The Planche des Belles Filles (France) (AFP)

Calvary is confirmed. Romain Bardet almost said goodbye to the podium of the Tour de France, Thursday at the top of the Planche des Belles-Filles: already late on the first stages, this time he showed his limits stalling in the last kilometer of the first arrival at Mountain peak.

The image alone sums up AG2R La Mondiale's black week: Bardet, an open jersey, in the dust of the Planche des Belles-Filles, is forced to dismount on the finish line, dropped by his machine after being let go by his legs.

"I was not at the level today and I made it hard and bitter, I'll try to understand what happened, why I stuck like this", will launch- he was a few minutes later, terribly disappointed after throwing an eye in the standings of the day.

The report is clear: the Auvergnat lost 1 min 09 sec on Geraint Thomas, the defending champion, who was already ahead of 59 seconds even before the start of this first mountain stage.

The runner from Brioude (Haute-Loire), touched, took refuge behind his sunglasses. He wrapped himself in a black jacket to descend the 7 kilometers of the Vosges climb. He left his bike to his technicians then eclipsed himself, without a word, in the bus of his team. To try to understand.

- "Romain cracked" -

Did he have a mechanical problem with his derailleur, as mentioned by his teammate Alexis Vuillermoz at the finish line?

"No, it was more of a leg breakdown," quickly evacuates his sporting director Julien Jurdie. "We were thinking of picking up seconds, or we're losing, the operation is not good".

Planche, first arrival at the top of the Tour, was to deliver a first verdict, essential for the rest of the race. Bardet had said: "We do not know where we are." Except that instead of reassuring him, the steep Vosgian climb put him another "blow of club" on the head, expression which he had already used this week after the time trial by teams of Brussels, with the Out of which AG2R La Mondiale (19th) had conceded more than a minute to the best. And which already seemed, at the time, like a lesser evil.

The new blow is definitely a lot worse. Because the Auvergnat, twice on the podium of the Tour (2nd in 2016, 3rd in 2017), showed worrying limits in the mountains, his usual hunting ground that he stamped to find. "We expected the best, but it's not the best that has been done," says team manager Vincent Lavenu. "Still, the work was done, but Romain cracked at a top milestone."

"Breakdown of legs and extra disbursement", lists the boss of the team, trying as best as possible to "stay the course" and hoping for a "remontada". "I'm still very motivated for this Tour, there is still plenty to do," says Bardet, without hiding his immense disappointment.

"Maybe he can rebound", wants to believe his teammate Mikaël Chérel, "optimistic nature". It will have to be, to hope that Romain Bardet manages to erase this black week.

© 2019 AFP