Orcières (France) (AFP)

Primoz Roglic showed his strength from the first arrival at the top of the Tour de France, without dethroning Julian Alaphilippe still in yellow after the 4th stage, Tuesday at Orcières-Merlette.

The Slovenian, one of the big favorites of the Tour, has settled a group of ... 16 riders at an altitude of 1825 meters.

In the strong sprint, he won very clearly over another Slovenian, the rookie Tadej Pogacar, and the Frenchman Guillaume Martin.

If necessary, the winner of the last Vuelta reassured his supporters, just over two weeks after his retirement from the Dauphiné following a fall.

Roglic, whose companion had hinted that he was uncertain before the start, was as impressive as at the start of the Dauphiné, when he handily won the stage from the Col de Porte.

"I'm getting better and better," admitted the Slovenian, soberly speaking, after his third Tour success.

"I am not yet completely at my level of the Dauphiné but it is a good sign for the future. I had already had a first confirmation on Sunday in the second stage".

- Carapaz left behind -

The moderate slope of the climb to Merlette (7.1 km at 6.7%) prevented a real selection before the finish.

Because of the work of the men of Alaphilippe (Devenyns, Jungels) and Roglic (Van Aert especially and Kuss) who discouraged any offensive from the suitors for the yellow jersey, until Guillaume Martin decided to try his luck 600 meters from the line.

Alaphilippe, well placed throughout the climb, crossed the line in fifth position, in the wake of Colombian Nairo Quintana.

Egan Bernal (7th), the outgoing Colombian winner, and Thibaut Pinot (8th), finished behind him, without wasting time on Roglic apart from the 10 seconds of bonus pocketed by the Slovenian.

In the final climb, Roglic's Jumbo team displayed greater collective power than Bernal's Ineos.

Especially since the number two of the British formation, Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, is one of the losers of the day.

The winner of the last Giro, overwhelmed in the final, gave up 28 seconds.

The Colombian champion, Sergio Higuita, spent the same time.

Unlike his compatriot Rigoberto Uran, who managed to hang on to the favorites.

The runner-up in the 2017 Tour, who had not given proof of his condition before the Tour unlike his young compatriots (Higuita, D. Martinez), is indeed the leader of his team.

- No regrets for Alaphilippe -

Alaphilippe, who was aiming for two goals at the same time, stage success and keeping the yellow jersey, had to be satisfied only with the second.

"I am beaten by stronger, I have no regrets," assured the French.

"The Jumbo train was difficult to follow, so I have no disappointment."

During this summer day, the breakaway formed from the start of Sisteron brought together six riders (Neilands, Politt, Vuillermoz, Burgaudeau, Benoot, Pacher) whose advantage remained confined to less than 3 minutes during most of the race. step.

Alaphilippe's Deceuninck formation controlled the gap almost permanently at the front of the peloton.

To return to the foot of the final climb on the Latvian Krists Neilands, the last survivor of the leading group who had emerged at the entrance of the last 20 kilometers.

Roglic, now third, got closer to 7 seconds in Alaphilippe's standings.

The Frenchman does not run much risk in the next stage which descends Wednesday in the plain on a course of 183 kilometers between Gap and Privas favorable to the sprinters.

For the wearer of the yellow jersey, the next pitfall should be Thursday in the stage of Mont Aigoual.

But, if we are to believe his cousin and trainer Franck Alaphilippe, his condition should increase.

© 2020 AFP