For a first in Catalan country, the Route d’Occitanie offered a great show this Saturday between Sigean and Les Angles. On the roads of Aude, Ariège, and Pyrénées-Orientales, the breakaways multiplied over the various difficulties of the day, in particular the Col de Jau.
But about thirty kilometers from the finish, the last fugitive was taken over by the group of favorites, led by the Ineos-Grenadiers team, which worked hard for its leader Pavel Sivakov. But the Commingeois cracked in the Col des Hares, just like Nairo Quintana.
First Canadian victory on the Route d’Occitanie
In the end, it was Michael Woods who won this queen stage of the Route d’Occitanie, in the Pyrenees. The Canadian managed to break away from the group of favorites, with Carlos Rodriguez. Then he dropped the Spaniard in the last two kilometers, before heading alone towards the finish line, drawn in Balcère.
Woods thus signs the first canadian victory on the Route d’Occitanie. He also took the overall leader’s orange jersey from Roger Adria Oliveras, who let go 25 kilometers from the finish.