Hugo Houle won the 16th stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday in Foix, the second Canadian success in history.
Hugo Houle (Israel PT) won the 16th stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday in Foix, the second Canadian success in history. Dane Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo) kept the leader’s yellow jersey after this Ariège start, at the start of the Pyrenean stages. Vingegaard gave nothing to his Slovenian rival, outgoing winner Tadej Pogacar, who unsuccessfully attacked him three times. The main loser of the day is the Frenchman Romain Bardet, who started to let go in the port of Lers, one of the two first category passes on the program. He was definitively distanced in the wall of Péguère, conceded more than three minutes to his rivals and lost his fourth place in the general classification.
Canada’s only stage win so far was in 1988
To win the stage, Houle beat Frenchman Valentin Madouas, Canadian Michael Woods and American Matteo Jorgenson by more than a minute. The Quebecer emerged about forty kilometers from the finish, before Péguère. Behind him, Jorgenson, in pursuit, crashed on the descent and lost any chance of coming back. Houle, 31, signed the first international success of his professional career, which began in 2013.
The only Canadian stage victory dates back to 1988, when Steve Bauer, now one of the Quebecois’ sports directors, won in Machecoul (Loire-Atlantique). “This win is for my brother,” Houle said as he crossed the line, pointing to the small cross he wears around his neck in memory of his accidentally deceased brother.
Pogacar attacked Vingegaard in the port of Lers about fifty kilometers from Foix, twice on the climb, once on the descent. Without managing to distance the yellow jersey, which kept intact its lead of 2 min 22 sec in the standings. At the front of the race, the breakaway of 29 riders formed from the first kilometers disintegrated in the port of Lers. Before Houle takes the lead before the steep slopes of Péguère.
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