Roglic in control as Ineos duo shine in Alpine break
SLOVENIA’S Primoz Roglic retained his lead on compatriot Tadej Pogacar atop the Tour de France standings after stage 18 as British outfit Ineos claimed a one-two finish on Thursday.
Bedevilled by problems that saw them withdraw their captain Egan Bernal on Wednesday, Michal Kwiatkowski won the stage as Ineos team-mate Richard Carapaz took the King of the Mountains jersey with the pair crossing the finish line two minutes ahead of the elite pack.
“I had the best legs ever, the way we rode together with Richard was just incredible,” said Polish rider Kwiatkowski, a former world champion.
“When Egan left the race he was very sad but wished us well, and now we have this wonderful day,” he said.
“That’s the Tour de France,” he beamed.
Giro d’Italia champion Carapaz has been a revelation over the three Alpine stages that culminated with the Ineos-led escape here as the Ecuadorian has relentlessly attacked, picking up climb points to take the polka dot jersey.
Although Carapaz is just two points ahead of the 21-yearold Pogacar in the mountains classification, with the form he is showing he may hold on to the polka dot jersey all the way to Paris.
“We will do everything we can, we have much to think about,” Carapaz said after the Ineos double act saved face on a tough Tour for the British team who won the previous five editions.
Carapaz must now better the Slovenian over Friday’s one small climb and the Saturday time trial featuring the Planches des Belles Filles climb, adding further drama and a possible twist to a lively Tour de France finale.
Carapaz was drafted into the race at the last minute as Geraint Thomas was farmed out to the Giro, but he fell on stage one in the deluge in Nice and is only finding his full form now.
Carapaz and Kwiatkowski were clearly brimming with joy over the fruits of their partnership, which will have brought some relief for Ineos team principal Dave Brailsford, who had to pull out his protege Bernal to protect him.
“Adapting quickly to change is one of the main keys of success,” Brailsford said ahead of the Tour in Nice.
“We worked so hard since we changed our objectives,” Kwiatkowski said fighting back tears.