Paris (Union)
UAE Team Emirates rider Tadi Bogachar took second place in “Stage 18” of the Tour de France, which was held over a 143.2 km track from Lourdes to Otacamp, and represented the last mountain stages in the Tour’s track this year.
The stage saw an exciting start, during which the riders put up a strong offensive performance, but they were unable to separate from the main group to form an advanced group.
Reaching the second climb at Cole de Spondale, Brandon McNalty launched a powerful attacking performance that enabled him to take the lead of the group and control the pace of the race, and less than 40 km from the finish line, his teammate Bogachar sprinted to be followed by competitor Vengegaard “Jumbo-Visma”.
Bogachar had a minor accident on the dirt slope, but was able to return to his bike and start again with the advanced group, before he advanced about 14 km from the finish line alongside his rivals Thomas “Enios-Grenadiers”, the duo Vingegard and Kos “Jumbo-Visma”. However, he was forced to retreat 4 km before the finish line, to start again to secure his place in the advanced group, and finish second, 1 minute and 4 seconds behind Vengegaard, who won first place, and maintained the lead in the general classification.
“I did my best in the race, not thinking of winning the stage, but of getting the yellow jersey back, and I sprinted from the second climb to the final climb, but I had an accident on the slope that caused me to drop,” Pujachar said. I finished second, so I am proud of this result and the performance I gave.”