TEAM COFIDIS: TOUR DE FRANCE - STAGE 19 A THOUGH DAY pubblicato il 23/07/2022
Communiqué de presse Cofidis
 

Friday 22 July 2022

TOUR DE FRANCE - STAGE 19
A THOUGH DAY

After struggling for several days to keep Simon Geschke's polka-dot jersey, the tired Cofidis riders found it difficult to be the leaders of the race as they have done before. But they will not give up until the finish on Sunday.

 

? Mathilde L'Azou / Team Cofidis

The sky was dark this morning in Castelnau-Magnoac. On the Tour de France, we are less worried about a few drops than we are about the mountain stages: today's stage seemed to return to normal state, with the expected sprinters in the lead. Gone are the Pyrenees and the repetitive efforts they demanded. At Cofidis, the fight to keep the polka dot jersey has inevitably accentuated the fatigue after 18 stages.

Simon Geschke found back the polka-dot jersey: even if he is no longer leader of this classification, he is wearing it instead of Jonas Vingegaard, who is already wearing the yellow jersey. In front of the cameras before the start, the German said: "I knew that the challenge would be particularly difficult. We tried, we were highly motivated and we were close. One day you score points without making an effort, another day you have to fight and you can't do it... It's part of what the Tour de France is, what sport is.”

Still as united as ever

On the sunburned roads leading to Cahors (188.3 km), the Cofidis riders stayed in the peloton. Their bodies had already suffered too much. At one point, they were even caught by a split. But as always, they supported each other: Simon Geschke, Anthony Pérez and Benjamin Thomas took over to get back into the peloton. A few minutes later, it was Pierre-Luc Périchon who tried his luck at the front of the pack this time, followed by Benjamin Thomas who finished 56 seconds behind the race leader.

Tomorrow, the 2nd time-trial of this Tour de France will take place between Lacapelle-Marival and Rocamadour. On the program, a 40,7 km long race that will be particularly demanding. The riders will then be able to make a pause: this Sunday, they will be able to celebrate the end of the Tour de France on the Champs-Élysées.

THEY SAID

Benjamin Thomas

Benjamin Thomas : "Mentally, I'm really tired. Physically, it was still going well, but with 50 km to go, we had to restart and fell behind. It's obviously hard. I am paying for all the efforts I made during this Tour de France and I was too tired, too far to be able to perform well. It's a missed opportunity and it's a shame." 

Deloeuil

Alain Deloeuil, sport director : 

"Obviously, it was a bit hard today. I think our riders were out of energy. We are at the end of the Tour de France, we lost the polka-dot jersey yesterday... After yesterday's stage it was a bit of a setback. Today, we didn't have the energy and the grit to fight for the victory, despite the good will of everyone. We will try to do well again on the two remaining stages, especially on the Champs-Élysées."

NEXT STAGE - ITT

?? LACAPELLE-MARIVAL > ROCAMADOUR (40,7 km)

Etape 18

 ? IN THE EYE OF MATHILDE L'AZOU ? 

Etape 19
Etape 19
 

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