat es einige Male versucht, aber Mohoric war im richtigen Moment sehr smart. Danach fehlte dann die Kooperation in der Verfolgung.“ – Enrico Poitschke, sportlicher Leiter

If not Tadej, it’s Matej!

Matej Mohoric claimed his second stage win in Libourne after he imposed himself at La Creusot on stage 7, again throughout a solo breakaway. Following two consecutive victories in the Pyrénées by Tadej Pogacar who rode through the Landes with authority in an eventful transition stage, the Slovenian champion made it five for his country on the eve of the closing time trial that will precede the grand finale in Paris on Sunday.
Six riders in the lead

142 riders took the start of stage 19 in Mourenx. 2 non-starters: Michael Woods (Israel-Start Up-Nation) and Miguel Angel Lopez (Movistar). Julien Bernard (Trek-Segafredo), Jonas Rutsch (EF Education-Nippo), Simon Clarke (Qhubeka-NextHash), Franck Bonnamour (B&B-KTM) and Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché-Wanty Gobert) rode away from the peloton and Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) caught up with them with 200km remaining. A maximum time gap was recorded at km 17: 4’20’’. Two crashes occurred in the peloton, involving some GC contenders like Enric Mas and Guillaume Martin but also Mark Cavendish who managed to come across and score six points in the defence of his green jersey at the intermediate sprint won by Zimmermann at Saint-Sever (km 54). Alpecin-Fenix seized the reins of the peloton to make it a bunch sprint finish in Libourne.

A strong chase initiated by Nils Politt
After some skirmishes at the head of the peloton, Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe) gave birth to a group of counter-attackers at km 71 as Mike Teunissen (Jumbo-Visma), Jasper Stuvyen, Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo), Davide Ballerini (DQS), Jorge Arcas, Ivan Garcia Cortina, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Christophe Laporte (Cofidis), Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Fenix), Michael Valgren (EF), Greg Van Avermaet (AG2R-Citroën), Elie Gesbert (Arkea-Samsic), Casper Pedersen (DSM), Brent Van Moer (Lotto-Soudal), Omar Fraile, Dimitri Gruzdev, Ion Izagirre (Astana), Max Walscheid (Qhubeka-NextHash) and Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) went with him. The three Movistar riders, Fraile, Gruzdev and Van Avermaet dropped down to the peloton at the head of which Ineos Grenadiers, Israel-Start Up-Nation and Bahrain Victorious set a strong pace as well. 20 riders were reunited at the front with 100km to go.

One more solo victory
Israel-Start Up-Nation, Ineos Grenadiers and Bahrain Victorious chased them down for almost 50km before giving up with 80km remaining. UAE Team Emirates set the pace again once the time difference became 10’ with 55km to go. Lots of attacks took shape in the leading group of 20 riders in the last 35km. Mohoric rode away solo 26km before the end. Laporte positioned himself in between for a while before a group of 10 was formed behind the Slovenian: Teunissen, Stuyven, Theuns, Politt, Valgren, C. Pedersen, Turgis, Zimmermann, Bonnamour. Mohoric remained composed and highly motivated till the end to deliver the ninth stage victory built throughout a winning breakaway in the 108th Tour de France.

108. Tour de France – Etappe 18

15. Juli 2021Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Teamnews, Tour de France108. Tour de France, ASO, Bora-Hansgrohe, Plomi, Tadej Pogacar, UAE Team EmiratesGerhard Plomitzer

Pau – Luz Ardiden (130 km)

Roberto Uran hat einen schweren Tag und fällt in der Gesamtwertung auf Rang 10 zurück.
Durch den Tagessieg bei der Bergankunft in Luz Ardiden erringt Tadej Pogacar auch die Führung in der Bergwertung.

1 TADEJ POGACAR (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 03h 33′ 45“
2 JONAS VINGEGAARD (JUMBO – VISMA) + 00h 00′ 02“
3 RICHARD CARAPAZ (INEOS GRENADIERS) + 00h 00′ 02“
4 ENRIC MAS (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 00h 00′ 13“
5 DANIEL MARTIN (ISRAEL START-UP NATION) + 00h 00′ 24“
6 SEPP KUSS (JUMBO – VISMA) + 00h 00′ 30“
7 SERGIO ANDRES HIGUITA (EF EDUCATION – NIPPO) + 00h 00′ 33“
8 BEN O’CONNOR (AG2R CITROEN TEAM) + 00h 00′ 34“
9 WILCO KELDERMAN (BORA – HANSGROHE) + 00h 00′ 34“
10 ALEJANDRO VALVERDE (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 00h 00′ 40“
11 PEIO BILBAO (BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS) + 00h 00′ 45“
12 GUILLAUME MARTIN (COFIDIS) + 00h 00′ 45“
13 ALEXEY LUTSENKO (ASTANA – PREMIER TECH) + 00h 01′ 08“
14 EMANUEL BUCHMANN (BORA – HANSGROHE) + 00h 01′ 15“
15 LOUIS MEINTJES (INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATERIAUX) + 00h 01′ 43“

Gesamt:
1 POGACAR Tadej SLO UAE TEAM EMIRATES 75:00:02
2 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO – VISMA 05:45
3 CARAPAZ Richard ECU INEOS GRENADIERS 05:51
4 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROEN TEAM 08:18
5 KELDERMAN Wilco NED BORA – HANSGROHE 08:50
6 MAS Enric ESP MOVISTAR TEAM 10:11
7 LUTSENKO Alexey KAZ ASTANA – PREMIER TECH 11:22
8 MARTIN Guillaume FRA COFIDIS 12:46
9 BILBAO Peio ESP BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 13:48
10 URAN Rigoberto COL EF EDUCATION – NIPPO 16:25

Nach der letzten Bergetappe auf Rang fünf: Kelderman verbessert sich in Luz Ardiden weiter in der Gesamtwertung der Tour

Die letzte Bergetappe der Tour stand heute von Pau nach Luz Ardiden auf dem Programm und damit auch die letzte Chance für die Bergfahrer im Feld. Zwar löste sich nach Start schnell eine 3-Mann-Gruppe, die wenig später von zwei weiteren Fahrern ergänz wurde, im Feld hielt Bahrain den Abstand aber bei etwa 1:30. Als Folge begannen nach dem Zwischensprint erneut Fahrer aus dem Feld zu attackieren und das Rennen war quasi neu eröffnet. Im Fuße des Anstiegs zum Col du Tourmalet waren noch zwei Fahrer an der Spitze und dahinter versuchte nun ein Quartett zur Spitze aufzuschließen. Nach weiteren Attacken aus dem Feld übernahm dort Team Ineos die Kontrolle. D. Gaudu erreichte den Gipfel als Erster, allerdings mit nur einer Minute Vorsprung auf das Feld der Favoriten in dem neben Wilco Kelderman auch noch Emanuel Buchmann von BORA – hansrgrohe dabei war. Im Schlussanstieg kam es einmal mehr zu einem Ausscheidungsfahren. Gaudu wurde nun rasch eingeholt und Ineos drückte weiter aufs Tempo. Bis zur Zweikilometermarke war Emu bei Wilco, dann setzte einmal mehr T. Pogacar die entscheidende Attacke. Kelderman war wie gestern in der ersten Verfolgergruppe und erreichte gemeinsam mit B. O’Connor als Neunter das Tagesziel. Damit verbesserte sich der Niederländer auch auf Rang fünf in der Gesamtwertung.

Von der Ziellinie
„Es war wieder ein harter Tag. Ich hatte nicht die besten Beine nach dem Sturz gestern, aber es war auch nicht schlecht. Am Ende war es der erwartet harte Kampf auf der letzten Bergetappe. Patrick und Emu waren heute lange bei mir und haben mich sehr gut unterstützt. Es war wichtig, Emu auch am Ende noch bei mir zu haben, er hat mich bis zur Zweikilometermarke gebracht, das war perfekt. Ich habe alles aus mir rausgeholt, mehr war nicht möglich. Es gibt vielleicht noch die Chance am Samstag einen Rang gut zu machen, aber auch der fünfte Platz ist sehr gut und damit bin ich in jedem Fall zufrieden.“ – Wilco Kelderman

„Wir sind heute sehr zufrieden. Die Mannschaft hat wieder einen hervorragenden Job gemacht und Wilco hat das Optimum herausgeholt, würde ich sagen. Es gab auch keine Möglichkeit, um irgendwo anzugreifen, denn das Tempo war vom Tourmalet weg sehr hoch und eigentlich ging es nur darum, möglichst lange dranzubleiben. Wilco hat das sehr gut gemacht und auch Emu ist heute wirklich stark gefahren und war bis zum Finale vorne dabei. Am Ende haben die Beine entschieden und Wilco ist mit O’Connor ins Ziel gefahren. Die Leistung hat gestimmt und wie gesagt, das war heute das Optimum.“ – Enrico Poitschke, sportlicher Leiter

Tadej Pogacar makes it three

Tadej Pogacar took his third stage victory at Luz Ardiden the day after he won at col du Portet, giving one more evidence that he’s by far the strongest GC contender of the 108th Tour de France. Jonas Vingegaard and Richard Carapaz rounded out the podium at the top of the last uphill finish. Pogacar added to the yellow and the white jerseys the polka dot jersey he already won last year as well.

5 riders in the lead
144 riders took the start of stage 18 in Pau at 13.48. Chris Juul-Jensen (BikeExchange), Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) and Sean Bennett (Qhubeka-NextHash) rode away from km 1. Many counter-attacks took place. Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step) and Pierre-Luc Périchon (Cofidis) caught up with them at km 32. At km 55, Juul Jensen waited for the peloton to help his team-mates who were trying to split the peloton ahead of the intermediate sprint. The advantage of the four remaining leaders reached 1’20’’ on the line in Pouzac where Alaphilippe passed in first position and Mark Cavendish won the bunch sprint ahead of Michael Matthews.

Latour first at col du Tourmalet
Alaphilippe and Mohoric started climbing to the Tourmalet with an advantage of 1’30’’ over the peloton led by Vegard Stake Laengen for UAE Team Emirates while four Frenchmen gathered in between: Pierre Rolland (B&B-KTM), Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies), Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo) and Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ). 6km before the summit, 9 riders were united at the front: Alaphilippe, Mohoric, Latour, Elissonde, Madouas and David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), Omar Fraile (Astana), Ruben Guerreiro (EF) and Ion Izagirre (Astana). Latour and Gaudu crested the Tourmalet (souvenir Jacques-Goddet) together in that order with an advantage of 50’’ over the peloton led by Ineos Grenadiers. Rigoberto Uran (EF) was dropped and Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) extended his lead in the KOM competition over Michael Woods (Israel-Start Up-Nation).

Gaudu the last to surrender
Gaudu rode Latour off in the downhill. He had 45’’ lead over the yellow jersey peloton led by Ineos Grenadiers with 20km to go and started climbing to Luz Ardiden alone at the front. The Breton climber was swallowed 9.5km before the end. With 5.5km to go, Rafal Majka (UAE Team Emirates) took over from the British and made the group explode. Pogacar sped up to make a front group of 5 riders with 3.5km to, along with Carapaz, Vingegaard, Kuss and Mas. The latter sped up on two occasions but Pogacar didn’t let a third victory go. It’s already as many as last year before the individual time trial on the eve of the grand finale.

108. Tour de France – Etappe 17

14. Juli 2021Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Teamnews, Tour de France108. Tour de France, ASO, Bora-Hansgrohe, Plomi, Tadej Pogacar, UAE Team EmiratesGerhard Plomitzer

Muret – Saint-Lary-Soulan (Col du Portet) – 178 Km

1 POGACAR Tadej SLO UAE TEAM EMIRATES 05:03:31
2 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO – VISMA 00:03
3 CARAPAZ Richard ECU INEOS GRENADIERS 00:04
4 GAUDU David FRA GROUPAMA – FDJ 01:19
5 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROEN TEAM 01:26
6 KELDERMAN Wilco NED BORA – HANSGROHE 01:40
7 BILBAO Peio ESP BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 01:44
8 HIGUITA Sergio Andres COL EF EDUCATION – NIPPO 01:49
9 URAN Rigoberto COL EF EDUCATION – NIPPO 01:49
10 TEUNS Dylan BEL BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 01:49

Gesamt:
1 POGACAR Tadej SLO UAE TEAM EMIRATES 71:26:27
2 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO – VISMA 05:39
3 CARAPAZ Richard ECU INEOS GRENADIERS 05:43
4 URAN Rigoberto COL EF EDUCATION – NIPPO 07:17
5 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROEN TEAM 07:34
6 KELDERMAN Wilco NED BORA – HANSGROHE 08:06
7 MAS Enric ESP MOVISTAR TEAM 09:48
8 LUTSENKO Alexey KAZ ASTANA – PREMIER TECH 10:04
9 MARTIN Guillaume FRA COFIDIS 11:51
10 BILBAO Peio ESP BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 12:53

Trotz Sturz landet Wilco Kelderman bei der Königsetappe der Tour auf Rang sechs

Das 17. Teilstück der Tour von Muret nach Saint-Lars-Soulan war zugleich auch die Königsetappe der Rundfahrt mit zwei Anstiegen der 1. Kategorie und einer Bergankunft der höchsten Klasse. Nach dem Sieg von Patrick Konrad gestern ging BORA – hansgrohe mit viel Selbstvertrauen in den Tag und mit dem Ziel Wilco Kelderman in der Gesamtwertung weiter nach vorne zu bringen. Zu Beginn der Etappe zeigte sich Lukas Pöstlberger immer wieder aktiv und schaffte dann auch den Sprung in eine 6-Mann-Spitzengruppe. Mit rund acht Minuten Vorsprung spulte diese Gruppe den ersten Streckenteil ab, bevor es in die Berge ging. Von nun an kontrollierte Team UAE das Geschehen und der Vorsprung der Spitze begann kontinuierlich zu schmelzen. Pöstlberger musste am zweiten Anstieg abreißen lassen, während im Feld Emanuel Buchmann noch bei Wilco Kelderman war. Kurz vor der Bergwertung wurde Lukas dann vom Feld eingeholt, wo er Wilco noch einmal verpflegen konnte. In der Abfahrt erlebte das Team dann eine Schrecksekunde, als Wilco gegen Ende in einer Linkskurve zu Sturz kam. Glücklicherweise ereignete sich der Zwischenfall mit geringer Geschwindigkeit und Emanuel Buchmann wartete sofort auf den BORA – hansgrohe Kapitän. Wilco kam mit Prellungen am Ellenbogen und Knie sowie einer Platzwunde am Kinn davon und konnte mit der Hilfe von Buchmann zu Beginn des Schlussanstiegs wieder zur Gruppe der Favoriten aufschließen. Dort zeigte der Niederländer Kampfgeist und keine Schwäche und blieb bis zur Attacke von T. Pogacar 9 km vor dem Ziel in der Gruppe der Favoriten. Von da an war Kelderman in einer Verfolgergruppe mit R. Uran und B. O’Connor und erreichte letztlich als Sechster das Tagesziel. T. Pogacar holte den Sieg und verteidigte damit auch seine Gesamtführung, Kelderman liegt weiter auf Rang sechs.

Von der Ziellinie
„Ich bin gegen Ende der letzten Abfahrt in einer Linkskurve leider gestürzt. Ich wäre fast noch zu Stehen gekommen, aber gegen Ende ist mir das Vorderrad weggerutscht und ich bin auf dem Gesicht gelandet. Zum Glück war es halb so wild und ich war schnell wieder auf dem Rad. Emu hat dann einen super Job gemacht und mich direkt vor dem Anstieg wieder in die Gruppe gefahren. Ich hatte den ganzen Tag über sehr gute Beine, deshalb ist dieser Zwischenfall natürlich ärgerlich. Aber ich kann mit der Leistung zufrieden sein. Ich bin im Umfeld meiner direkten Konkurrenten ins Ziel gekommen und hoffe, dass ich morgen mit den Besten Kämpfen kann.“ – Wilco Kelderman

„Bis zum Sturz von Wilco lief eigentlich alles nach Plan. Wir wollten jemand in der Gruppe haben und Lukas hat das super umgesetzt und konnte so am Ende der Etappe noch einmal bei Wilco und Emu sein. Die anderen Jungs haben Wilco im Flachen sehr gut aus dem Wind gehalten. In der letzten Abfahrt kam er dann leider zu Sturz, aber zum Glück war Emu gleich zur Stelle. Er ist mit Wilco dann wieder zur Gruppe rangefahren, aber das hat natürlich Kraft gekostet und Emu musste da richtig tief gehen. Wilco ist dennoch ein sehr gutes Rennen gefahren und war bei den Besten dabei. Das Wichtigste ist jetzt die Erholung, morgen ist noch ein sehr harter Tag.“ – Enrico Poitschke, sportlicher Leiter

Slovenian bear at home in the Pyrénées

Two years after he claimed his first Grand Tour stage victory in Andorra at La Vuelta and one year after he took his first Tour de France stage victory in Laruns, Tadej Pogacar imposed himself with the yellow jersey at col du Portet, making stage 17 the queen stage of the Tour de France. The Slovenian outsprinted Jonas Vingegaard and Richard Carapaz and extended his lead overall.

Six riders in the lead
145 riders took the start of stage 17 in Muret at 12.16. After a first attempt by Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), Pierre Rolland (B&B-KTM) was the first rider who managed to go clear. He stayed away for 13 kilometres. Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), Danny van Poppel (Intermarché-Wanty Gobert), Dorian Godon (AG2R-Citroën) and Anthony Pérez (Cofidis) managed to get a gap at km 18. Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) and Maxime Chevalier (B&B-KTM) bridged the gap at km 30. Julien Bernard (Trek-Segafredo) rode in between for a while before he surrendered. A time difference of 8’20’’ was recorded at km 60. Van Poppel won the intermediate sprint at Bagnères-de-Luchon where Michael Matthews won the sprint of the peloton ahead of Mark Cavendish.

Perez, the enfant du pays on tour on Bastille Day
At the beginning of the ascent to col de Peyresourde, Elie Gesbert (Arkea-Samsic) sped up to launch the action of his captain Nairo Quintana. Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) went with them and Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) bridged the gap. Latour was the only one to stay away until the bottom of Val Louron where the deficit of the yellow jersey group led by UAE Team Emirates was reduced to 4’. Perez rode away solo at the front 5.5km before the summit of the second climb of the day. He passed Val Louron 10’’ before Godon. The two Frenchmen formed a special Bastille Day leading duo 22km before the end with an advantage of 3’40’’ over the peloton. Perez, the enfant du pays, rode away solo again with 13.5km to go.

Pogacar with no help in the battle royale
Perez was brought back 8.5km before the finishing line. Pogacar sped up. Only Jonas Vingegaard and Richard Carapaz managed to hold his pace. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) escaped from the chasing group to try and catch the leading trio. Pogacar did all the pacing at the front until Carapaz attacked 1.5km before the summit. The Ecuadorian didn’t drop the Slovenian off. Vingegaard struggled to follow but came across to contest the stage victory but Pogacar showed his superiority to put his mark on a prestigious win at the highest finish of the Tour de France.

Plomi’s Radsportseite – Aktuelle Berichte, Fotos und Ergebnisse aus der int. Radsportwelt

Cycling News garantiert ohne Werbung!