Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 5:26 PM
Victor Campenaerts has received the eighteenth stage of the Tour de France. The Belgian from Lotto Dstny beat his fellow escapees Mattéo Vercher and Michal Kwiatkowski in Barcelonnette. Bart Lemmen completed sixth after a really robust race.
The eighteenth stage of the Tour de France took the riders from Hole to Barcelonnette. The trip was 179.5 kilometres lengthy and included six climbs, of assorted sizes and styles. The Côte de Demoiselles Coiffées (6.4 km at 3.8%) was the final categorised climb. On the prime, it was nonetheless forty kilometres to the end. The finale included one other small climb, however was primarily a false flat uphill.
Giant main group
As anticipated, many riders wished to be within the breakaway of the day. Amongst others, world champion Mathieu van der Poel was very energetic. A couple of instances, a number of riders created a spot, however on the foot of the primary climb of the day, the Col du Festre (4 km at 6.5%), all the things was nonetheless shut. Nonetheless, a big group with amongst others Wout van Aert, Bart Lemmen and Frank van den Broek – no Van der Poel this time – had a small hole. Within the meantime, the door on the again was huge open.
Van der Poel was energetic within the early phases – photograph: Cor Vos
After a number of extra riders had managed to cross, the peloton fell silent. The initially small hole all of the sudden turned quite a bit larger. Earlier than the highest of the Col du Festre was reached, we had a definitive main group of a minimum of 34 riders. Together with for the Low Nations (along with the names talked about) Wout Poels, Steff Cras and Victor Campenaerts.
Different riders included Geraint Thomas, Jai Hindley, Oier Lazkano, Michael Matthews, Ben Healy and Richard Carapaz. Within the descent, Valentin Madouas and Dorian Godon had been capable of be part of on the final minute, whereas Oscar Onley took the alternative route: the Briton from dsm-firmenich PostNL fell again into the peloton after a flat tire.
Wout van Aert within the main group – photograph: Cor Vos
Lead grows
The remaining attackers slowly however certainly prolonged their lead. They got greater than seven minutes by the peloton, the place UAE Emirates set the tempo. Tim Wellens, who had been dropped earlier, rode in entrance for kilometres. This was not with the intention of catching the main group, and so it quickly turned clear that the adventurers would struggle for the day’s victory.
On the foot of the Côte à Saint-Apollinaire (7.9 km at 5.2%) the main group was nonetheless full, however that will not final for much longer. On the primary sections of this penultimate climb, issues instantly took off. After a pinprick from Krists Neilands (Israel-Premier Tech), Healy threw the cat among the many pigeons. Lemmen and Van den Broek, amongst others, responded, however the remainder had been additionally capable of return. On the not too steep slope, it then proved troublesome to get away.
Lemmen makes an impression
Healy then went once more and Lemmen was instantly on his wheel. The Dutchman didn’t take over, as a result of he nonetheless had Van Aert behind him. The duo was thus swallowed up once more. Lemmen then additionally neutralized assaults from riders resembling Hindley, Matthews and Tobias Halland Johanessen. Within the meantime, a number of riders acquired into hassle, together with Thomas, Van den Broek and the beforehand so busy Healy. A lot of them had been capable of return simply earlier than the highest.
Lemmen responds to an assault by Sean Quinn – photograph: Cor Vos
Amongst them Thomas, who even attacked within the intermediate part in the direction of the Côte de Demoiselles Coiffées, along with Alex Aranburu. Then one other group of riders joined with but once more… Bart Lemmen. The tireless rider of Visma | Lease a Bike continued to impress, even when all the things got here collectively once more. He was with them again and again when there was a breakaway. Solely when Michał Kwiatkowski went only for the highest, Lemmen had no reply for a second.
Campenaerts does it!
After a number of solo kilometres, Kwiatkowski was joined by Campenaerts and Mattéo Vercher. Tobias Halland Johannessen was additionally on his method, however the Norwegian from Uno-X Mobility fell on a descent. He dropped again into the third group, together with Van Aert. In entrance of him was a second group, with Neilands, Hindley, Lazkano, Toms Skujiņš and… Bart Lemmen. The 5 noticed Campenaerts, Kwiatkowski and Vercher in sight, however the three began to drag away once more afterwards. Lemmen and co had been 45 seconds behind ten kilometres from the end, the group with Van Aert was using half a minute behind.
The three frontrunners – photograph: Cor Vos
That proved to be an excessive amount of to show again. In Barcelonnette it could be a battle between Kwiatkowski, Campenaerts and Vercher. The latter tried with a late assault within the final kilometre. Kwiatkowski closed the hole, after which the dash was on. Kwiatkowski needed to assault from the primary place. Earlier than the Pole may assault, Campenaerts got here from behind. The Belgian had far more pace than his opponents and crossed the road first with a big distinction. Vercher got here second, Kwiatkowski third.
Lemmen sixth
The second group got here in 22 seconds behind. The dash was received by Skujiņš, forward of Lazkano and Lemmen. The latter turned sixth. Van Aert ended up ninth fifteen seconds later.
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