Resurrection
Just when you’ve had enough of all the crashes and problems of the Tour de France, as in my views of yesterday, she comes right back at you with such a beautiful, emotionally rich race that all is forgiven, the passion reignited.
The Belgian Lotto-Soudal team, downcast after their star sprinter and main tactical focus, Caleb Ewan, crashed himself out of the race on Monday, went right back at it on Stage 4 from Redon to Fougères. The team is in the middle of a rebuilding process and have found a secret weapon in 23-year-old Brent Van Moer, a 6’3”, 175-lb Belgian who was second in the 2018 World U-23 Time Trial Championships behind Dane Mikkel Bjerg. Van Moer created a sensation at the recent Dauphiné by holding off all the sprinters for a solo win and he came oh so close to doing the same yesterday after a race-long breakaway in the company of Jean Luc Périchon. With 15-kilometers to go the peloton was at 30” and all looked to be over for the duo, when Van Moer unceremoniously dumped the Frenchman, turned on the afterburners, and blasted down the road, opening the gap back up to a minute. Behind, the field was flummoxed, because this kid wasn’t coming back and the sprinters were visibly panicking. When all seemed lost, Julian Alaphilippe took charge of the peloton and put the Wolfpack into gear sparking the chase to a higher speed. It was wild, Van Moer in sight of the charging peloton, but holding, holding right up to 100-meters to go when he was swarmed. Out of the heaving mass came Mark Cavendish, using a giant gear, for a clear win in a comeback story for the ages.
Apparently, the entire Deceunick-Quickstep organization collapsed into tears after his win, Cav’s first at the Tour in five years, after that long drought of suffering through illness and deep depression. Cavendish felt that he’d “come home” when team boss Patrick Lefevere offered him a minimum contract this year, a contract largely considered as a gesture of mercy to a down-and-out racer, one with a limited future. Well, those Belgians are shrewd judges of horseflesh, that is so very clear, because they knew how to bring that pony right back to the top for his 31st career Tour de France stage win.
You really saw the emotional makeup of a sprinter yesterday, in the waterfall of tears coming out of Cavendish, the down after the incredible high of the sprint fight. They are indeed a special and very separate breed. Mark Cavendish is a most popular racer, wearing his emotions on his sleeve as he does, and the entire world seemed to be rooting for his comeback. He starts today wearing the Green Jersey to complete a day of triumph.
I’ve come to love watching time trials and am eagerly awaiting todays. One can see each racer, observe their styles – Thomas’s monster gears for example – applaud the fast intermediate and finish times, and enjoy genuine drama as the times tighten. The Yellow Jersey, Mathieu van der Poel, is downplaying his chances of holding the lead – one learns to never ever underestimate him – while arch-rival Wout van Aert, almost invisible this Tour so far, is somehow sitting in 4th place on the GC, only 31” out of the lead. The Belgian should be the new Yellow Jersey, adding fire to the rivalry that has entertained us so, while Alaphilippe (2nd @ 8”) and Richard Carapaz (3rd @ 31”) defend their positions for the mountains to come. Tadej Pogačar, the 2020 Tour champ, lurks in 6th overall, 38” down keeping everyone nervous. The race of truth never lies, today we’ll see who is who. Can’t wait.