The mountain top finish of Grand Colombier welcomed the second Tour de France stage victory of Michal Kwiatkowski after stage 17 in 2020, the seventh for Polish riders in the history, after Zenon Jaskula, Rafal Majka and Maciej Bodnar did so as well. The Ineos Grenadiers rider stayed away from the early escape to win solo before former breakaway companion Maxim Van Gils whereas Jonas Vingegaard maintained his overall lead by nine seconds.
LOTS OF ATTACKS BEFORE 19 RIDERS GO CLEAR
The start proper of stage 13 was given at 13.55 to 167 riders. After many unfruitful skirmishes, 19 riders took the lead after 26km of racing: Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ) who initiated this move a few kilometres before, Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers), Alberto Bettiol, James Shaw (EF Education-EasyPost), Kasper Asgreen (Soudal-Quick Step), Matej Mohoric, Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious), Jasper Stuyven (Lidl-Trek), Adrien Petit, Mike Teunissen, Georg Zimmerman (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), Hugo Houle (Israel-PremierTech), Luca Mozzato (Arkea-Samsic), Maxim Van Gils (Lotto-Dstny), Cees Bol, Harold Tejada (Astana), Anthon Charmig (Uno-X), Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies). UAE Team Emirates was prompt to set the pace of the peloton. The time gap was 2’25’’ with 60km to go.
PACHER ALONE UP THE HILL, THEN KWIATKOWSKI
Teunissen won the intermediate sprint at Hauteville-Lompnès (km 87.3). Matteo Trentin, Mikkel Bjerg and Vegard Stake Laengen continued to do all the work at the head of the pack for UAE Team Emirates. Bol was the first rider dropped, followed by Petit who fought hard to try and come across. Latour who finished second at Puy de Dôme couldn’t hold the pace in a downhill with 35km remaining. The deficit of the peloton was 3’55’’ at the beginning of the 17.4km long ascent to Grand Colombier. Pacher rode away from the front group 16km before the summit. Tejada, Van Gils and Shaw brought him back with 12.8km to go. Kwiatkowski overhauled them and kept going solo one kilometre further.
POGACAR ATTACKS 400 METERS BEFORE THE END
Kwiatkowski had 3’15’’ lead over the peloton with 10km to go. It was reduced to 2’20’’ at the 5km to go mark. Adam Yates sped up with 3km remaining and split the 15-man yellow jersey group into pieces. Vingegaard remained vigilant and Kwiatkowski dealt with the strength he had kept to stay ahead and win 47’’ seconds before Van Gils, the only other breakaway rider who fended off Pogacar. The Slovenian attacked just before the 400m to go signboard. He managed to gain 4’’ on Vingegaard plus 4’’ of time bonus for finishing third.
