BRIANON, France (AFP) — Great French hope Romain Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale) faces a Tour de France moment of truth in the Alps Thursday in his bid to become the first home winner since 1985.
The 27-year-old has given French cycling fans hope by battling shoulder to shoulder with reigning champion Chris Froome (Sky) over the last two and a half weeks.
The yellow jersey contenders all agree that the Tour will be decided on Thursday’s final climb — a 14.1-kilometer ascent with an average gradient of 7.3 percent.
So it is now or never for Bardet as he sets off on the 179.5km stage 18 from Briancon to the Col d’Izoard in third place, just 27 seconds back from Froome.
Following Wednesday’s stage 17 during which Bardet put in several attacks on the final climb up the Galibier, he said, “I’ll try again tomorrow!”
“This stage is the equivalent of [last year’s] Mont Ventoux on this year’s Tour de France,” said Froome, 32.
“It’s the most iconic mountaintop finish — let’s see what happens.”
The reigning champion leads by just 27 seconds over Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) and Bardet, with Fabio Aru (Astana) 53 seconds back in fourth.
“It’s definitely the closest Tour I’ve ever been in to this point. I knew it would be,” said Froome, a thee-time Tour de France champion.
“It’s still a very open race, keeping in mind the big summit finish on the Col d’Izoard.”
Confident
As well as holding the yellow jersey, Froome also knows he’s the best time trialer in the top 10. With a 22.5km race against the clock in Marseille on Saturday, he’s feeling confident.
“It’s not a massive margin when you compare it with other years at this point, but it’s a margin I’m nonetheless happy with.
“Certainly if I went into the time trial on Saturday with this margin, I would feel pretty confident.”
He also believes his rivals need to attack him.
“I imagine they will try and I have to be ready for that.”
Bardet was eager to attack all day Wednesday and his team even had to tell him to wait on the Galibier, as he wanted to attack 8km from the summit.
When he did start putting in a few bursts of acceleration, he managed to dislodge Aru, who went on to lose 31 seconds.
“You have to be patient and consistent at the Tour de France. The race isn’t over,” added Bardet.
It certainly isn’t and not for the king of the mountains competition either.
With a first category climb and then double points on offer at the Izoard summit, the jersey could still change hands before Paris.
Slovenian Primoz Roglic (LottoNL–Jumbo) took 42 points during Wednesday’s stage, which he won, and now sits 49 points behind Warren Barguil (Team Sunweb).
But he will have to crest the Col de Vars first and then win the stage to have any chance of claiming the polka-dot jersey.
“I think it will be difficult,” Barguil said.
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