Carcassonne (France) (EFE).- The champion of Belgium, Tim Wellens, a luxury gregario of the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, won in Carcassonne in the fifteenth stage of the Tour de France, his first victory in the French round after having achieved two in the Giro d’Italia and as many in the Vuelta a España.
Their team leader, favorite to win his fourth Tour, remains in the yellow jersey in an overall classification that did not undergo major changes in the general, except that the Spaniard Carlos Rodríguez, who joined the breakaway, gained a place and is now ninth.
Wellens was part of the day’s breakaway and escaped solo on the climb to the Col de Fontbruno, whose summit was 40 kilometers from the finish line, a distance he covered solo to achieve victory.
It’s the fifth Belgian victory in this Tour de France, one day before their country’s national holiday and also the fifth for UAE, along with Pogacar’s four, who surpasses a hundred victories this season.
Wellens arrived with 1.28 over his compatriot Victor Campanaerts and 1.36 with respect to the chasing group, in which were Iván Romeo and Carlos Rodríguez, the most benefited in the general classification, who is ninth at 18.26, surpassing the Irishman Ben Healy.
There were no changes at the top of the general classification, with Pogacar in yellow with 4:13 over the Dane Jonas Vingegaard and 7:53 over the German Florian Lipowitz and 9:18 over the Briton Oscar Onley.
Alaphilippe celebrated at the finish line because he thought he had won the stage
The Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe said he thought he had won the Carcassonne stage, so he celebrated being the first of the breakaway group, although the Belgians Tim Wellens and Victor Campanaerts had already crossed the finish line.
“The radio wasn’t working for me after a fall I had at the beginning. I thought we were the first and that’s why I ‘sprinted’ and celebrated because I thought I had won,” said the Frenchman, who finished third.
The French cyclist suffered some damage in the fall at the beginning of the day, but indicated that he is physically well and ruled out withdrawing.
