The Dane offered himself in Limoges, Saturday, his 2nd career stage on the Tour de France.
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After his victory last year in Saint-Etienne, Mads Pedersen (Trek Segafredo) gave the cover. In this 8th stage between Libourne and Limoges, promised to strong sprinters mdespite two 4th category bumps in the last twenty kilometres, it’s thee Dane who won on Saturday July 8, ahead of Jasper Philipsen and Wout Van Aert. The 2019 world champion thus won his second stage victory on the Grande Boucle in his career. The first Frenchman, Bryan Coquard, is sixth.
Mads Pedersen surprises the two favorites
In the false flat rising towards Limoges, the Trek Segafredo rider surprised the two favorites of the stage, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceunink), already winner of three stages on the Tour this year, and Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma). A specialist in these difficult finishes, the sprinter, more powerful in the home straight, achieved a nice solo number against his two rivals, launched respectively by Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceunink) and Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma) . This is the Dane’s 6th stage on a Grand Tour. In the service of Jonas Vingegaard since the start of the Grande Boucle, Wout Van Aert will still have to wait to win his 10th stage on the Tour.
Before the final, the stage was animated by the Soudal Quick-Step. Tim Declercq (Soudal Quick-Step), Anthony Delaplace (Arkéa Samsic) and Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies), the last man picked up by the peloton and elected combative of the day, were the only ones to leave in the first kilometers. But 45 kilometers from the finish, it was Kasper Asgreen (Soudal Quick-Step) who tried his luck alone in pursuit of the three leading men. A maneuver by the Belgian formation which contributed to reducing the gap between the peloton and the breakaways, causing trouble among the three in front, Tim Declerq no longer taking over.
Mark Cavendish says goodbye to his record dreams
Second Friday behind Jasper Philipsen, Mark Cavendish (Astana) had shown that he was in good shape and was among the favorites for the sprint in Limoges. Co-holder with Eddy Merckx of the most stage victories on the Tour (34), the British sprinter hoped to win a 35th success on the Tour in Limoges. But falling 60 kilometers from the finish, the 38-year-old runner had to say goodbye to his dream. Injured in the collarbone, the Briton was forced to retire. While the 2011 world champion announced his retirement in Maythe “Cav” left its last Tour de France, looking stunned, with a taste of unfinished business.