🚴♂️🇫🇷 | Nog altijd zijn er genoeg renners die iets willen betekenen in de strijd om de groene trui. Jasper Philipsen is bij de les en ook Mads Pedersen is gewoon van de partij. ✅ #TDF2024 📺 Koers kijk je via HBO Max
Groenewegen beats major competitor Philipsen in Tour de France
CyclingThursday, 04 July 2024 at 18:35
Dylan Groenewegen has added the sixth stage of the 2024 Tour de France to his list of victories. The Jayco-AlUla sprinter was the strongest man in the bunch sprint in Dijon, ahead of Jasper Philipsen. The peloton was nervous all day, and at times, significant time gaps seemed imminent due to crosswinds, but ultimately the wind was not strong enough. Tadej Pogacar remains the leader of the Tour.
Thursday's stage could have seriously gone either way. The deciding factor? The wind. Had it been mild, we might have seen the same scenario as Wednesday and Monday. However, there was a reasonable chance, based on forecasts, that we would indeed get crosswinds. In any case, it was clear that the peloton quickly went into focus mode. An early intermediate sprint also contributed to this.
Focus and nervousness, Lotto-Dstny first to try to break away
Jonas Abrahamsen quickly took off after the start, as the course almost immediately tracked uphill: he snatched up the point that was available at the first and last climb of the day. On his wheel was the Frenchman Axel Zingle. Both gentlemen continued, but not for long. The teams at the back sped up as we made our way towards the intermediate sprint. Jasper Philipsen won the intermediate sprint, ahead of green jersey wearer Biniam Girmay and the battered Mads Pedersen.
For the next forty kilometers, the peloton seemed concentrated, primarily focusing on maintaining position and being cautious due to the rainy road surface, but 90 kilometers from the finish, Lotto-Dstny made its move. An initial attempt at forming echelons failed, and after that we didn't see too much action for about ten kilometers. Until Christophe Laporte swung into action in a village before an open stretch. The line that formed here was a harbinger.
Laporte stretches peloton out, Pogacar's climbers and sprinters fall behind
In the open section, Visma | Lease a Bike pushed forward, with Wout van Aert and Tiesj Benoot playing prominent roles. There were casualties, and two pelotons formed. Who was not up there? A lot of big names, actually! Among others, Juan Ayuso and Joao Almeida missed the cut, as did sprinters Fabio Jakobsen, Jasper Philipsen and Mark Cavendish, who fell behind due to a flat tire. It was short-lived, however. The second group caught up after seven kilometers of chasing.
🚴♂️🇫🇷 | Het peloton breekt! De waaiers worden getrokken door Visma | Lease a Bike en dus is het spel op de wagen. 💨💨💨 #TDF2024 📺 Koers kijk je via HBO Max
The tone had been set, and the race continued at breakneck speed. It was clear that Tadej Pogacar’s team was dropping the ball, while Visma | LaB and also Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe had all their ducks in a row. After that, the situation remained the same for dozens of kilometers, and we couldn't do much else but wait and see if things would blow up again at the end, with even more open stretches full of crosswinds. The race sped northward, heading towards Dijon.
More nerves lead to acceleration and crash, but fortunately no fractures
At 44 kilometers from the finish, the major teams picked up the pace again, causing a crash at the back of the peloton. Everyone was able to continue. There were no serious casualties. Just before that, Jonas Vingegaard and Yves Lampaert had nearly collided, which goes to show just how nervous everyone was in the large group. Afterwards, the chances of forming echelons slowly but surely disappeared due to the diminishing wind. Now, the focus shifted towards the sprint, which the peloton collectively agreed upon.
In the last ten kilometers, we began to see a familiar scene: classification teams at the front to protect the major players, while the sprinters also moved up. At seven kilometers from the finish line, the nervousness claimed a few victims, including Marijn van den Berg and some helpers of EF Education-EasyPost. Uno-X Mobility seriously set the tone in the sprint preparation with the polka dot jersey as their powerhouse. Gradually, the sprint trains of Philipsen and Pedersen also moved to the front.
The last roundabout had been highlighted as particularly tricky, but no mishaps occurred there. Groenewegen's men got into a nice position, but Philipsen was perfectly placed in the slipstream of his teammates. The sprint that followed was thrillingly tense. Philipsen seemed to be sprinting towards victory, but Groenewegen simply had more power left at the very end, winning by half a wheel's difference.
🚴♂️🇫🇷 | Een bloedstollende sprint. Is het Groenewegen of Philipsen? Het is Dylan Groenewegen! De eerste overwinning voor Nederland deze Tour de France is een feit. 🇳🇱🇳🇱🇳🇱 #TDF2024 📺 Koers kijk je via HBO Max
Results stage 6 Tour de France 2024
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Il Lombardia 2024
The Pogacar effect: How Tadej has shaped the career of Matthews in a crucial way
Can Decathlon AG2R's big budget strike back against the 'Big Four' this spring?
Alvarado leaves Brand behind in the sand in Mol and achieves four out of five in Superprestige
Giro d'Italia saga comes to an end: 2025 Tour of Italy will start as previously planned
How is Wout doing? Van Aert caught illness from kids, but new return date looks realistic
Latest Cycling News
The Pogacar effect: How Tadej has shaped the career of Matthews in a crucial way
Can Decathlon AG2R's big budget strike back against the 'Big Four' this spring?
Alvarado leaves Brand behind in the sand in Mol and achieves four out of five in Superprestige
Giro d'Italia saga comes to an end: 2025 Tour of Italy will start as previously planned
How is Wout doing? Van Aert caught illness from kids, but new return date looks realistic
Popular Cycling News
Lance Armstrong refused to speak with Tom Boonen for years: "And I was only 20 years old, you know..."
Mathieu van der Poel makes one remarkable observation after show in Zonhoven: "I can't achieve that on the road"
Mathieu van der Poel responds to absence of duel now Wout van Aert won't compete due to illness
Sven Nys doesn't hold back about Thibau: "The swings in his performance are very extreme in certain situations"
Cyclo-cross rankings 2024/2025 | Vanthourenhout keeps World Cup lead, Alvarado moves up
Latest Comments
- Well explained, thanks for the clarity! Daniel DantasDanieldantas20-12-2024
- This is the kind of 'news' that belongs in a cheap tabloid. No matter how boring the offseason gets, nobody wants to read this.
santiagobenites19-12-2024 - I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024 - hahahaha love this shit! I didnt even watched the race, but reading all the gossip articles of how stupid this is!Zatoichi19-11-2024
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024