The three stages of the Pyrenees that will decide the Tour: "I'm not giving up, I'll attack"

• Classifications This is the Tour

• Vingegaard Fall and two companions less

During the rest day in Carcassone, the Tour teams breathe fire, relieved not to have to pedal under the dog days at least this Monday, also windy in the Occitanie region.

They review options, lick wounds and mentally prepare for the rest of this Pyrotechnic Tour.

The exciting general fight between

- "I don't give up, I will attack and give it my all until the end", challenges the Slovenian - as an absolute claim, the fight for the podium as well and check what the nine Spaniards will be capable of that survive (all) and, especially, the Movistar of an

disappointing so far.

Everything, in three days in the Pyrenees.

In Foix, where

achieved one of his four stage wins on the Tour (10 years ago), the first occasion will come on Tuesday, perhaps the least favorable for the yellow jersey.

An appetizer of almost 180 kilometers with four ports.

The two toughest, Porte del Lens (11.4 kilometers at 7%) and Mur de Peguere (9.3 at 7.9%), in the last 50 kilometers, although far from the finish line.

On Wednesday, a short and electric stage starts from Saint Gaudens, pure rock and roll, ending in Peyragudes (8 kilometers at 7.8%), remembered for

's victory also in 2012, after a solo breakaway of 35 kilometers .

Before, a brutal chained in just over 70 kilometers: the Aspin (12 km at 6.5%, Horquette de Arcizan (8.2 at 5.1%) and Val Louron-Azet (10.7 at 6.8% ).

And, the next day, with no time to recover, the last mountain stage of the Tour, the last time until Saturday's time trial in Rocamadour.

Another short day starts from Lourdes with the climb to Aubisque (16.4 km at 7.1%), the unprecedented Spandelles (10.3 to 8.3%) and the finish at Hautacam (13.6 to 7.8 %), where

he won his last win, back in 2014. "We are all tired, mentally and physically, and anyone can have a bad day or a good day, it depends. Wednesdays at Peyragudes and Thursdays at Hautacam will be interesting," warned a Pogacar who relativizes: " I'm literally not going to risk it all because I don't want to risk it all for a bike race I'm going to give 100% for sure try to win the race attack and hopefully push some good watts but not that I'm going to be the end of the world if I don't come to Paris in yellow".

"I hope it will be this hot in the Pyrenees going up Peyragudes and Hautacam, with high temperatures it will be an oven, and I love that," says Enric Mas, at a crossroads in the Balearic Islands.

Far from even equaling his best position in the Grande Boucle, fifth place in 2020. Forced to give up his usual and conservative way of running, to go on the attack, to at least try to win a stage that saves him from criticism, that justifies so many collective and individual efforts ahead of the Tour: "I'm very confident that quite a few of the 6-7 ahead of me will fall due to the hardness of the stages and the heat of the Pyrenees. The podium is far away, but I'm still confident. We'll have the opportunity to seek a stage".

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