It has become a cult climb of the Tour de France. This Friday, the riders will climb the Super Planche des Belles Filles. And three Frenchmen could well shine on the final ascent of today’s stage.
A final wall with a passage of 24% inclination, not even completely asphalted… This is what awaits the riders of the Tour de France this Friday with the Super Planche des Belles Filles, in the Haute-Saône department. Since 2014, it has become a classic and a justice of the peace of the big loop. The peloton approaches the stage which will start from La Tomblaine (Meurthe-et-Moselle) already very tired. In yellow, the big favorite of the event, the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, already double-winner of the Tour de France, new cannibal of cycling who had won in the time trial disputed at the Planche des Belles Filles in 2020 In short, he should be unbeatable today, unless the French riders sublimate themselves.
Read also: Tour de France: Pogacar’s double blow
Romain Bardet, the experience
Ninth in the general classification (at 1’1″), the French climber Romain Bardet (DSM), second in the Tour in 2016 and third in 2017, spent a first week without incident, he who is not a specialist in the plain and even less cobblestones.In great shape on the Giro before gastroenteritis put an end to his dreams of a podium, he can shine this Friday even if he prefers stages with several passes rather than a simple brutal ascent. We should therefore find him rather wait-and-see and in the wheels of the Jumbo of Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard who will drive hard to undermine the team of Tadej Pogacar, his Achilles heel.
David Gaudu, podium goal
Also an emeritus climber, David Gaudu (FDJ) is tenth in the general classification, 1 minute and 2 seconds behind Pogacar. If he does not perhaps not have the “box” for the big alpine stages, even if he is aiming for the podium in Paris, he does however have the power of acceleration for this type of hill climb. He also beat a certain Wout Van Aert in the sprint during the third stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré and finished 3rd in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, in 2021, beaten in the sprint by … Tadej Pogacar.
Thibaut Pinot, the regional stage
He was born in Lure, 15 kilometers from Plancher-Les-Mines where the infernal final climb begins. Suffice to say that Thibaut Pinot, teammate of David Gaudu at the Française des Jeux, is running at home this Friday. More or less voluntarily outdistanced in the general classification this morning – he is 40th, 5’11” behind – he has undoubtedly checked off today’s stage as his first objective, especially since it is not really a stage where David Gaudu will need of him as a pilot fish.If he is in the right breakaway, it is up to him to resist the return of the pack, he has the talent and the necessary strength.