The classics specialist from Australia won on Saturday after 192.5 kilometers from Saint-Étienne to Mende as a soloist in front of the Italian Alberto Bettiol and the French Thibaut Pinot. The favorites for the overall victory arrived more than twelve minutes after the escapees. The Dane Jonas Vingegaard fended off an attack by Tadej Pogacar in the finish and is still 2:22 minutes ahead of the Slovenian.
Two Austrians delivered a successful performance. Bora riders Patrick Konrad and Felix Großschartner, who tackled the last climb with a three-man lead group around Matthews despite a dying cold, finished fifth and seventh. With Gregor Mühlberger (Movistar), another red-white-red athlete was among the front runners and finished 14th, 2:02 minutes behind. In the overall standings, Konrad improved as the best Austrian, now 30:52 minutes behind, to 20th place.
With a good 45 km to go, Matthews attempted a breakaway, three other riders, including Großschartner, followed suit. Finally, a top trio emerged with Matthews, Großschartner and oldie Luis Leon Sanchez, who tackled the last climb with a lead of around 36 seconds on the 23-strong chasing group around Konrad and Mühlberger. That was not enough for Sanchez and Großschartner, only Matthews held out, got the mountain classification in a duel with the Italian Alberto Bettiol shortly before the finish and finally rolled safely over the line as the first.
On Sunday, the riders of the 109th Tour de France face what is probably the hottest day of this year’s Tour. It can get up to 40 degrees hot on the 15th stage over 202.5 kilometers from Rodez to Carcassonne. For the sprint specialists it is one of the last chances to win a stage.
Read more:
Source: Nachrichten
