Thursday 24: 12:10โ12:20 โ 17:10โ17:50
This is the first of the 2 Alpine stages. There is not much true flat in the approach of the first climb, it's more often false flats. All 3 climbs are ranked 'HC', the last one (Loze Pass) is not particularly steep but is very long (and being the highest of the tour, it brings twice as many mountain points as other HC climbs). Its final part is irregular on a narrow asphalted track, however this side of the pass seems easier than the Mรฉribel side which was climbed in 2020 and 2023.
The flat valley before the last climb may allow a bit of strategical play if a team has managed to send help in a breakaway, and managed to separate his leader from his opponent. But even so, would those 15 km (10 miles) significantly impact a race with 5,500 metres of elevation gain (18,000 feet)?
Not a single attack before the Intermediate Sprint. All teams had agreed that Milan should take the green jersey...
Is this the revival day of Roglitch (๐ธ๐ฎ Bora)? He seems relatively easy; he's in the first group anyway.
Martinez (๐ซ๐ท Bahrein) scores best mountain points (+20) in front of the first group, after struggling all climb long. Arensman (๐ณ๐ฑ Ineos) contested them, and scores second best points (+15).
Martinez was completely dropped in the descent.
Arensman descended well on the contrary, but in the second climb the Visma acceleration and Vingegaard/Pogatchar joining the first group made him go backwards and he could only score the last available 2 points. While pogatchar scored 15 points.
Icing on the cake, apparently L. Martinez got a penalty for clinging onto a car. Minus 8 mountain points...
G. Martin (๐ซ๐ท FDJ) exploded. He was ranked 12^th^ this morning, and basically the last of the riders going for GC. He finishes the stage almost 30 minutes behind...