Tignes (France) (AFP)
The first nine stages of the Tour de France have clarified the situation for the French teams and riders: apart from David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), the French side is now aiming for stage victories or a distinctive jersey.
Winner of the ninth stage in Tignes and new runner-up to Tadej Pogacar in the general classification, the Australian Ben O'Connor (AG2R Citroën) signed the first success for a French team on the 108th Grande Boucle.
From there to think of titillating the Slovenian in the race for the yellow jersey ...
"Of course I will do my best to stay at the top of the table, but Tadej is a step up," said the 25-year-old Australian wisely.
Fourth on the stage and first French in the general classification (9th), Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) also ruled out upon arrival in Tignes any inclination to fight for a good final classification.
"There are still a fortnight of racing, a lot can happen, I don't think I'm in exceptional physical condition for the moment," said the Normand.
"If it's to endure until the end and make eleventh ...", continued Martin, who had declared well before the Grand Départ to aim for stage victories.
Tenth in the general classification, David Gaudu remained Sunday in the same group as the yellow jersey Tadej Pogacar (UAE) and seems to be the only Frenchman who can or wants to aim for a final top 10.
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The Breton will however have to deal with a team reduced to five units: Ignatas Konovalovas gave up injured in the 1st stage, while Arnaud Démare and Jacopo Guarnieri arrived late on Sunday, after a mountainous stage disputed in incessant rain.
- End of the Alaphilippe hypothesis -
Cited among the Tour's outsiders after his fourteen-day saga in yellow in 2019, Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck) struck hard from the start by winning the first stage at Landerneau.
The eighteen minutes abandoned in Pogacar on Saturday from the first mountain stage, however, put an end to the hypothesis of a fight for the yellow jersey.
Alaphilippe will still have several opportunities to hit the Pyrenees from here thanks to his puncher qualities, all the more free as he is relieved of the pressure of the general classification (37th to 47 minutes behind Pogacar) and freed from competition from Mathieu van der Poel
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Distinctive jerseys and stage victories remain to be chased away.
Present Sunday at the front of the race, Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic) grabbed the polka dot jersey.
Relegated to nearly 25 minutes from Pogacar in the general classification, the Colombian will be able to concentrate on defending his jersey.
"The team has worked and today we are happy to have the polka dot jersey", commented Quintana.
"Practically dead" in the final, he can however hope for a stage victory on mountain days, like his teammate Nacer Bouhanni on the flat stages.
The 30-year-old sprinter has already grabbed three podiums since the start of the Tour.
For the grouped arrivals, Bouhanni became the best French chance on Sunday (along with Christophe Laporte) since in addition to Arnaud Démare, Bryan Coquard (BB Hotels) arrived late during the 9th stage.
- Küng revenge -
In the time trial, the first asset of the French teams is Switzerland: the rider Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) was only beaten by an exceptional Tadej Pogacar on Wednesday during the first time.
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He will have the opportunity to take his revenge on the eve of the arrival in Paris, during the 20th stage between Libourne and Saint-Emilion (30.8 km).
Finally, in the mountains, Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) and Franck Bonnamour (BB Hotels) have shown their good form.
But faced with formidable competition among climbers, Gaudu and Martin seem, after a week of Tour, to be the main French cards.
The only certainty for the rest of the Tour: Nans Peters (AG2R-Citroën) will not win his second bouquet on the Grande Boucle this year.
The Isérois retired on Sunday.
© 2021 AFP