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EFE · Road Competition · 08/09/2020
The Irish cyclist Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-Quick Step) left a pending account achieving his first victory in the Tour de France, in a very contested sprint on the Isle of R that also served him to don the green jersey, on a day marked by the fear of the wind that kept the Slovenian Primoc Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) as leader.
Bennett finally got his award after several tries. In a mighty display of strength, the 29-year-old Irish champion raised his arms in front of Australia’s Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) and Slovakian Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe). All with a time of 3 hours, 35 minutes and 22 seconds in the 168 kilometer route between the Island of Oleron and the Island of R.
The sprint and transition day forecast was fulfilled for the men of the general classification, who, nevertheless, were all the way with their ears pricked. Roglic remained in front, the Colombian Egan Bernal following him at 21 seconds and the French Guillaume Martin third at 28. Mikel Landa is the best placed Spaniard, tenth, at 1 minute and 42 seconds, Enric Mas is at 2 minutes and 2 seconds and Alejandro Valverde at 3 minutes and 43 seconds.
FAST DEPARTURE AND FEAR OF THE WIND
The 165-runner peloton was started with relief because all of them were virus-free, as demonstrated by the results of the PCR tests published in the morning. However, 4 people from the organization chart of 4 teams tested positive and according to the regulations had to leave the “bubble” of the Tour. He also left the command of career director Christian Preudhomme, affected by Covid-19.
A stage for the first time in the history between islands. From Olron, the second largest in France after Corsica, two Swiss people shot from the start: Stefan Kng (Groupama) and Michael Schr (CCC). Ahead a completely flat route, without any orographic difficulty, but with the possible threat of the wind and its vagaries of constant changes of direction, common in this area of western France.
The tension in the race was palpable. Everyone feared the fans, hence Jumbo, Ineos and Movistar leaned forward with their antennas attached. In the first hour, 49 kilometers were covered, the escapees never had a free card and were hunted before the middle of the race.
EVERYONE ATTENTIVE, NERVES AND DOWN
In one of the turns of the wind, blowing from the side, the Deceuninck caused the first cut of the day after passing through Le Gua (km 65). A first notice that accentuated the attention of the favorites in the lead. Tension that resulted in a fall at the departure of Rochefort that affected Guillaume Martin Y Pogacar, third and seventh overall, without harm.
The sprinters rehearsed in the intermediate pass of Chatelaillon Plage, a fight that Trentin took ahead of Sagan, who did not quite regain his old level. I lost the green jersey at the finish line for Bennett.
After a few kilometers of calm, the approach to the Isle of R once again upset the order in the squad. The Ineos de Bernal kicked the hornet’s nest to install madness in the group with crosswinds. The peloton was cut 17 km from the finish line, coinciding with a fall that caught Carapaz and Alaphilippe.
Through the R bridge that connects the island with the mainland for 3 kilometers, the wind decided to blow it head-on. Braking in the rhythm and in the offense that allowed to link Supermn Lpez, Martin, Valverde and Carapaz. Grouped squad, it was time to prepare the sprint.
BENNETT CAN WITH THE WIND
The short-lived battle left no injuries. The men of the general standings were in front of the imminent revolution of the sprinters, who already saw the goal of managing the stage victory by speed close at hand.
Jumbo kept tense in front until he disappeared 3 kilometers from the finish line. I did not play the option of Van Aert and the possibility of making a triplet.
The ending was messy. Only the Sunweb tried to organize their train to lead Cees Bol to success, but on the straight everyone shot off. Sam Bennett emerged as the star protagonist. The king of the Isle of R, a heavenly place where the bicycle is more than a symbol.
The fifth victory of the season, which can be added to 3 stages of the Giro and 2 of the Vuelta, opens in this place in the Tour’s palmars. The wind was slower than the Irish.
The Tour de France will continue this Wednesday with the dispute of its eleventh stage, of 167.5 kilometers between Chtelaillon-Plage and Poitiers.
Classifications [Clasificaciones completas]
Stage classification:
1. Sam Bennett (IRL / Deceuninck-Quick Step) – 3:35:22
2. Caleb Ewan (AUS / Lotto-Soudal) – mt
3. Peter Sagan (SVK / Bora-Hansgrohe) – mt
4. Elia Viviani (ITA / Cofidis) – mt
5. Mads Pedersen (DEN / Trek-Segafredo) – mt
6. Andr Greipel (GER / Israel Start-Up Nation) – mt
7. Bryan Coquard (FRA / B & B-Vital Concept) – mt
8. Cees Bol (NED / Sunweb) – mt
9. Jasper Stuyven (BEL / Trek-Segafredo) – mt
10. Luka Mezgec (SLO / Mitchelton-Scott) – mt
General classification:
1. Primoz Roglic (SLO / Jumbo-Visma) – 18:15:23
2. Egan Bernal (COL / Ineos) at 0:21
3. Guillaume Martin (FRA / Cofidis) at 0:28
4. Romain Bardet (FRA / AG2R-La Mondiale) at 0:30
5. Nairo Quintana (COL / Arka-Samsic) at 0:32
6. Urna Rigoberto (COL / Education First) at 0:32
7. Tadej Pogacar (SLO / UAE Emirates) at 0:44
8. Adam Yates (GBR / Mitchelton-Scott) at 1:02
9. Miguel ngel Lpez (COL / Astana) at 1:15
10. MIKEL LANDA (ESP / Bahrain-McLaren) at 1:42
Next stage, 11: Chtelaillon-Plage / Poitiers / 167.5 Km.
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