Tour de La Provence (st. 3)
American leads again Movistar Team's performance with class and commitment in first 2021 mountain-top finish, just over a minute behind new race leader Sosa (IGD).
/ Today’s route
It was the ‘D-day’ on French soil, the first big mountain stage of the 2021 season with the climb towards the Chalet Reynard / Mont Ventoux, with 14.6km at 7.6%, more demanding after six kilometers into the ascent. A 40-minute effort that could help test the legs of some of the sport’s biggest names at this early point of the season.
/ Weather report
As snow falling over the finishing mountain on Friday evening was plowed by the French authorities to enable the race to reach the Chalet Reynard, riders weren’t disturbed by weather on Saturday, with clear skies at the start -more covered during the second half of the race- and cold temperatures: 5ºC at the départ, then below zero at the finish. Wins blew on the peloton’s tail over the final ascent.
/ Keys to the race
- After quite a considerable fight for the early break, six men went ahead of the peloton: Louvet (AUB), Fedeli (DKO), Vermeersch (LTS), Cousin, Gaudin (TDE) and Bagioli (BBK). Teams different to those which used to take to the front to chase came to work this time; more precisely, Trek-Segafredo, INEOS Grenadiers and Astana-Premier Tech. The maximum gap for the leaders was 3’30”.
- As the break was reduced to four riders with only one minute of advantage at the foot of the climb, the favourites’ teams took care of their leaders into the early slopes of the Chalet Reynard. Carlos Verona supported Matteo Jorgenson, again the top Movistar Team performer as he only lost the wheel of the GC group with 4km remaining, as eventual stage winner Iván Sosa (IGD) had already made his solo move.
- Jorgenson finished in 12th place, 1’18” down on the winner, while Abner González took 20th, in his first-ever mountain-top finish as a WorldTour rider, just over two minutes behind Sosa, alongside team-mate Sergio Samitier.
/ Upcoming goals
The first stagerace of the year for the Movistar Team will come to its end on Sunday with a 163km route from Avignon to Salon de Provence. Three Cat-3 climbs should not prevent the bunch to go to a final sprint after just over 1,000 meters of vertical gain.
Cover picture (c): BettiniPhoto
- 01 Iván Sosa Team INEOS 4h08'14"
- 02 Egan Bernal Team INEOS +15"
- 03 Julian Alaphilippe Deceuninck - Quick Step +18"
- 12 Matteo Jorgenson Movistar Team +1'18"
- 20 Abner González Movistar Team +2'08"
- 21 Sergio Samitier Movistar Team "
- 33 Carlos Verona Movistar Team +3'32"
- 48 Lluís Mas Movistar Team +5'46"
- 75 Imanol Erviti Movistar Team +12'14"
- 76 Enric Mas Movistar Team "
- 01 Iván Sosa Team INEOS 13h13'16"
- 02 Egan Bernal Team INEOS +19"
- 03 Julian Alaphilippe Deceuninck - Quick Step +21"
- 14 Matteo Jorgenson Movistar Team +1'28"
- 25 Abner González Movistar Team +3'35"
- 40 Lluís Mas Movistar Team +5'56"
- 41 Sergio Samitier Movistar Team +6'00"
- 46 Carlos Verona Movistar Team +7'37"
- 78 Imanol Erviti Movistar Team +14'59"
- 80 Enric Mas Movistar Team +15'20"