The Norwegian cycling world is experiencing an emotional rollercoaster ride. First Jonas Abrahamsen impresses in the polka dot Tour mountain jersey, then the death of his compatriot in Austria is announced.
With his face smeared with dirt, veteran Alexander Kristoff from Norway stood in front of the team bus near the former country residence of statesman Charles de Gaulle and was deeply sad. Shortly before, the four-time stage winner of the Tour de France had only just learned of the death of his compatriot André Drege in the Tour of Austria, which was taking place at the same time.
“This is very bad news,” Kristoff lamented on Saturday after the eighth stage in France, which was won by the Eritrean Biniam Girmay. “I knew him a little, was in the national team with him. He was a good guy,” added the 37-year-old.
A few hours earlier, about 600 kilometers away as the crow flies, professional cyclist Drege had fallen on the descent from the Grossglockner during the Tour of Austria and subsequently died. Details of the incident were not initially known. It is unclear whether the race will continue.
The Norwegian team Uno-X was not at all happy about the impressive solo ride of their professional cyclist Jonas Abrahamsen over 140 kilometers. Abrahamsen has been wearing the jersey for the strongest climber since the first stage. With one exception, the Uno-X team consists only of Norwegians on this tour.
Girmay wins second Tour stage, Ackermann fourth
The stage was overshadowed by death, but shortly after the mass sprint there were completely different topics. The German sprinter Pascal Ackermann was annoyed about missing out on the day’s victory after the 183.4 kilometers between Semur-en-Auxois and Colombey-les-Deux-Églises. But the 30-year-old also drew positives from his fourth place. “That would actually have been my sprint. But there are still a few sprints to come. I’m getting stronger every day,” said Ackermann.
For Tour debutant Ackermann, it would have been the greatest success of his career. In the previous three sprint races, he played no role, coming in 15th, 6th and 9th. The Belgians Jasper Philipsen and Arnaud de Lie came in second and third ahead of him. Sprint star Philipsen was once again without a win.
Biniam Girmay, on the other hand, from the team led by German professional Georg Zimmermann, felt completely differently. The 24-year-old celebrated his second Tour day victory after his first victory on the third stage in Turin. The Eritrean, who is a superstar in his country, dedicated his second victory to his family. “I have my mother and father to thank for this victory. They believed in me so that I could become a professional cyclist.”
There was no change in the overall rankings. Superstar Tadej Pogacar is still 33 seconds ahead of Belgian Remco Evenepoel, who won the time trial the day before. Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard is in third place overall, 1:15 minutes behind.
Finish line not far from Charles de Gaulle’s country estate
Before day eight of the three-week national tour, the question arose as to whether the sprinters or the breakaway riders would have the say in the finish area. After five easy climbs, the flat final stretch left room for interpretation as to who would be able to celebrate near De Gaulle’s retirement home in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises. De Gaulle, who was French President between 1959 and 1969, died in the Tour’s finish town in 1970.
Almost 54 years later, at least former world champion Mads Pedersen was not able to experience the first Tour finish in the small town as a rider. Before the start of the stage, the 28-year-old Dane dropped out due to the consequences of a fall three days earlier. So far, there have been few serious falls in the Tour.
The top stars around Pogacar and Vingegaard are likely to be in the spotlight again on Sunday on the ninth stage. Tricky gravel sections await on the 199 kilometers around the city of Troyes. The riders in the race for the overall ranking could suffer significant time losses due to falls or defects. In total, there are 14 gravel sections over a length of 32 kilometers.
Source: Stern
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