Embrun (France) (AFP)
The peloton in the assault of three "giants" of the Alps: the start of the 18th stage of the Tour de France was given Thursday in Embrun, starting point of the first part of the terrible alpine triptych of the 2019 edition.
At 11:28 (09:28 GMT) at the time of the actual start, the yellow jersey was still hanging on the shoulders of Julian Alaphilippe.
But the opponents of the French intend to take advantage of the long and dantesque stage of the stage (208 km) to finally crack the leader of the general classification. After two days of heat wave on the route of the Great Loop, the storms expected in late afternoon in Savoie will provide a propitious setting for any thunderclap in the standings.
Vars, Izoard, Galibier: three big passes of the Alps, all over 2,000 meters, will be responsible for undermining the energy of the rider Deceuninck team, which however has the happiness, as a good descender, to see that the arrival is located in Valloire, in the valley. Unlike the arrivals of the two following days, judged at the top of difficult climbs.
Only 156 fighters are still present to attack the legendary massif: the German Tony Martin (Jumbo-Visma) and the British Luke Rowe (Ineos), who slipped on Wednesday in full stage, were excluded by the commissioners and will see their teammates by far, their calls for a "second chance" were not heard.
Denmark's Soeren Kragh Andersen (Sunweb), who suffers from saddle pain, waived Wednesday night. And the German Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), however present in the breakaway yesterday and who finished 12th at Gap, also did not start Thursday.
© 2019 AFP