Primoz Roglic gives yellow jersey shine in queen stage Paris-Nice
Saturday, March 12, 2022 at 2:47 PM
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Primož Roglič has won the seventh stage of Paris-Nice. On the Col de Turini, Jumbo-Visma’s Slovenian beat Nairo Quintana, Daniel Felipe Martínez, João Almeida and Simon Yates in the sprint.
The seventh stage was almost sixty kilometers shorter than the previous one, but no less tough. Without a doubt, the GC riders would have circled this day in red, given the uphill finish on the Col de Turini. Due to the weather forecast, it was uncertain whether the stage could finish on the mountain pass, but the conditions turned out to be sufficient to allow the race to continue as planned. Again a handful of riders were missing at the start, including Max Walscheid, Anthony Turgis and Dimitri Claeys.
Large leading group drives away
With Primož Roglič in the yellow jersey, the peloton was started just before half past ten. Early in the stage, a sizeable eighteen-man leading group was created: Ryan Mullen (BORA), Fabio Felline (Astana), David Gaudu, Olivier Le Gac, Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ), Julien Bernard, Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo ), Michael Mørkøv (Quick-Step), Iván García, Gregor Mühlberger, Albert Torres (Movistar), Cees Bol, Nico Denz (DSM), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Simon Carr, Julius van den Berg (EF), Franck Bonnamour and Alexis Gougeard (B&B).
photo: Color Vos
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The escapees didn’t get much of a lead – a maximum of two minutes from the peloton where Arkéa Samsic and INEOS Grenadiers checked. After 55 kilometers Denz was the first to cross the top of the Côte de Coursegoules, the only cataloged climb until the Turini. The lead of the leading group yoked between one and two minutes for a long time. In the run-up to the final climb, several riders went down from the front, including Gaudu, Pedersen and Bol. The Dutch sprinter left the race not much later, but he was far from the only one.
The leading group at the foot of the Turini still consisted of ten men: Felline, Pacher, Bernard, García, Mühlberger, Denz, De Gendt, Carr, Bonnamour and Gougeard. Their lead was still fifty seconds on the peloton. On the climb, the group of escapees thinned out. First Felline, García, Denz, Carr and Gougeard had to get off, then Bernard also released. In the end, only Mühlberger was left alone from the front, while Jumbo-Visma Rohan Dennis led the pack. Under the Australian’s pace, the large group also thinned out quickly.
Adam Yates opens the debates
With seven kilometers from the finish, Adam Yates opened the debates and Roglič, Nairo Quintana and Daniel Martínez reacted. This trio and Simon Yates joined in, after which Martínez, fourth in the standings, went on the attack. Roglič then took care of the next gear. The wearer of the yellow jersey used the last refugee Mühlberger as a springboard and after two attacks, only Martínez managed to keep the wheel of the Slovenian. They started the last five kilometers with fifteen seconds ahead of the brothers Yates and Quintana.
photo: Color Vos
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Quintana and Simon Yates did not want to give up and tried to return to Roglič and Martínez. With two kilometers to go, Quintana and Yates joined Roglič and Martínez. For a moment the leading group almost came to a stop, but Roglič got things going again. With 1800 meters to go, Yates tried to take off, but Roglič was glued to his wheel. Martínez and a little later Quintana were also able to join. At 1300 meters Yates tried again, but again Roglič and Martínez were with us.
Quintana was able to return at his own pace. The Colombian tried to surprise by going straight ahead, but Martínez was alert. One Colombian’s attack was followed by another’s attack. However, the group kept getting back together. João Almeida suddenly appeared in the background and the Portuguese hitched up his wagon two hundred meters from the finish. Shortly afterwards, Roglič already launched his final sprint, which could no longer be answered by the other four favourites.
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