Pello Bilbao ends in Issoire the Spanish drought of one hundred stages in the Tour de France

One hundred stages after the last Spanish victory at the Tour, achieved by Omar Fraile in Mende in 2018, Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) from Biscay broke the drought with a thrilling victory in the tenth stage between Vulcania and Issoire167.2 km, in which Dane Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo Visma) kept the yellow shirt.

Bilbao was the fastest among the 5 drivers who won in Issoire, «Auvergne Tuscany». In an exciting finale, the Basque cyclist showed his record on the Tour for the first time winning the sprint race between German Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché) and Australian Ben O’Connor (AG2R).

A little more than a win for Bilbao, who claimed a few days ago that “another way of running in the team is to try to win”, the author’s triumph immediately dedicated to the Swiss Gino Madero, who recently lost his life at the Tour of Switzerland

«This win is for Gino Madero. I entered the breakaway not thinking about the overall, but about the stage victory, which is what we were looking for. After 99 stages without a Spanish victory at the Tour, Pello wrote his name in the history of the “Grande boucle”. He took over from his compatriot Omar Fraile, also from Biscay, the hero of the afternoon in Mende in 2018..

A very busy day from start to finish, even for the favourites, although all the contenders are certainly on the finish line. Vingegaard kept the yellow jersey. They are followed by Pogacar at 17 seconds, Jai Hindley at 2.40, Carlos Rodríguez at 4.22 and the great Pello Bilbao fifth at 4.35. Now two Spaniards in the top 5. Tour stuff.

Explosive start, Vingegaard and Pogacar looking at each other

An explosive start in Vulcania, next to the European theme park of volcanism, in the heart of the 80s chain Puys which make this Auvergne region unique. The stage for adventure, with a wavy profile, with 5 arcs, is not a flat kilometervery hot, classic.

A company immediately formed and came out with a knife between its teeth. Climbing the Col de la Moréno (category 3) the twenty joined in the lead, joined at the top by Vingegaard and Pogacar, marking each other. A maneuver that forced Ineos to wear overalls at the head of the team, since Carlos Ródríguez was not in the project.

Total chaos, everyone wanted to break the order, as if they had some strength left after a day of rest. Climbing the Col de Guéry (3rd) Vingegaard and Pogacar let their guard down, leaving the role to the adventurers who wanted to play their chances with more than 140 km to go, defying the high temperatures that marked the day.

Bilbao and Pedrero, in a definitive escape

After a thousand attempts, one was formed. an interesting escape on the ascent of Croix Saint-Robert (2nd), with 14 players, including Pello Bilbao, Antonio Pedrero, Alaphilippe, Barguil and Chaves.

The peloton opened the green light, favorites for the run with a breakaway two minutes away at 51km from the finish, revenue reduced by Van der Poel’s lead drive, thinking about the winning poker to Philipsen’s sprint. Constantly going up and down in search of the hill of Saint-Victor-la-Rivière (3rd), it was Van der Poel and his close cyclo-cross nemesis, Wout Van Aert, who left the main body in search of the lead, but both dropped out after what he saw was that they had not reached the front car.

In front of the most ambitious was a Latvian from Israel Krits Neilands, the first to crown, alone, the last difficulty of the daythe hill of La Chapelle-Marcousse (3rd), where the group of Bilbao, Chaves, O’Connor and Zimmermann passed in 38 seconds, and the peloton in 3.30, admitting that victory was ahead.

A headache for Ineos, because bilbao hair3.15 from fourth place, posed a threat to Carlos Rodríguez. The team of the Andalusian cyclist put their foot up, leaving control of the peloton of the favorites in the hands of Jumbo, with no chance in the stage and with the sole aim of turning the page with Vingegaard.

Bilbao achieves the victory of life

“Chance of your life, Krits!!”, shouted Neilands from the director’s car. A gutsy effort for the Latvian, brilliant all day, but the Tour is unforgiving, and neither are its rivals. Nothing is given here. At 3.2 km from the finish line, he was caught by the chasing quartet, Bilbao and Pedrero.

The fight began without quarter, leaps of surprise, everyone starts his ordeal. O’Connor attacked at 1.7 but was caught by Pello Bilbao and Zimmermann. The three relax, tag each other and 3 more come in to sniff out victory.

Zimmermann was the first to burn his ships within 250 meters of the flag. Pello did not let him slip away, he overtook him and raised his arms, full of joy, with a time of 3:52:34, an average of 43.1 km/h. His great triumph, which can combine two at the Giro, to a total of 16. Gino Mader received a nice gift from his Spanish friend. And also, very symbolic. Indeed, “we had to escape in another way”.

This Wednesday, the eleventh stage between Clermont Ferrand and Moulins, 179.8 km long, offers an opportunity for sprinters, one of the last before the mountain takes over. By the way, three small fourth levels.