The show at Van Aert, the stage and the yellow at Pogacar

From kilometer 0 to 220^ethe longest stage of the Tour de France was a treat from start to finish on Thursday between Binche and Longwy.

Once again, Wout van Aert delighted with an unusual long breakaway for a yellow jersey, which Tadej Pogacar stole from him with another stunner at the top of the climb of the Religious. Phew!

Perhaps inspired by his compatriot Eddy Merckx, who visited the start of the stage in Belgium, Van Aert launched into all the attacks in the first 70 km covered at a frantic pace (more than 52 km in the first hour !).

The Belgian from Jumbo-Visma wanted nothing to do and got his way at 63^e km after disgusting all his rivals. Accompanying him was the young American Quinn Simmons (Trek) and, surprise, Jakob Fuglsang, the man of the general of Israel-Premier Tech.

“It was not planned for him to go on a breakaway. That was my job, ”revealed his teammate Hugo Houle.

Fuglsang found himself in the wake of Van Aert somewhat by chance, hoping that other brave men would join them. Ultimately, no.

“He was with the yellow jersey, it was useless, noted Houle. He was a bit trapped. At some point, after 70 kilometres, it goes all over the place. He followed a wave and he went ahead. They were seven at the start, but three were dropped. At seven, it could have been much more interesting. »

On undulating roads, Van Aert, Simmons and Fuglsang joined forces to give each other a priority that never exceeded four minutes.

The EF formations, which could hope for the yellow jersey for Neilson Powless, and Bora, for Aleksandr Vlasov, started to roll, accompanied later by the UAE of Pogacar.

The gap gradually narrowed to two minutes. With 75km to go, Van Aert expressed his displeasure to Fuglsang, who was instructed by his sporting director to get up, given the increasingly predictable fate of the ride.

“He still ended up in the group of leaders, but for sure he left a lot of energy,” noted Houle about his Danish friend, whom he positioned in the front. last rib.

Van Aert got angry and added a layer of it, making poor Simmons wince Donald Trump style. Thirty kilometers further, he had to let the ogre in yellow slip away.

The peloton took 20 km more before making Van Aert listen to reason. Caught up, the Belgian got up for the first time since the start of the Tour, thereby giving up the yellow jumpsuit he had been wearing with panache since his victory in Nyborg, Denmark, on Saturday.

“With the Board of Beautiful Girls [vendredi]it’s the last day he could do the show, “said Houle, 69^e of the step. “I don’t think it will hurt his legs for the rest of the Tour de France. »

A few crashes – including one that slowed Vlasov down – occurred before the final wrap. Australians BikeExchange led Michael Matthews on the penultimate climb, an 800m wall with 6km to go. Frenchman Alexis Vuillermoz (Total) tried his luck before the summit, provoking an initial reaction from Pogacar who followed Benoît Cosnefroy (AG2R).

The Jumbos chased on the descent, so that a group of around thirty riders broke away at the foot of the Côte des Religieuses, a mix of punchers and contenders for the general.

Vuillermoz taken back at 1.4 km, the table was set for the two leaders of Jumbo-Visma, Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard. The Slovenian started in the 300m, but his compatriot Pogacar easily overtook him to save himself with the victory. Matthews, formidable puncher crowned three times in Montreal and Quebec, had to admit defeat. Frenchman David Gaudu, teammate of Antoine Duchesne at Groupama-FDJ, completed the podium.

With the bonuses, Pogacar took over the yellow jersey, four seconds ahead of poor Powless, still deprived of the Grail.

Fifth at the finish, Briton Thomas Piddcock (Ineos), smiling amazed, offered this sweet comment about Van Aert: “He’s making fun of us, isn’t he? »

It will now be Pogacar’s turn to impose his law, with La Planche des Belles Filles to wrap up Friday’s stage, where he built his first Tour success of 2020. Hoping he doesn’t completely kill the suspense with two weeks to go.