A Van Aert in incredible mode adds salt and pepper to the Tour

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  • Three times second and this Tuesday first in Calais, the yellow jersey has so far become the only great protagonist of the race that is already in France.

There is no sportsman more famous than Wout van Aert in Belgium, not even the most skilled with a ball at his feet. The Flemish want him, of course, but there is no Walloon, no matter how French-speaking he may feel, who would not want the leader of the Tour to become one of his sons. Four stages resolved and Van Aert He has been second in three and this Tuesday, first, after an incredible attack, exclusive to a star of the highest level, 11 kilometers from the finish line in Calais, in the French premiere of the Grande Boucle.

so good it is Van Aert that his team, the Jumbo, allows him to race with a private sponsor on his hull. He is the only international concert cyclist to maintain such a privilege. And is not for less. In December, before, during and after Christmas, he wins all the cyclocross races. And if this year he has not been as brilliant as he would have liked in the spring classics, it was because at that time he was knocked out by covid, the only rival that has knocked him out this season.

In Calais, very close to the border, the belgian supporters, those who do not want to miss the festival of their distinguished son. They scream and overflow with happiness when they see on the giant screen at the goal that the Jumbo launches the offensive near the cliffs of the coast, at an explosive height that translated into Spanish is called the Cape of the White Nose. There is Tiesj Benoot, friend, gregarious and compatriot, to launch it. It hooks you jonas vingegaard and also Primoz Roglic and that is when what sometimes happens in sport usually happens; it’s not the perfect day because Roglic He raises his foot, drops down and is immediately captured by the rest of the platoon where all the stars are, including Tadej Pogacar, surprised by the Jumbo’s attack. Perhaps Roglic not as fine as it should be? Perhaps Vingegaard is the strong man of the team?

Before the doubt is resolved Van Aert already walking like a lone ranger towards the goal. And there alone, without the peloton’s shield, he discovers that he is wearing overalls, instead of a ‘maillot’ and a ‘culolote’, just as if he were competing in a time trial; all ready for the start, all ready for a loss that turns into victory, the one he longed for, because he had repeated in Denmark that it is okay, very nice to wear the yellow of the Tour, but that what he wanted, what he longed for, was victory that this Tuesday he got in Calais To the pride of his countrymen, it does not matter if they were Walloons or Flemish, who were waiting for him at the finish line near that port from which the ferries that connect France with England depart every hour.

the anecdote of the day

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And it is also at the finish line where the anecdote of the day takes place. 8 seconds later the platoon arrives. The sprint is prepared and another Belgian, Jasper Phillipsenpartner of Mathieu van der Poelraises his arms, screams with rage, feels strong and powerful, as if he were the very Van Aertbecause he believes he is the winner of the stage. Christophe Laporte, a French colleague in the yellow jersey, who crosses the finish line in third position, makes a gesture with his hand and clearly indicates that there is a cyclist who has entered ahead; disappointment in a well.

Van Aert, also leader of the points classification, the one who gives away a green jersey for which he wants to fight until Paris, knows that his Tour at the head of the general classification lasts only this week. This Wednesday on the cobblestones of the ‘Hell of the North’ he will once again be the favorite for victory. But he and the entire Tour know that on Friday, at the first ramp of the Planche des Belles Filles will say goodbye to the yellow jersey. But surely he will continue to give war.



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