Today was another long, flat, hot day in the saddle for the peloton. Another day, gift wrapped for the sprinters.
The next 2 days are mountain stages followed by a rest day on 10th July, so today was a crucial day where the green jersey contenders would duke it out.
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Today’s day offered an intermediate sprint 108 km into the day and a Category 4 climb(which offers 1 KOM point) at 147.5 km.
Maxime Bouet (Equipe Fortuneo-Vital Concept) was the first attacker of the day. He was soon joined by Manuele Mori (UAE Team Emirates), Yohann Gène (Team Direct Energie) and Dylan van Baarle (Cannondale–Drapac).
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There goes the Breakaway
As usual, the Peloton eased up to let the breakaway break away(ahem!)
PS: Today is Eurosport commentator Brian Smith’s 50th birthday. Tweet him your wishes @BriSmithy
You know what makes me sad? Watching BORA-hansgrohe’s advertisement on “Cooking Revolution” with this man:
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Miss Me?
Today was again a majorly boring day, with the breakaway going up to 3 minutes. There was a strong crosswind and at the end of the day there was big expectations of a strong tailwind.
More entertaining was Marcel Kittel’s(Quick-Step Floors Cycling Team) response when he was asked if his “sprint lead out train was working” to which he replied “which team are you asking this question?” (referring to the fact he outsprinted people even after being in the 12th place with 500 meters to go yesterday).
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Ambling at 40 kmph through France.
Mori won the intermediate sprint ahead of Bouet who finished 2nd and Gene who finished 3rd.
Among the sprint boys, it was Sonny Colbrelli(Team Bahrain Merida) who had finished 83rd yesterday. He was followed by Alexander Kristoff(Team KATUSHA ALPECIN) and André Greipel(Lotto Soudal Cycling Team Fanpage).
While passing through the feed zone, Primož Roglič(Team Lotto NL Jumbo Cycling) who finished 3rd overall at Tour De Romandie in 2017 and won the Stage 5 ITT in Lausanne, crashed. Luckily he wasn’t injured and was back in the Peloton soon.
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Oh yes! I saw him win at Romandie :D
And 24 minutes later he was caught in a crash again, this time with Dani Navarro(Team Cofidis) and Romain Sicard(Team Direct Energie), luckily unscathed again.
Fun fact: Roglic was a professional Ski jumper before he became a cyclist!
Outsprinting Manuele Mori, Maxime Bouet took the only KOM point up for grabs today.
With 21km to go, 2017 World TT champion Tony Martin(Team Katusha Alpecin) took the command of the pack. Team Sky was also at the front as the the peloton pushed at 62 kmph which pushed the gap quickly under the minute.
With 5k to go, the breakaway was caught as the Peloton upped the speed and went past 75 kmph at one point.
Edvald Boasson Hagen(Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka) was given the perfect lead out to the finish line and even as Kittel was far behind.
Kristoff attacked but the form Kittel is in, he erupted and there was an incredible photo finish!
Incredible!
After some waiting, Kittel signalled 3, Inglorius Basterds style proving:
a.) Quentin Tarantino’s attention to detail
b.) He is in the form of his life!
And he takes the Green Jersey!
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