On the roads of the Tour (16/21)
Konrad wins the 16th stage in Saint-Gaudens, in the rainy Pyrenees, after a solitary breakaway. No clearing up for the French runners. And also the statement, the stat, the bike dico, the quiz …
Uneven asphalt, small holes in the road, rain to dampen it, we feared the worst for the runners in the descent of the Col de Port. The skillful Danish Kasper Asgreen gets trapped, simply passing through the wet grass. We watch it on TV. Briefly put on the side of the road, we’ve only been eating sandwiches in the middle of the stage for two weeks, so the andouillette break at 2:30 p.m. in the village of Illartein is doing us good. A table called L’Etable, which does not take the card, we are short of change, it gives us 4 euros, that she be thanked for.
On the side of the road, everyone in K-way and under umbrellas. Finished the beautiful days, the rain falls in Ariège. We had left the Alps under a torrential rain, here are the Pyrenees too under a thick cloudy cover seeming to shed summer tears. We are afraid for the runners, the Portet d’Aspet awaits them, its descent, passages at 17%, and the falls of the past: Philippe Gilbert, two years ago, behind a parapet, but above all, at the corner of after, Fabio Casartelli, died on the 1995 Tour, it was July 18. A stele and red flowers are hidden there behind large yellow cushions above the low walls: to prevent a drama and history from stammering.
The race? We thought we saw the revolt of the French, after two weeks of misty crossing since the inaugural victory of Julian Alaphilippe. The peloton set foot on the ground for an hour and a half, then 14 fugitives in two groups, including 5 French (Gaudu, Bonnamour, Périchon, Doubey, Cosnefroy). None of them, in the end, on the podium.
Fifteen minutes late, the peloton parked and left them some slack. The strongest of the breakaways, Patrick Konrad, 2nd Saturday at Quillan, left alone in front, 30 kilometers from the finish. Climber David Gaudu and sprinter Sonny Colbrelli try to get closer on the climb to Portet d’Aspet. 20 km, 45 ″, the duo tops out, the Austrian from Bora-Hansgrohe has won the race. Besides two national championships, this is his first victory among the pros.
Sonny Colbrelli sets the sprint for second place, ahead of Michael Matthews. First Frenchman, Pierre-Luc Périchon (4th). David Gaudu (9th) gains three places in the general classification, he is now 11th, 14 minutes from Tadej Pogacar, a yellow jersey never worried on Tuesday.
The state: 174
This is the number of meters covered by the German Max Walscheid, winner of this off competition: the challenge of the longest distance covered in the rear wheel by a rider during the Tour de France.
Thing seen
The “Libémobile”, our press car number 908, is reassembling the advertising caravan between the Col de Port and the Col de la Core, this Tuesday. To watch and to listen.
The declared
On the roadside in Aspet, at the end of the stage.
The dico of the bike
Turn to clear water
Do not interfere with doping products before participating in cycling races – simple reminder.
The question of the day
This Wednesday, the race passes through Saint-Lary-Soulan, which was also on the route of the Pau-Loudenvielle stage of the 1997 Tour. That day, Brochard won ahead of Virenque, doubled by the Festina team, and a Frenchman saves his yellow jersey for thirteen seconds ahead of Ullrich, future winner of the Tour. Who is this brave Frenchman?
♦ Stéphane Heulot
♦ Jean-Cyril Robin
♦ Cédric Vasseur
♦ Christophe Moreau
Answer tomorrow!
Answer of Sunday’s question : Catchaudégué.
The profile of tomorrow’s stage
2021 season – episode 01 / episode 02 / episode 3 / episode 4 / episode 5 / episode 06 / episode 7 / episode 8 / episode 9 / episode 10 / episode 11 / episode 12 / episode 13 / episode 14 / episode 15
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