The stage of Tuesday July 19 between Carcassonne and Foix smiled on Hugo Houle. The Canadian dedicated his success to his late little brother. This flat stage did not allow Tadej Pogacar to destabilize the leader, Jonas Vingegaard. The explanation between the two men is expected from tomorrow, in the Pyrenees mountains.
After Monday’s rest day, the 150 riders still in the race in the Grande Boucle 2022 (the French Mikaël Chérel and Aurélien Paret-Peintre, of AG2R Citroën, had to give up because positive for Covid-19) began the last week competition this Tuesday, July 19. In once again overwhelming heat, everyone took the start of this 16th stage, on the plain, 178.5 kilometers long between Carcassonne and Foix. It was the first excursion of this 109th Tour de France in the Pyrenees region.
Nobody expected a big upheaval in the general classification. And indeed, apart from the failure of Frenchman Romain Bardet, who lost 3’30 and his fourth place – he is now 9th – nothing has changed in the title race. Jonas Vingegaard, in power since the passage in the Alps, gave nothing to Tadej Pogacar, who attacked in vain three times.
” For my brother »
In front, the show of the day was provided by Hugo Houle. Starting alone about forty kilometers from the finish line, the Canadian escaped and no one saw him again. He crossed the line first in 4 hours 23 minutes and 47 seconds. The 31-year-old Israel-Premier Tech puncher picked up the first major victory of his career. He is the second Canadian to win a Tour de France stage after Steve Bauer in 1988.
Hugo Houle did not hide his emotion by dedicating his stunt to his younger brother Pierrik, who died nearly ten years ago, knocked down by a drunken motorist while jogging. ” This victory is for my brother declared the winner, showing the small cross he wears around his neck as a souvenir. Frenchman Valentin Madouas took second place in Foix, 1’10 behind Houle. Another Canadian, Michaels Woods, finished third, with the same delay.
The Vingegaard-Pogacar duel will experience a new highlight on Wednesday, with the first of the two high mountain stages, between Saint-Gaudens and Peyragudes. They will put the cover back on Thursday, between Lourdes and Hautacam. The Tour de France 2022 may be played there. In the general classification, the Dane is still 2”22 ahead of the Slovenian, while the Briton Geraint Thomas is still in third place (2”43). The Colombian Nairo Quintana is the new fourth, 4”15 behind Vingegaard.