The Tour de France arrived in the Pyrenees. This is now more the stuff of hard-boiled. But the favorites are smart and keep yourself covered. An opportunity for the German Champions? Yes, but not more.
At the end of the three drivers are almost on a line. Gregor Mühlberger is. A short Sprint. Can be won by the Austrians on the stage? Half a bike’s length, to decide, but the Briton Simon Yates (article image) pushes his equipment first to the finish in Bagnères-de-Bigorre, followed by the Spaniard Pello Bilbao. Mühlberger third. The other two were in the Sprint faster.
The Tour de France has arrived in the mountains, the twelfth stage led the riders into the Pyrenees. Start in Toulouse, then 209 and a half kilometers in good sunglasses-the weather up in the mountain town. For the real experts of this sports-spectacle is clear: This is only the beginning.
And so the favorites, hold back a bit on this part. The preliminary decision on the first Pyrenean stage was dropped on the last climb, as Yates and Mühlbauer attacked. Tour-rookie of the chess man was until just before the summit of the final climb within striking distance of the leading trio. However, since team-mate was Mühlbauer front, the German Trio to pull.
“At the very front, I couldn’t get a ride”
“I must admit, I think, at the very front, I would not have a ride,” says chess man shortly after the finish of the ARD-television. “I think we as a Team have done a Super Job,” says the visibly created German team Bora-hansgrohe, which the Austrians attacked the first group belongs to. “‘ll see how the legs are,” he adds, with a view to the upcoming tasks in the mountains. As I said: This is only the beginning.
Alaphilippe continues in the yellow Jersey
And because the favorites were still covered, changes in the overall standings: The Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step) had no effort to defend the Yellow Jersey. His advantage over defending champion Geraint Thomas: + 1:12 minutes.
More in the yellow Jersey of race leader in the overall standings: Julia Alaphilippe
On Friday, the single is now between the mountain stages in the Pyrenees-time travel: 27,2 kilometers long, a requirement profile, for example, for co-favourite Geraint Thomas (Team Ineos) from Wales, but also for the German hopes Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-hansgrohe), or time-trial specialist Tony Martin (Jumbo-Visma).
ml/sti (dpa, SID, sport watch)