On Saturday the first of two consecutive Tour de France HC-rated summit finishes in the Pyrenees went to the yellow jersey Tadej Pogačar, UAE-Emirates setting up their captain perfectly for the victory on Pla d’Adet. It was Pogačar’s second win of the 111th edition and 12th of his career. The Slovenian beat reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard by 39 seconds, but the Dane jumped over Remco Evenepoel into second place on GC. Derek Gee was 10th place on the day and keeps his 9th spot on the GC.
The Course
The first day in the Pyrenees featured three climbs in the last half of 152 km. First was the storied HC-rated Col de Tourmalet, with Souvenir Jacques Goddot at its peak; followed by Cat. 2 Hourquette d’Ancizan; with the main course summit finish Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet, 10.6 km of 8 percent, its steepest slopes at its foot.
Col du Tourmalet &
Horquette d’Ancizan &
Saint-Lary-SoulanStage 14 of the #TDF2024 is going to be brutal. pic.twitter.com/PRJ6MKMF2Q
— Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) July 13, 2024
It was a route sure to elicit a large breakaway. By the foot of the Tourmalet, there was an octet of fugitives containing Mathieu van der Poel 22 seconds ahead of a 15-rider chase and 3:30 ahead of the UAE-Emirates-led peloton. The two groups merged on the lower slopes but the numbers were whittled down.
Hugo Houle was among the many riders who couldn’t hang with the peloton.
Oier Lazcano claimed the 5000-Euro Jacques Goddot prize 3:40 ahead of the peloton. Most of the breakaway regrouped on Hourquette d’Ancizan. Back in the peloton Marc Soler took over pace making duties from UAE-Emirates teammate Nils Politt. David Gaudu took the maximum KOM points atop the Cat. 2. The yellow jersey group was 1:20 behind.
Summit Finish Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet
Guadu, Lazcano and three others hit the Pla d’Adet with a 1:20 advantage. Pavel Sivakov relieved Soler. Fugitive Ben Healy was solo at the business end of the race. Thirteenth place Egan Bernal went off the back of the peloton. Fourth place João Almeida took over from Sivakov, Gee at the back of the shrinking group.
Seventh place Adam Yates attacked and no one responded. Vingegaard’s teammate Matteo Jorgenson was left to pull the group. Healy had a 45-second gap with 6 km to climb.
Pogačar finally attacked. Vingegaard and Evenepoel couldn’t close him down. Just as Yates found Healy, the Slovenian caught them and the two…
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