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EFE · Road Competition · 06/09/2020
The Colombian Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadier) showed his claws in the second Pyrenean stage of the Tour de France, with an attack on the ascent of Marie Blanque, the last point of the day, which caused the final selection, in which his compatriots Nairo did not enter. Quintana (Arka-Samic) and Rigoberto Urn (EF).
Previously, Miguel ngel Lpez (Astana), the great victim of the day, had already stayed, who lost almost a minute on the finish line and two places in the general classification, on the eve of the first rest day of the edition.
Bernal, who finished fourth, lost some time in the bonuses with the Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), the new leader of the event, his main rival for the final victory. The winner of the last edition is already second, 21 seconds behind the yellow jersey.
“It is true that the others have been faster at the finish line, but I am very satisfied with the result, especially for the sensations. You have to accept things and stay with the positive: I have been better than in the previous days”, said the Ineos cyclist, winner of the last edition.
BERNAL OPTIMISTA
Optimistic, the Ineos head of ranks downplayed the time lost and stressed that he has regained confidence for the remainder of the Tour. His sights are set on the thirteenth week, in which the Alps will pass judgment.
Despite the fact that Roglic was stronger in the first third and his team, the Jumbo, more solid than Ineos, Bernal is committed to a race of attrition in which he will have to maintain his strength until the end.
“The most important thing at this point in the race is to be calm, motivated and recover well. I want to win the race, but I have to keep my feet on the ground,” he commented.
The other great threat to the Colombian comes from another Slovenian, the young Tadej Pogacar, 21, who won the stage one day after recovering 44 seconds from the rest of the favorites.
The rising star of UAE Emirates is seventh overall, as he dropped 1 minute and 21 seconds into the seventh stage in a fan.
QUINTANA TAKES OFF
Quintana won a place in the general classification and is now fifth, despite having lost 11 seconds in the finish line with respect to the favorites.
The Arkea rider could not respond to Bernal’s attack and stayed in a group accompanied by Urn and the French Romain Bardet and Guillaume Martin, among others.
If until now the one from Boyac had managed to keep up with the best, in the promotion to Marie Blanque he was left off the hook and now he is 32 seconds behind Roglic and 12 seconds behind Bernal, an income similar to that given by Uran.
Things were worse for `Supermn López, who reached the goal 54 seconds behind the winner and is ninth at 1 minute and 15 seconds.
“I have lost a little more than a minute, but there is a lot of Tour left and the important thing is not being far off in the general classification. We reached the rest day having achieved that goal,” said the Astana leader.
“It was a very fast, hard stage, and the truth is that in the last climb on the Marie Blanque I was a little to the limit. With Movistar we have done a good job and then Ion Izagirre has taken me very well forward,” he said .
Luis Miguel Pascual
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