“I told myself that it would never go away”, with the victory of Richard Carapaz, the end of a long drought for the escapees

In the last 14 stages, victory had only gone to a breakaway rider once. Until Wednesday and the Ecuadorian’s solo victory at SuperDévoluy.

On Wednesday, July 17, the breakaway went all the way. What should be an ordinary scenario on the Tour de France has become an anomaly this year. With Richard Carapaz’s victory on the 17th stage, it is only the fourth time on this edition that a breakaway has resisted the peloton.

It had started with a bang in Italy with Romain Bardet and Kévin Vauquelin. Then, nothing or almost nothing. A substantial cake of 14 stages confiscated by the favorites and the sprinters, of which only the mischievous Anthony Turgis managed to take a bite during the 9th stage.

In the ten days that followed, the adventurers expressed their disappointment. ““It’s not us who hold the cards: it’s either Visma, or UAE, or maybe even Quick Step.”lamented David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) on Tuesday morning. “We have to leave a little bit for the escapees, otherwise it doesn’t make us want to attack frankly. It would be good if they left some this third week, there are guys who are several hours away [au classement général]there is nothing to fear for them”despaired Bruno Armirail (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale).

“The two stages on Wednesday and Thursday, if the breakaway doesn’t go all the way, I don’t understand anything anymore.”

Guillaume Martin, Cofidis runner

departing Tuesday morning

On Wednesday, the hilly stage had been ticked off by all the peloton’s adventurers. However, the scenario almost repeated itself. The breakaway took more than 50 km to form and had a lead of less than a minute for more than 30 kilometers. “There was tension with the edges, then the headwind, so it took a while to take shape, it was quite tactical. I told myself that it was never going to go away”deciphered Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), present at the front and first Frenchman to arrive (6th).

But, unlike the other stages, the ogres UAE and Visma-Lease a bike were not interested this time, perhaps put off by the stages of Lioran and the Plateau de Beille, where each took advantage of the work of the other team to win.

This time, it was not the favourite teams that were chasing, but those… who wanted to break away. For one of their last chances, they did everything to put a rider at the front. “Everyone had the same ambitions for the stage win. To be honest, I didn’t have much hope all day long.”breathes Bob Jungels (RedBull-Bora-Hansgrohe), long in the leading quartet and finally 17th.

In all, more than fifty people fled to seize victory, once received the assent of a relaxed yellow jersey. Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), one of the best attackers of this Tour, was the only one rewarded. But spending a day at the front with, finally, a possibility of victory, stimulated the attackers of the day.

“This is perhaps the only stage of the Tour where I thought there was an opening for victory.It didn’t happen, but I was among the runners who did the race. That still suggests great things for the next three days.”rejoiced Guillaume Martin, still the first Frenchman overall (16th).

Thursday, many agree, will be the last chance for the fugitives to slip through the peloton’s net. “We will have to return to the breakaway, it is the only chance for us to win”summed up Romain Grégoire, the day’s combative elected official.

A little further on, his teammate Lenny Martinez was asked about the stage he prefers between now and Sunday. “Saturday’s suits me, but I’d be surprised if it went to the breakaway.”he sighs. The war of the adventurers should rage again on Thursday, between Gap and Barcelonnette, before Tadej Pogacar and his friends lock the race in a double round to decide the outcome of this edition.