Before the parade on the Champs-Elysées this Sunday, the riders visited the mountain one last time during this Tour de France 2023. 133.5 kilometers in the Vosges between Belfort and Le Markstein Fellering and a passage on the lands of Thibaut Pinot. Highly anticipated for his last Tour de France, the child of the country made “his public” dream in his “Pinot turn”. Leaving in the breakaway, the Groupama-FDJ climber left alone 30 kilometers from the finish. Carried by a crowd that only had eyes and voices for him, the 33-year-old Frenchman rode alone for many kilometers and perhaps believed in the stage victory before being caught up by the inevitable Vingegaard-Pogacar duo.
Final mountain meeting of this very demanding Tour de France 2023. Before the mythical Champs-Elysées tomorrow, the peloton attacked a short but intense course of 133.5km between Belfort and the Markstein Fellering. As expected, the stage did a lot of damage in a tired peloton. The menu for this penultimate day of the Grande Boucle is indigestible: six passes, two of which are first category and a difficulty increasing to a crescendo over only 133.5 km. From kilometer zero, fugitives tried their luck, the inevitable Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step) and Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny) opened the way. The polka dot jersey Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) took the right wheels to find himself in the breakaway of the day and protect his polka dot jersey. The Italian topped the first four climbs listed in the mountain classification to secure a podium finish in Paris. Nine years after Vincenzo Nibali’s yellow jersey, an Italian wins a distinctive Tour de France jersey. Alongside the polka dot jersey in the breakaway, three tricolors: Warren Barguil (Arkéa Samsic), French champion Valentin Madouas and Thibaut Pinot (Groupama FDJ) for his farewell to the Grande Boucle.
The Franc-Comtois was heroic on his land. Starting alone 30km from the finish in the first kilometers of the ascent of the Petit Ballon, the Frenchman with panache blew up the breakaway to offer himself a sumptuous last stand. In front of his fans who came in large numbers in a bend dedicated to him, the tricolor split the crowd 2km from the summit, each spectator had a bit of Thibaut Pinot: flags, jerseys, cards… Until the end, the climber from Groupama FDJ did not give up, after taking the lead at the top of the Petit Ballon, he was caught by the pursuers Barguil and Pidcock at the foot of the final ascent.
Behind in the peloton, the UAE formation ensured a steady pace throughout the stage so as not to let the breakaway slip away. 13km from the finish, the white jersey Tadej Pogacar attacked to play for the stage victory. Only the yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard and the surprising Felix Gall (AG2R Citroën) were able to take the wheel of the Slovenian. With a hellish pace, the three leaders took over and then dropped the leading trio. By dint of observing each other, the three men saw the Yates rockets return just before the final packaging. Warren Barguil and Thibaut Pinot exploded, after a day of livening up the race, the two tricolors could not keep up with the favorites and let the victory slip away. Consolation prize, Thibaut Pinot offered himself a final podium by winning the prize for the combative of the day at the end of an unforgettable stage. In the final, Adam Yates rode hard to take his leader Pogacar, in the sprint, the second overall showed his great burst of speed to clinch his second victory in this Tour de France. Behind, Felix Gall and Jonas Vingegaard complete the podium. The first Frenchman of the day is Warren Barguil who finished in sixth place.
Overall, Adam Yates (UAE) secures his podium, his brother Simon (Jayco AlUla) climbs to fourth place at the expense of Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadier) who was much reduced by his fall at the start of the stage. The French David Gaudu (Groupama FDJ) and Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) gain a place in the general, the tricolors finish ninth and tenth of this edition.
Tomorrow Sunday is the end of this Tour de France, after 20 hard stages, the peloton will cross the mythical Champs Elysée. This is the stage that all sprinters dream of winning, Jasper Philipsen will have the opportunity to offer himself a fifth success on this edition.
