The Bahrain Victorious rider won his first Tour victory on Tuesday in the Massif Central. Despite a turbulent start to the stage, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) managed his lead and kept his yellow jersey.
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A single day of rest will have been enough to put (almost) the entire Tour de France peloton back on their feet. At the end of an oh so lively 10th stage, it was Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) who showed the most legs in the Massif Central, Tuesday July 11, between the Vulcania park and Issoire. For its fourth participation, the 33-year-old Spaniard won the first victory of his career on the Grande Boucle, ahead of the German Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) and Australian Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroën).
Elected combative of the day after leading the race for nearly thirty kilometers, Krists Neilands (Israel-Premier Tech) finished just off the podium. The first two Frenchmen, Warren Barguil (Arkéa-Samsic) and Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step), left behind in the last kilometers, climbed to 9th and 10th places respectively.
If the reign of Alberto Contador, winner of the Grande Boucle in 2007 and 2009, does not seem so distant, the Spanish supporters had to take their troubles to see one of their national rider raise his arms on the roads of the Tour de France. Beyond a first victory for the Bahrain Victorious team this year, Pello Bilbao has ended a five-year drought for cycling Hispanic, weaned from success since Omar Fraile in Mende in 2018. He is also starting a good comeback in the general standings, going from 11th to 5th place.
An explosive start in the Vulcania park
While everyone expected the riders to extend their rest day and limit their efforts, nothing happened, quite the contrary. From the park of attractions and events dedicated to the discovery of volcanoes, the peloton quickly erupted. From the start of the race, Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar were tempted by the breakaway. Finally caught up by the patrol, the two headliners of the Tour contented themselves with following the infernal rhythm of the peloton throughout the crossing of the chain of Puy.
In scorching heat, David Gaudu and Romain Bardet were hot, very hot, and had to rely on the support of their teammates not to completely lose their footing. Already suffering on the ninth stage, at the top of the puy de Dôme, the two French riders limited the breakage in the general classification and placed themselves respectively in 9th and 11th place.