Cyclist sprinter Phil Bauhaus is not far from the top spots in the Tour. Veteran star Mark Cavendish comes away empty-handed after his sprint into the record books. Dylan Groenewegen wins in Dijon.
After the high-speed final, Phil Bauhaus took a leisurely lap on his racing bike, then gained new hope for the Tour de France after fourth place in Dijon. “I made the most of it. My legs weren’t so good, so I’m very happy,” said the German sprinter, who is gradually getting closer to the podium places in the biggest cycling race in the world.
It’s not enough to get to the top (yet). He was a good bike length behind the former bad boy Dylan Groenewegen, who was able to celebrate in the photo finish. The Dutchman, who was banned four years ago for his rude driving, raced to victory after 163.5 kilometers from Macon to Dijon ahead of Jasper Philipsen, who was subsequently demoted to 107th place for dangerous driving. This moved Biniam Girmay from Eritrea and the Colombian Fernando Gaviria up to second and third place. Sprint king Mark Cavendish was not represented in the final, as he took a short break after his record coup.
The sprints at the Tour are more open than in previous years. Everything seems possible. Even for Bauhaus, who surprised everyone last year with three podium finishes. But the 29-year-old from Bocholt has not yet managed a major coup. His German colleague Pascal Ackermann came ninth.
Cavendish misses the momentum
Cavendish played no role this time in 19th place. “I lost momentum in the final,” said the record holder, who was greeted by his wife and children at the team bus. The day before, he had achieved history with his 35th Tour stage win and finally left legend Eddy Merckx (34) behind. “Last night was a bit strange. I was a bit shocked, but also happy,” reported Cavendish.
From afar, Merckx took the opportunity to congratulate his successor in the record lists. “Such a good guy who beat my record,” the 79-year-old wrote on Instagram.
But the big winner in Dijon was Groenewegen, who took his sixth Tour stage win. “It feels so good, and in the Dutch champion’s jersey. I had the right moment. I didn’t know if it was enough,” said Groenewegen, who was once banned for nine months after he pushed fellow countryman Fabio Jakobsen into the barriers at the Tour of Poland.
Pogacar still in yellow after moment of shock
Cycling star Tadej Pogacar continues to wear the yellow jersey on his shoulders. The two-time champion reached the finish line with the peloton one day before the first time trial and is still 45 seconds ahead of Belgian time trial world champion Remco Evenepoel. Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard from Denmark is still 50 seconds behind in third place.
The number one topic of conversation on Thursday was the British sprinter’s record victory. “Mark Cavendish – the cannibal,” was the headline of the Tour organ “L’Equipe” in reference to Merckx’s nickname, and continued: “The bow of a king.” The Briton had undergone a transformation “from hooligan to monk,” from hated rider to peaceful family man.
Colleagues congratulate Cavendish
The recognition from his fellow riders, most of whom were still children when Cavendish made his Tour debut in 2007, was correspondingly great. “He told me not to take the record away from him so quickly. But I don’t think I can do it. This is an incredible victory,” said Pogacar, who celebrated his twelfth stage victory on Tuesday on the difficult mountain stage over the Col de Galibier.
“If there is anyone who deserves this record, it is him,” said Evenepoel, Merckx’s Belgian compatriot. Wout van Aert was also fascinated. “I watched Mark on TV when I was not yet a professional. I respect him a lot. He is a great champion,” said the nine-time Tour stage winner from Belgium.
On Friday, Cavendish will have to leave the stage to the stars of the industry again when the next showdown takes place in the first individual time trial. 25.3 kilometers have to be covered between Nuits-Saint-Georges, where Marcel Kittel triumphed in the sprint in 2017, and Gevrey-Chambertin. Apart from a small climb halfway along the route, the course is completely flat.
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
