Tour de France – Gaudu – Bardet, so far so good: “It’s a new Tour that begins” – Eurosport FR

A Slovenian, an American, a Dane, three Britons, a Russian, a Colombian and… two French. For the less international, the general classification published at the end of the sixth stage of the Tour de France 2022 places for the first time since the start in Copenhagen, two representatives of France in the Top 10. Which, it must be to admit it, did not seem won in view of a course for which David Gaudu and Romain Bardet did not really have the job. There is a wink to note in the fact that the two French climbers are now in ambush even as the Tour arrives in the mountains, however average, with the Super Planche des Belles Filles this Friday. At the start of this 109th Tour de France, France officially only has one cartridge for the general, David Gaudu therefore, since Romain Bardet strives to repeat that he is only aiming for the stages even though his attitude, and his DNA, tend to suggest otherwise. Both have avoided the many pitfalls since Copenhagen. “I really apprehend the first week of the Tour, explained the latter to the magazine Pédale before the start. After this week, out of the fifteen candidates for the Top 10, I bet that five will have ‘jarted’. Days on small roads, a thirteen-kilometre bridge exposed to the wind, from the curb, then the cobblestones.”Tour de FranceThe PR palette: “600m of gravel” to shine on the Super Planche des Belles Filles3 HOURS AGOBardet’s prophecyIn fact, the prophecy Bardet was confirmed. Primoz Roglic lost two minutes on the cobbles, Ben O’Connor four, Rigoberto Uran has already lost time and Jack Haig even gave up. But he, who was apprehensive, got through, to the point of finding himself first tricolor overall one second ahead of Gaudu, one minute behind Tadej Pogacar. “It is sure that the week went rather well, appreciates the Breton, third in Longwy this Thursday. The team did a huge job. It’s only pleasure, only happiness.” Seeing his smile on arrival in Arenberg on Wednesday, we understand that Gaudu feared a lot these first days. An ordeal for Roglic, Pogacar shows the muscles: the summary of the 5th stage “It’s really tomorrow (Friday) count. We have to focus on that, stay focused, he tempered Thursday. We will have to be ready, in the legs and in the head. We have been focused for a week but we must not let go. Same story on the side of Bardet, also pointing to the traces that these first days will leave: “I think fatigue is starting to set in with the cobblestones and today was anything but a day of transition.” Swallowed at nearly 50 km / h on average, this stage was indeed anything but a sinecure on the eve of the expected first test. The summary of the 6th stage: Van Aert scuttled himself, Pogacar disgusted them We will see who will be capable of going to play with Pogacar in the finalThe Tour between, as often since 2012 and the discovery of the Vosges climb, in the mountains by the Planche. The Super Planche even with this stone path in (poisoned) icing on the cake at the top. A bad memory for Bardet who had lost a big minute there on his opponents for the general in 2019, even experiencing a mechanical problem when crossing the line. That day, Gaudu began his immense work for Thibaut Pinot by leading the group of favorites, finishing the climb 18 seconds ahead of Bardet. “We hope everything will go well. We will do the accounts tomorrow, it’s a new Tour de France who is starting, notes the Breton who still sees Pogacar above the lot. He has already won today. He may want to win on Friday. […] The fact that Pogacar has the jersey doesn’t change anything, it’s so hard to finish… We’ll see who will be able to play with him in the final.” As an excellent puncher that he is, Gaudu can also very digest the 24% slope close to the line. A climber at ease on longer efforts, Bardet will probably be more in defensive mode. As such, since La Planche, whether Super or not, does not does not quite correspond, its final result will say more about its form and its intentions than its communication of these last days. “We will see, he breathes in a grin of anticipated pain. First arrival at the top, it will be interesting to see.” Interesting and instructive.Tour de FrancePogacar will do “everything to defend the yellow jersey until the end”4 HOURS AGOTour de FranceThe debates of the Tour: Pinot, guardian angel or maverick at la Planche ?4 HOURS AGO