And two for Tadej Pogacar. The yellow jersey won for the second consecutive time on Friday in the seventh stage of the Tour de France, at the top of the Super Planche des Belles Filles, where he narrowly edged the Dane Jonas Vingegaard, his runner-up last year. .
In the dust, the first arrival at the top paradoxically offered a clearer picture of the general classification. Vingegaard, overwhelmed only in the last meters by the Slovenian, justified his status as number one opponent.
“Jonas is one of the best climbers in the world, perhaps the best, and he has a very strong team,” said Pogacar, who raced to win the stage, even if it meant asking for his UAE training and using several of his skills. his teammates.
“I had been thinking about it since the presentation of the Tour”, admitted the young Slovenian (23 years old) underlining the presence of his relatives on the climb.
Stage winner for the eighth time in the Tour and for the second time at the Planche des Belles Filles where he had overturned the 2020 Tour, Pogacar increased his advantage over Vingegaard to 35 seconds, through bonuses.
“It’s always good to take time, commented the double defending champion. Next week, we will go much higher. Nothing is done, there are not huge gaps in the general classification. But I am confident. »
Kämna’s Dusty Dream
In the final ascent, the yellow jersey relied on the work of its two most valuable teammates in the mountains, the American Brandon McNulty and the Polish Rafal Majka. He condemned the German Lennard Kämna, the last survivor of a breakaway launched 125 kilometers from the finish.
Kämna, who outdistanced his last companion (Geschke) five kilometers from the summit, held on until the final, unpaved ramp in a spectacular cloud of dust kicked up by the vehicles preceding the race. Despite a 35-second advantage under the red flame of the last kilometer, he capitulated less than a hundred meters from the line, before Vingegaard tried in vain to outrun Pogacar.
“I tried, reacted the Dane. I couldn’t answer when he (Pogacar) passed me near the line. But I believe I can be happy. »
Thomas and Gaudu placed
This hair-raising final cost other candidates for the general classification dearly. Main victim of the day, Russian Aleksandr Vlasov gave up more than a minute and a half, while Australian Ben O’Connor (fourth in the 2021 Tour) changed his goal since his misfortunes on Wednesday in the Arenberg stage .
The Ineos team, very active approaching the climb of the Planche des Belles Filles, placed three riders in the first eleven of the day. The Welshman Geraint Thomas, winner of the 2018 Tour, confirmed his great form by giving up only fourteen seconds (fifth), behind the Slovenian Primoz Roglic, who overcame his fall from the cobblestone stage (third to twelve seconds).
On the French side, David Gaudu was at the level hoped for by his boss Marc Madiot (sixth at 19 seconds), with the help of the Australian Michael Storer. But the very hot public of Haute-Saône was especially inflamed by the “local” Thibaut Pinot, distanced 4.5 kilometers from the finish (31st in the stage) but applauded until the line installed while top of the station.
The site will also host the last stage of the first edition of the Tour de France Women on July 31.