Germany’s hope is the next strong performance in the central massif. Irish Ben Healy storms into the yellow jersey.
Florian Lipowitz threw a towel over his shoulder and, after his next strong performance, blew through the first climbing spectacle of the Tour de France.
“It was a super -harsh day. Everyone was at the limit, but we can be satisfied,” said the German hopeful, who had convinced the fascinating ride of Irish Ben Healy in the yellow jersey on the French national holiday.
“The legs were quite good. I think I can look positively into the next week. There were no more over and I think we did a good job,” added Lipowitz.
Previously, the Ulm, who ultimately became eleventh on the tenth stage, had also defied the top favorite Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard – and only lost to the two dominators for three seconds.
When Pogacar, who had all the attacks of his competitors flash confidently, relaxed over the finish line, Healy has been the first ire to be celebrated in the yellow jersey since 1987.
The 24-year-old from Team EF Education-Easypost crowned a combative top performance in the top group in the day’s victory of the British Giro winner Simon Yates. After almost 4,500 meters of altitude in the spectacle in the central massif, he finished 31 seconds behind and yet was the big winner.
Aldag: “We go to the day of rest with a good feeling”
Pogacar is now behind 29 seconds in the overall ranking, but continues to 1:17 minutes ahead of Jonas Vingegaard and one minute on double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel. Lipowitz, who drove again with his captain Primoz Roglic at Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, is a good three minutes behind Pogacar. “We go to the day of rest with a good feeling,” said sporting director Rolf Aldag.
Vingegaard’s team Visma – Lease A Bike put Pogacar and his replacement weakened Equipe UAE Emirates -XRG under pressure with several attacks in the final phase. But the tour dominator could not be disturbed and kept against the poisonous climbs of the second category. At the top, Yates launched the crucial attack shortly before the finish line out of the top group and won in front of the Dutch Thymen Arensman.
“It was a long time ago, but actually I didn’t expect any great chances here either. Of course we were fully focused on Jonas and the overall ranking, but I took the chance with both hands,” said Yates, who was allowed to cheer his third tour.
Video: Pogacar – The narrow -shouldered “cannibal”
Shortly after the start of the stage, the drivers had to complete the first of the eight categorized climbs of the day. For the German champion Georg Zimmermann, the tour in 2025 was already history at that time. After his violent fall on Sunday overnight, the 27-year-old had developed symptoms of concussion and therefore no longer started the tenth stage.
In the shadow of the famous Vulkans Puy de Dome, things got down to business from the start. Visma – Lease A Bike placed two drivers – including the later winner Yates – in the large top group, which shaped the initial phase of the stage. Healy took part in brutal excretion from the start.
On Tuesday, due to the holiday a day later, the first day of rest is on the program. The drivers will long for him after the nervous and exhausting early days and with a view of the Pyrenees, where the first high mountain stage is coming on Thursday.