[ad_1]
Many experts had given the 15th stage to the Grand Colombier the potential to be decisive, and that is exactly what happened on Sunday (13.09.20), at least as far as the winner of the previous year is concerned: Egan Bernal had to climb at the beginning of the final steep climb. Let the Great Colombier take the field out of the other favorites around Primoz Roglic.
Pogacar strikes back, Buchmann stays behind early
Up front, however, the remaining favorites fought a heated exchange of blows for the day’s win. Adam Yates was the first to attack, but was brought back by Roglic’s assistant, Tom Dumoulin. In the final, Tadej Pogacar countered an attack from the leader of General Primoz Roglic and won the day, which was rewarded with a bonus of ten seconds. Overall, however, Roglic confidently maintained his overall advantage over Pogacar.
“It was a very, very difficult stage. Jumbo was so strong that there was no point in attacking.”Pogacar said given the strong foundation of Roglic’s Jumbo team: “So I expected the sprint. Some drivers had to pay today.”
Creepy ending without spectators
An unusual picture emerged in the final ascent, as well as in the second mountain classification at Col de la Biche: due to the increasing number of corona infections, the department of Ain had blocked access to the mountains for fans. Rather than through a crowd, Roglic and company scrambled up largely empty steps, mostly accompanied by the noise of escort vehicles and television helicopters.
The Germans Lennard Kämna, Maximilian Schachmann and Emanuel Buchmann had already left the field during the day and lost a lot of time. In the end, along with Egan Bernal, Nairo Quintana was also one of the defeated.
Sagan attacks without success
Eight pilots had finally formed a breakaway group after 20 wild kilometers full of attacks, among them the German Simon Geschke of the CCC team. Above all, Peter Sagan was one of the day’s losers as the German team’s Bora-hansgrohe sprinter had repeatedly tried to attack himself to regain ground on Sam Bennett, the leader, in the first sprint qualifier. in the fight for the green jersey. How fierce the fight for the group was, shows the running speed of more than 53 km / h in the first hour.
But Bennett was always wide awake and kept trying to beat Sagan in the pursuing field speed standings and keep the Slovak at bay. There is growing evidence that the Belgian team Deceuninck Quickstep will be able to clinch the green jersey this year. As long as of course you stay within the time limit on the next difficult mountain stages, which is always something for pure high-mountain sprinters.
Long journey to the first mountain
After a more or less flat approach, the race started again with the climb to the Montee de la Selle de Fromentel, 1,174 meters high. The outliers were only able to gain a just under four minute lead on the main field, but initially kept it in the pack. And the eleven kilometer climb with slope percentages of up to 22 percent was difficult. The leading group fell apart, behind the first of the mountain classification, the Spanish Jesús Herrada and Pierre Rolland, Geschke made his way through the top in third place.
Schachmann and Buchmann released
In the main draw that followed, the pace picked up, which in the meantime even got Egan Bernal in trouble. Among other things, the Bora-hansgrohe team was plucked, where Maximilian Schachmann and a little later Emanuel Buchmann had to break loose.
And the second ascent followed immediately after a short descent: up to Col de la Biche, Geschke could no longer keep up with the fugitives Pierre Rolland and Michael Gogl and was soon swallowed up by the main field, which had only about 40 pilots. In a frantic descent, he drove ten kilometers down a narrow, rough road. Caution was called for in the main field, where the Jumbo Visma team set a moderate pace for Primoz Roglic.
Jumbo-Visma controls the favorites field
Because the highlight of the day was yet to come: climbing more than 18.5 kilometers on the 1,500 meter high Grand Colombier. A nasty mountain, with double-digit percentage slopes over and over again. Leaders Gogl and Rolland were allowed to start with a two-minute lead over the group of favorites on the mountain.
Bernal has to let go
But in view of the continued massive speed work of the Roglic team, first Gogl and then Rolland quickly got under way and the battle of the titans could begin. The disaster for the winner of last year took its course 13 kilometers before the finish line: Egan Bernal, like Nairo Quintana, could no longer keep up with the rhythm and fell behind hopelessly along with his Ineos teammates.
Rest day before the difficult mountain stages
After the last rest day on Monday, the tour group continues on Tuesday with a very difficult mountain stage in the Alps. There are five difficult climbs of over 164 kilometers on the route, none of the favorites can afford to take a break for the overall victory.
Position: 13.09.2020, 17:38
