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Tour de France: a first stage marked by falls – Tour de France

Km 40: Sam Bennett and Pozzovivo delayed on the Promenade des Anglais

The rain did not leave the runners of the day and quickly made the Nice roads slippery. The first riders to experience it were Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-Quick Step), Domenico Pozzovivo (NTT) and Jasper de Buyst (Lotto-Soudal). Bennett was able to set off again after a change of bike to finally take fourth place on the stage. De Buyst was able to return to help Ewan prepare for his sprint and Pozzovivo rejoined the peloton.

Imanol Erviti (Movistar) helped Domenico Pozzovivo (on the floor) to get up. (B. Papon / The Team)

Km 52: Sivakov’s galley begins …

Lieutenant of Egan Bernal, Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers) spent a nightmarish first day on the Tour de France. The young Russian was the first headliner to feel the bitumen, with a fall in the perilous descent of the coast of Rimiez. Right knee bleeding, Sivakov struggled to get back on his bike, and found himself isolated even though he was not alone in his fall. Cofidis and AG2R La Mondiale each saw two of their riders being delayed at the same time as Sivakov. For the training of Vincent Lavenu, Benoît Cosnefroy and Pierre Latour fell … before being helped by a spectator, despite the safety instructions hammered out by the organization.

The right knee already bleeding, Pavel Sivakov is not at the end of his troubles.  (B. Papon / The Team)

The right knee already bleeding, Pavel Sivakov is not at the end of his troubles. (B. Papon / The Team)

Pierre Latour and Benoît Cosnefroy are waiting for their car after their fall.  (B. Papon / The Team)

Pierre Latour and Benoît Cosnefroy are waiting for their car after their fall. (B. Papon / The Team)

Km 86: Sivakov, immediately returned, immediately ashore

No time to breathe for Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers). After spending more than 20 kilometers chasing behind the peloton, without help from his teammates, the Russian had finally joined the rest of the riders. But another fall, on the flat this time, ejected him again. Scuffed all over his right flank after his first encounter with the asphalt, he got away with a bloody left elbow (like his right elbow) and a bruise on his left flank …

Km 88: the Promenade still claims victims

Usually idyllic setting for tourists, the Promenade des Anglais did not give the peloton any gifts. On an avenue that had become very slippery under the effect of the downpours sent by the sky of the Alpes-Maritimes, keeping one’s balance proved difficult. At the second passage of the riders, a small group fell like Mikel Nieve (Mitchelton-Scott) but also Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo), unlucky as often on the Big Loop.

Mikel Nieve suffers (on the ground) while Richie Porte tries to leave.  (S. Mantey / The Team)

Mikel Nieve suffers (on the ground) while Richie Porte tries to leave. (S. Mantey / The Team)

Km 93: general slide, Ewan on the ground

Perhaps it was the fall that prompted Tony Martin to don his peloton boss costume to call for a general slowdown. On leaving Nice, a general pileup sent, like bowling pins, a dozen runners slipping on the road (and towards the barriers). Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) thought he would lose any chance of victory more than 50 kilometers from the finish. But if the Australian sprinter was able to join the peloton, his teammate John Degenkolb will not see the rest of the Tour. The German arrived late in Nice.

Km 112: “Superman” loses control

Tony Martin had therefore donned his peloton boss costume to claim a little calm in the descent of the Rimiez pass. But at Astana, we had other ideas: a collective acceleration to put Miguel Angel Lopez in orbit and his rivals in difficulty. Except that “Superman” does not shine for his qualities as a descender and reminded him of two turns after the start of the Kazakh offensive. His rear wheel caught a bit of white tape, very slippery, and sending Lopez straight into a traffic sign. More fear than harm for “Superman” who remained wise after this fear.

Km 129: George Bennett falls all alone

Even with a “neutralized” stage on the descent to Nice, the falls did not stop. Like his namesake Sam, George Bennett fell off his bike on his own, forcing him to chase behind the peloton, which he was finally able to re-enter.

Even with a “neutralized” stage, George Bennett went to the ground.  (S. Mantey / The Team)

Even with a “neutralized” stage, George Bennett went to the ground. (S. Mantey / The Team)

Km 153: Pinot on the ground

To avoid falls in the last kilometers, the jury of marshals had decided to freeze the times three kilometers from the finish. Cruel irony, the last fall therefore occurred … when passing the three kilometer arch. A general pile-up which notably sent Thibaut Pinot to the ground, shirt torn on the shoulder and left thigh in blood. The French (Groupama-FDJ) crossed the line with his face closed surrounded by his close guard.

The shorts torn, Thibaut Pinot could not reach the finish without hassle.  (S. Mantey / The Team)

The shorts torn, Thibaut Pinot could not reach the finish without hassle. (S. Mantey / The Team)

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