Wout van Aert won the 4th stage of the Tour de France between Dunkirk and Calais on Tuesday.
The yellow jersey made a very good start to the Tour, but it missed this victory, after having failed three times in second place.
The Belgian put on a real show of force to blast everyone on the final climb and then hold the peloton at bay for 10 kilometers.
He could not be satisfied with the yellow jersey.
We had understood it well by listening to it in recent days.
After three second places in the first three stages of this Tour de France, Wout van Aert was upset like a louse.
Some would have gladly been satisfied with that, moreover with the yellow tunic on the shoulders, but the Belgian is of a different species.
Of the one who wins, all the time, on all grounds.
And in Calais, this Tuesday, the rider of the Jumbo-Visma took revenge, after a demonstration of power in the last 11 kilometers of the 4th stage.
“I was tired of taking risks in the sprint.
Better to arrive alone,” he laughed a few minutes after crossing the line.
Everything was in fact calculated to the millimeter by the Dutch team, who placed themselves at the head of the peloton in the descent just before Escalles, the village located at the foot of the Cap Blanc-Nez hill, the last difficulty of the day (900 m at 7.5%).
A sharp left turn, and the machine started, relentless.
Christophe Laporte on the first stage of the rocket, in a sprint, to catch up with Anthony Perez who was still trailing a few seconds ahead after a long breakaway with Magnus Cort Nielsen, then a huge job from Tiesj Benoot to blow everyone up, before leaving van Aert take off.
💛 The Yellow Jersey is solo up top!
@WoutvanAert is taking on the final 10km!
What panache!
💛 The @MaillotjauneLCL is alone in the lead!
@WoutvanAert goes alone to attack the last 10 kilometers!
What a stroke of panache!#TDF2022 pic.twitter.com/rMIoQwwpAa
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 5, 2022
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“A premeditated blow for a long time”
In not even 500 meters, the Belgian wrung out the competition, including Tadej Pogacar, too far when accelerating.
Only Adam Yates was able to follow a time before marking time, Jonas Vingegaard in the wheel.
The Dane could surely have gone there, but it was his teammate who had to be the star of the day.
“It was a premeditated blow for a long time.
With the team, we had checked off this stage with the firm intention of toughening up the race at this precise point, confirmed Laporte once the line was crossed.
It's a great day.
»
The plan indeed went off without a hitch.
Wout van Aert pulled away on the descent to Calais to maintain his 20-second lead acquired at the top.
And win alone, yellow jersey on the back.
Not within the reach of the first comer.
“It's an exceptional victory for me, he reacted.
On paper, this stage normally ends in a bunch sprint, or at least in a small group, but it's almost impossible to do it alone.
Except for him.
"I didn't think he could do that"
By the way, poor Jasper Philipsen got tricked.
The Belgian sprinter settled the peloton behind his compatriot, and raised his arms as if he had won.
He imagined that someone could resist alone in front for 10 terminals.
“We were too far in the climb, I did not see him leave, he explained.
But Wout was very strong, it's incredible to manage to keep this pace in front of the peloton, despite the wind.
This pedal stroke on the climb, I didn't think he could do that.
“I thought it would go up more calmly.
He did a hell of a number, ”said David Gaudu, not well placed when it started but who managed to avoid the breakage somehow.
So here is Wout van Aert as king of this start of the Tour, in yellow and with a stage victory.
"We generally say that the third time is good, for me it's the fourth," he sighed, relieved.
On Wednesday, the cobblestones await the runners.
This one was ticked by beautiful people, including Mathieu Van der Poel, whom we have seen very little since leaving Copenhagen.
But even on this ground, van Aert, 2nd in the last Paris-Roubaix, would be damned to win.
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