in Epernay, the burst of pride of Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig

« Make way for the most sparkling stage of this edition. » On the podium installed a few meters from the Boulingrin halls, in the city center of Reims, the announcer of the Tour de France was visibly very proud of his formula, on the morning of this Tuesday, July 26. After two first days on the plain, the peloton changed its mood with a bumpy third stage between Reims and Epernay: 134 kilometers through the vineyards of the Marne, in the heart of champagne production.

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As a good Charentaise, Pauline Allin is more cognac or pineau, but who cares: “We’re in a beautiful region of France and it’s always pleasant to walk among the vines. My parents are winegrowers, so I know a little. » The Arkéa runner was particularly familiar with the difficulties of the course, having spotted them in the past with an amateur men’s team, ahead of a competition. In particular the Côte de Mutigny (3e category, with 900 meters at 12.2%) about fifteen kilometers from the finish. “I was in the sporting director’s car and I already found it stiff! »

This is where, on the men’s Tour de France, Julian Alaphilippe had launched an attack on July 8, 2019, before taking the yellow jersey, ending five years of French drought. Marie Le Net, she admitted on Monday that she did not really have in mind the precise sequence of the eight stages of this Women’s Tour. But Epernay, yes, “it spoke” to the roller of the FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope, who hoped that the place would bring luck to the French women and to her formation, the only one of the Women’s World Tour flying the flag of the host country.

In the absence of a compatriot, it is a teammate that the Breton was able to applaud this Tuesday afternoon: Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig. Irresistible in the last meters of the final of this stage – with an incline of 8% -, the Dane got the better of a group of nine riders, including the yellow jersey, the Dutchwoman Marianne Vos (2e at 2 seconds). Also a teammate of Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, Evita Muzic had also warned, before the start: “It’s a step that [lui] matches on paper. The day before yesterday, we had checked it off. But there even more, we want this victory. »

Relive the 3rd stage of the Women’s Tour: Cecilie Ludwig wins in Epernay, Marianne Vos still in yellow

“So that’s the emotional lift of the Tour”

A first selection took place in the famous coast of Mutigny. Present in a second group, the Danish champion took advantage of the falls of the Dutch Demi Vollering (SD Worx) and the German Liane Lippert (DSM) in the descent, as well as the misunderstanding of the leading riders to make the connection six kilometers from the line.

On arrival, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig could not contain her emotion: “It’s just a great comeback after the shitty day yesterdaysaid the interested party, in tears. I just liked how the team fought today. I had the legs and I knew I could win. It can’t be better. »

Victim of a fall the day before, the Dane, who is one of the candidates announced for the final victory at the Super Planche des Belles Filles (Haute-Saône) on Sunday July 31, had then conceded more than a minute and a half to her rivals Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), the Italian Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) and the Polish Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM Racing).

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Above all, his training had lost one of its key runners, the Italian Marta Cavalli, hit at full speed by the Australian champion Nicole Frain and forced to retire. “So this is the emotional lift of the Tour that the boys are talking about”blew on arrival, Tuesday, Stephen Delcourt, the manager of the French team, also visibly overcome by emotion.

Annemiek van Vleuten’s signs of weakness

Of this 3e stage, we will also remember the signs of weakness shown by the great favorite for the final crown, Annemiek van Vleuten. The Dutch leader of the Movistar team, winner of the Giro in early July, first marked time in Mount Bernon (1 km at 4.6%) four kilometers from the line, where her opponents fought over the bonuses .

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She managed to get back together, but gave in again in the final and dropped 20 seconds on the fastest. Already trapped by the decisive race movement 20 kilometers from the finish in Provins, the day before, the Dutchwoman was nearly a minute behind Katarzyna Niewiadoma and Elisa Longo Borghini.

With the 126.8 kilometers from Troyes to Bar-sur-Aube and especially the some 13 kilometers of white paths, Wednesday will have a “air of classic”, warns the race director, Marion Rousse. An appointment dreaded by part of the peloton. “I quite like it, it reminds me of cyclo-cross. But I think there will be a lot of damage.summarizes Evita Muzic.

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