German Pascal Ackermann once again finished just short of a stage win at the Tour de France. Guillaume Boivin and Hugo Houle’s teammate at Israel – Premier Tech took third place in the 10e stage won by the Belgian Jasper Philipsen, from the Alpecin-Deceuninck team.
Fourth in the sprint of the eighth stage last Saturday, Ackermann finished behind Philipsen and the Eritrean Biniam Girmay (Intermarché – Wanty), who was aiming for his third victory on the Grande Boucle.
The Israel – Premier Tech team protected its sprinter until the end of the stage. In the final kilometers, Pascal Ackerman was supported by the British Jake Stewart to lead him to the red flame.
Philipsen had the help of world champion Mathieu Van der Poel to propel him to this long-awaited victory. The Belgian, a four-time winner of the 2023 Tour de France, had finished second twice rather than once last week. His acceleration at the end of the race left no doubt in Saint-Amand-Montrond.
Most of the stage took place quietly on Tuesday, the day after the competitors’ first day off. Guillaume Boivin and Hugo Houle crossed the finish line of the 187.3-kilometre course in the peloton, finishing 101e and 125e.
Ackermann is the second Israel – Premier Tech rider to take third place in this 111e Tour de France after Canadian Derek Gee on the previous stage.
More action is expected on Wednesday for the 11e stage, separating Évaux-les-Bains and Le Lioran.
Clara Émond gets her team’s best result
The third stage of the Giro d’Italia women’s race was contested over 113 kilometres on Tuesday and ended with the climb of Toano (12.5 km, 4.9%). New Zealand’s Niamh Fisher-Black (SD Worx – Pro Time) was the first to reach the summit. She won with a lead of six seconds over her Belgian team-mate Lotte Kopecky, Frenchwoman Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL) and Italian Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek).
Clara Émond ranked 31stethe best result of the EF-Oatly-Cannondale formation. The Quebecer, now 37e in the general classification, was 3 minutes and 10 seconds behind the winner, while Magdeleine Vallières-Mill took 136e rank.
The riders will hit the road again on Wednesday for a 134-kilometre stage including three categorised climbs.