Tadej Pogacar wins in the sprint at Markstein despite a large number of Thibaut Pinots
Close to abandonment at the exit of the Alps, the Slovenian saves his Tour by racking up a ninth success in the Grande Boucle on Saturday, the second this year.
Fireworks before Paris! At the end of an emotional day around Thibaut Pinot, who for a long time believed in victory thanks to a large number of solo riders, and the support of a fiery crowd, Tadej Pogacar won during the 20th stage of the Tour de France on Saturday 22 July.
Adrift in the Alps, he was the first to attack on the final climb of the day. A trio composed by the Slovenian Félix Gall (AG2R Citroën team) and Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo Visma) then broke away to play on stage. Prominent men taken over by the Adam brothers (UAE Team Emirates) and Simon Yates (Team Jayco AlUla)it was at five o’clock that victory was finally decided, the white jersey winning the sprint.
Well ridden by his teammate, and his team racing throughout the day, the double Tour winner (2020, 2021), in a fit of pride, startled his rival, Jonas Vingegaard, who eventually finished 3rd behind Félix Gall. It doesn’t matter dOn Sunday the Dane will win his second Tour de France, his real goal.
However, Pinot has tried everything
The last survivor of the morning escape, which he himself blew up, the Franc-Comtois demonstrated why the French public held him in such high esteem. Impressive with courage and self-sacrifice, galvanized by a public wholly committed to his cause, Thibaut Pinot crossed the summit of Petit Ballon, with an advantage of 1’24” over the yellow jersey group, and this famous “curva del Pinot” where his fans had met.
This group the yellow jersey finally doomed him as he went for the stage win. Resumed 4 km from the top of the Platzerwasel pass, what has been named fighter of the day logically could not resist the fury of the group leaders.
Victory definitely out of reach, he didn’t slow down, finishing 7th, 33 seconds behind the winner of the day, and giving a beautiful image of complicity with his teammate Warren Barguil, once he crossed the finish line. He may not have won the stage he craved so much, but like good wine, Thibaut Pinot has taken his time to mature in this Tour de France.
It was during the penultimate work of his last Tour, that the former Giro di Lombardia winner revealed the same youthful lightheartedness, the aggressiveness of the extra farewells, as during his first success on the Grande Boucle at Porrentruy, starting from Belfort, already, on July 8, 2012. It was on his training roads that Thibaut Pinot greeted the Tour de France. He still has one stage to go on the Champs-Elysées, but it is this July 22nd that will kick off one last fireworks display. Only the final bouquet was missing.
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