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Thibaut Pinot made the perfect stage this Saturday, July 20 going to win the nose and beard of all the favorites at the top of the Tourmalet. The runner of the FDJ returns to the general classification. Julian Alaphilippe, again amazing, came second. He keeps his yellow jersey and even strengthens his lead over Geraint Thomas who has stuck in the last two kilometers.
The disappointment of the 10th stage and the minute and forty seconds he had lost on Geraint Thomas had remained across his throat. Thibaut Pinot had decided to start fighting with the knife between his teeth this Saturday. The Franc-Comtois said on arrival: " There is one (step) that I wanted, it was this one ". Pinot had announced it, he intended to redeem himself, and for this first stage of high editing, he kept his word.
He who has often been reproached for his friable mind has shown that he has the resilience of great champions. On the 117 km that separated Tarbes from the summit of Tourmalet, the rider of the FDJ proved that he was certainly the best climber of this 2019 edition and that he had the legs to get the podium or more.
đ„đ Marc Madiot encouraged @ThibautPinot until the end ... and crushed our cameraman by celebrating. — pic.twitter.com/IOMf6jMUSX
Cycling Team Groupama-FDJ (@GroupamaFDJ) July 20, 2019The final explanation took place in the last kilometers of the mythical pass. The pace imposed by the team Jumbo-Visma was right of Geraint Thomas who let go two kilometers from the summit. The perfect opportunity for Pinot to widen the gap with the Welsh in the last hectometres while looking for victory, with in his wheel a boosted Alaphilippe and amazing that all the followers saw already losing his yellow jersey in the Pyrenees.
Alaphilippe never ceases to surprise
It must be admitted, everyone wonders how long will be the puncher of the Deceuninck-Quick Step with the yellow jersey on the shoulders. He was to lose Friday in the time trial of Pau against specialists in the discipline as Geraint Thomas, but the Montluçonnais won the time and took 14 seconds in the Welsh. He had to lose him today at the top of the Tourmalet, he finally finished second in the wake of Pinot and took 30 seconds more on Thomas. Since then, very clever one who could say how far "Loulou" is able to go.
Alaphilippe never ceases to surprise so much that for some like legend Eddy Merckx, the French is now the favorite for the final victory, even if the principal continues to defend himself. The rider of the Deceuninck-Quick Step ripped off in the Tourmalet to stay in touch with the best and was sometimes felt at the limit of breaking point. With 2'02 minutes ahead of Thomas, he should have the means to keep his tunic tomorrow Sunday in the final stage Pyrenees, especially as the Welsh does not seem in an optimal form. But the real test for him will be the sequence of several passes out of category at the same stage that looms in the Alps.
Pinot is not dead, Kruijswijk remains in the shadows
This stage will have had the merit of remembering that the Ineos riders, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal, were not the only direct competitors of Alaphilippe for the final victory. After the episode of the border that cost him 1'40 minutes , this victory Pinot is proof that we should not bury the Franc-Comtois. Now sixth overall, he is 3'12 in the yellow jersey but only 1'10 Thomas and if he continues to be as imperial in high mountains, he could very well claim the podium.
But if the French riders made sparks during this 15th stage on which was present the president Emmanuel Macron, it should not that the tricolor performances make forget those of other pretenders very quiet in ambush. There is little talk of him, but Steven Kruijswijk is certainly the most consistent runner so far. Well placed in the chrono, always present in the mountains and well surrounded by a very solid team Jumbo-Vismo, the Dutchman is third 2'14 from Alaphilippe and only 12 seconds from Geraint Thomas.
The yellow jersey will have to keep an eye on Ineos and Pinot but not only. Although well in the shadows, Kruijswijk was able to be forgotten while in view of what he has shown, it is perhaps best placed to dislodge Alaphilippus. No doubt he should be out of the wood soon, but when? In any case, it was a long time since the final victory had not been so open. Highly the Champs-ĂlysĂ©es ...