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Yellow jersey Pogačar wins summit finish in the Pyrenees

Uran loses podium position to Carapaz

July 14, 2021
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The strongest riders in the 2021 Tour de France displayed their form on Wednesday’s first of two consecutive summit finishes in the Pyrenees, with yellow jersey Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard and Richard Carapaz the top three on the day and making up the top three on the GC. Pogačar’s victory was his second of the 108th edition and padded his lead at the top.

You can watch the 108th Tour de France at FloBikes.

The Course

The Bastille Day fare was all about three mountains in the final half of the route. After 118 km of imperceptibly rising road came Cat. 1 Col de Peyresourde, 13.3 km of 6.9 percent, followed by another Cat. 1 Col de Val Louron-Azet, 6.8 km of 7.9 percent, before the first of two consecutive summit finishes, HC-rated Col du Portet, 18.4 km of 8.6 percent.

A couple of breakaway attempts failed to stick in the opening kilometres before a sextet of riders went clear and rolled up nearly a 9:00 lead. None of the fugitives were in the King of the Mountains running.

On the Peyresourde, Pogačar’s UAE-Emirates halved the break’s lead, and Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) took the maximum KOM points.

Turgis, Anthony Perez and Dorian Godon, all Frenchmen, climbed away from their breakmates on the Col de Val Louron-Azet. Then Perez went solo.

The hairpins turns of the Col de Val Louron-Azet.

Wout Poels was fourth over the top of the Col de Val Louron-Azet, adding to his KOM lead over Michael Woods. Nairo Quintana also nabbed a point to close in on the Canadian’s second spot. Was Woods conceding the mountains classification to Bahrain-Victorious’ Dutchman?

Godon found Perez’s wheel on the descent and the two still had 4:00 over the yellow jersey group at the foot of Portet.

HC-rated Col du Portet

Godon tried to dump Perez in the opening kilometres of Portet, but it was Perez turning the tables on the AG2R-Citroën rider with 13 km to climb.

With 12 km remaining Pogačar had one teammate left to drive the favourites group: Rafal Majka. Eighth place Enric Mas and ninth place Guillaume Martin went out the back. Woods was hanging tough. Richard Carapaz put his only remaining teammate on the front.

Just after Godon joined the peloton, 10th place Pello Bilbao attacked. Woods was at the back of the group for a few kilometres.

With Perez just ahead, Pogačar put in a dig. Jonas Vingegaard parried it and Carapaz and Rigoberto Uran were able to hang. Uran was the first to crack of the four. The remaining trio worked together to distance the Colombian.

Pogačar attacks on the Col du Portet.

Uran continued to chase with teammate Sergio Higuita and fifth place Ben O’Connor. David Gaudu become the closest pursuer. Carapaz was barely hanging on.

The yellow jersey attacked again with 2 km to go but he couldn’t shake his Danish and Ecuadorian guard. It was Carapaz’s surge that distanced Vingegaard, but the Dane fought back and was second place on the line.

Thursday shoehorns two HC climbs into the final half of 129 km: the mighty Tourmalet and summit finish Luz Ardiden.


2021 Tour de France Stage 17
1) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) 5:03:31
2) Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark/Jumbo-Visma) +0:03
3) Richard Carapaz (Ecuador/Ineos Grenadiers) +0:04
34) Michael Woods (Canada/Israel Start-up Nation) +15:29
74) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Israel Start-up Nation) +28:59
80) Hugo Houle (Canada/Astana-Premier Tech) s.t.

2021 Tour de France GC
1) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) 71:26:27
2) Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark/Jumbo-Visma) +5:39
3) Richard Carapaz (Ecuador/Ineos Grenadiers) +5:43
4) Rigoberto Uran (Colombia/EF Education-Nippo) +7:17
5) Ben O’Connor (Australia/AG2R-Citroën) +7:34
6) Wilco Kelderman (The Netherlands/Bora-Hansgrohe) +8:06
7) Enric Mas (Spain/Movistar) +9:48
8) Alexey Lutsenko (Kazakhstan/Astana-Premier Tech) +10:04
9) Guillaume Martin (France/Cofidis) +11:51
10) Pello Bilbao (Spain/Bahrain-Victorious) +12:53
27) Michael Woods (Canada/Israel Start-up Nation) +1:16:29
63) Hugo Houle (Canada/Astana-Premier Tech) +2:24:14
105) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Israel Start-up Nation) +3:05:44