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Bernal claims Colombia's first Tour de France title

By Julien Pretot

 

Cycling - Tour de France - The 128-km Stage 21 from Rambouillet to Paris Champs-Elysees - July 28, 2019 - Team INEOS rider Egan Bernal of Colombia, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, in action in front of the Arc de Triomphe. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

 

PARIS (Reuters) - Egan Bernal became the first Colombian to win the Tour de France when he retained the overall leader's yellow jersey after Sunday's 21st and final stage won by Caleb Ewan of Australia.

 

The 22-year-old Bernal, the youngest rider to win the race in 110 years, gave Team Ineos -- formerly Team Sky -- their seventh title in the last eight editions.

 

He beat team mate and defending champion Geraint Thomas of Britain by one minute 11 seconds, with Dutchman Steven Kruijswijk coming home third, 1:31 off the pace.

 

"It's incredible, I don't know what to say. I've won the Tour but I don't manage to believe it. I need a couple of days to assimilate all this," said Bernal.

"It's for my family and I just want to hug them. It's a feeling of happiness that I don't know how to describe it.

 

Colombian fans in Paris celebrated on Sunday as 22-year-old Egan Bernal became the first Colombian to win the Tour de France. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

Egan Bernal became the first Colombian to win the Tour de France when he retained the overall leader's yellow jersey after Sunday's 21st and final stage won by Caleb Ewan of Australia.

The 22-year-old Bernal, the youngest rider to win the race in 110 years, gave Team Ineos -- formerly Team Sky -- their seventh title in the last eight editions.

He beat team mate and defending champion Geraint Thomas of Britain by one minute, 11 seconds, with Dutchman Steven Kruijswijk coming home third, 1:31 off the pace.

"It's incredible, I don't know what to say. I've won the Tour but I don't manage to believe it. I need a couple of days to assimilate all this," said Bernal.

"It's for my family and I just want to hug them. It's a feeling of happiness that I don't know how to describe it.

"This is the first Tour for us, Colombians. Many Colombians have tried before, we've had great cyclists in the past. But I'm the first one to win the Tour! Colombia deserves it."

Also the winner of the white jersey for the best Under-25 rider, Bernal did not win a single stage, but he was first at the top of the Col de l'Iseran when the decisive 19th stage was stopped because of hailstorms and landslides in the Alps.

Kruijswijk's Jumbo-Visma team shone throughout the race, winning four stages through Dylan Groenewegen, Wout van Aert, Mike Teunissen and the team time trial.

Sunday's stage, a mostly processional ride from Rambouillet that ended on the Champs Elysees, as it has done every year since 1975, was won by Ewan, who snatched his third stage win on his Tour debut.

Ewan burst through on the right side of the cobbled avenue to beat Dutchman Groenewegen and Italian Niccolo Bonifazio, who were second and third respectively.

 

"This is the first Tour for us, Colombians. Many Colombians have tried before, we've had great cyclists in the past. But I'm the first one to win the Tour! Colombia deserves it."

 

Also the winner of the white jersey for the best Under-25 rider, Bernal did not win a single stage, but he was first at the top of the Col de l'Iseran when the decisive 19th stage was stopped because of hailstorms and landslides in the Alps.

 

Kruijswijk's Jumbo-Visma team shone throughout the race, winning four stages through Dylan Groenewegen, Wout van Aert, Mike Teunissen and the team time trial.

 

Briton Adam Yates failed to impress but his Mitchelton-Scott team also claimed four stages. Yates' twin brother Simon won two stages while Matteo Trentin and Daryl Impey took one apiece.

 

France's Julian Alaphilippe, who wore the yellow jersey for 14 days but cracked in the Alps and ended fifth overall, was the race's most exciting rider.

The world number one, who had been fighting to become France's first winner since Bernard Hinault in 1985, was voted this year's most aggressive rider after also winning two stages.

 

"Alaphilippe changed the deal of this Tour de France, no question about it," said Tour director Christian Prudhomme.

 

"There was also the absence of (four-times champion) Chris Froome, which gave hope to many riders."

 

Slovakian Peter Sagan wrapped up a record seventh green jersey for the points classification, surpassing the previous mark he held jointly with German Erik Zabel.

 

Frenchman Romain Bardet won the polka dot jersey for the mountains classification, a consolation prize after he dropped out of overall contention early on.

 

Sunday's stage, a mostly processional ride from Rambouillet that ended on the Champs Elysees, as it has done every year since 1975, was won by Ewan, who snatched his third stage win on his Tour debut.

 

Ewan burst through on the right side of the cobbled avenue to beat Dutchman Groenewegen and Italian Niccolo Bonifazio, who were second and third respectively.

 

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby Davis and Ian Chadband)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-29

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[Tug]

Good for you!give your country something to be proud of!

[Chomper Higgot]

A fabulous performance.

 

I watched every stage this year of what was without question the most thrilling Tour since the 90s.

 

Bernal rode brilliantly but I quite sure his win was not the Team Ineos plan, the attack that gave him victory came 35km and one very technical descent and one more climb from

the finish. Alaphillipe would almost certainly pull him back on the descent before Gerard Thomas

attacks on the last climb. 

 

Landslide stopped play changed everything, Bernal wins and deservedly so.

 

Alaphillipe’s performance was breathtaking, and more so because he was performing way above and beyond his own team, a near lone effort.

 

The departure if Team Sky and their tactics of riding to power has opened the door for road racing to return.

 

Caleb Ewan excelled, team Lotto’s investment in young riders richly rewarded.

 

And Sagan, a rare mix of talent, aggression and character.

 

Again, head and shoulders the best tour since the 90s.

 

——

On a personal note, I used to race for a team based in Albertville in events around the Haute-Savoie, I have many happy memories of racing in that part of the alps. I could almost feel my lungs and legs burning watching the race.

[Jingthing]

Good for you!give your country something to be proud of!

They have a lot to be proud of already but yes this is a big deal for Colombia.

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[thecyclist]

It is refreshing to see a non-European /US - American win the premier cycling event for a change, especially such a likeable fellow as Bernal. At 22 years of age, expect a lot more to come from this mountain climber. Time trials seem to be his Achilles heel, which might be the one thing preventing him from becoming the greatest cyclist of all time.