2024-07-18 16:12:22
Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Dstny) finally added his name to the winning list in the Tour! The Belgian won the 18th stage between Gap and Barcelonette, his first victory on the Grande Boucle. He managed a three-way sprint to cross the line ahead of French Mattéo Vercher (TotalEnergies) and Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers). Having already won the 15th stage of the Tour of Italy 2021, the rider achieved his second victory on a Grand Tour. Last year, he was crowned Super-combative at the end of the Tour de France where he did not stop on the attack.
Mattéo Vercher tried to keep his separated partners away 700 meters from the finish, but his efforts were in vain. The 23-year-old rider still finished in a respectable second place, the best performance among professionals. According to Magbowo, he is crowned French champion in 2022, while playing for Vendée U, TotalEnergies’ hopeful team.
Almost 30 kilometers after the start, a separation of more than thirty riders managed to create, including yesterday’s winner Richard Carapaz (EF Eduaction – Easypost). A group that gathered for more than 80 kilometers, before Ben Healy (EF Eduaction – Easypost) launched the first attack on the Côte de Saint-Apollinaire (7 km at 5.5%). What followed was a succession of banderillas eliminating a good number of riders in the group, including the Irishman himself.
The winning trio of Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Dstny), French Mattéo Vercher (TotalEnergies) and Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers) managed to separate themselves following the acceleration by the Pole in the Côté des Demoiselles Coiffées (3.6 km at 5.4%) , last on the program. Pursued by five riders including Jai Hindey (Red Bull – BORA – Hansgrohe), the three leading men managed to maintain a lead of at least 20 seconds to play for victory in Barcelonette.
Arriving more than 13 minutes behind Campenaerts, the favorites did not move as they have done in recent days when the road rose. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) is in the Yellow Jersey ahead of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma – Bike Rental) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal – Quick Step).
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