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There is no green shirt in the first half for once. Wout van Aert kept calm in the belly of the peloton with a view to the coming days. The green shirt also briefly reflects the protest activism of climate activists during the stage.
Jens Jacobs
Read also.Tour panic: Race paused for minutes by climate activists chained to the road
“In itself I am satisfied with today’s ride,” Van Aert said. “It was a quick start and a long battle before the flight. Once this situation was established, things went much quieter in the peloton and the flight really got enough space for the first time. After that it was calm, but in the end the ladder was still.”
With Christophe Laporte, Jumbo-Visma had a man again in the early break. “We always want to be part of a big ride, and stay in control. Today there wasn’t really anything for the GC guys to experience, but you never know when the attacks would come. And then you have someone in the future. Kristoff might not have been the right guy. On the stage, but it’s always good to have someone with you. The final climb was too easy to attack Pogacar. The coming days will be more difficult, then we will be wiser.”
The green shirt briefly returned to the protest activity of some climate activists during the stage. I didn’t even know they were climate activists. I was talking in a peloton, but suddenly we were going very slowly. Then I found out that we were arrested because of a protest. Obviously, it’s a big stage to get attention. Nice try, but for us it was a bit awkward.”
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