Tour de France, Schmid surprises everyone in Belfort

Mauro Schmid wins the thirteenth stage of the Tour de France, from Dole to Belfort, 205.8 km.

The stage featured a large breakaway of around thirty riders, with Jasper Philipsen attempting to surprise Pedersen and Girmay to exclude them from the intermediate sprint that counts for the green jersey points.

Pedersen and Girmay , however, manage to come back and limit the damage: Philpsen wins the intermediate sprint ahead of the Dane (in the green jersey) and the Eritrean, but gains only five points on the leader of the classification.

Tom Pidcock is also in the leading group, about 11 minutes behind the yellow jersey in the general classification. Pogačar and the UAE team let it go, giving the breakaway a lead of about 8 minutes.  

On the climb of the Balon d'Alsace, Pidcock tried his luck and was the first to cross the mountain ridge, but in the end, it was Schmid and Tejada who made the decisive attack.

The Swiss rider from Jayco AlUla narrowly won the sprint over the Colombian, while Pidcock outpaced his closest pursuers. The peloton finished 7:33 behind the stage winner, and Pidcock , however, made a significant step forward in the general classification, moving into fourth place, 4:15 behind Pogacar , just 9 seconds behind third-place Remco Evenepoel.

ORDER OF ARRIVAL:

1 Schmid Mauro Team Jayco AlUla

2 Tejada Harold   XDS Astana Team ,,

3 Pidcock Tom   Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team 0:02

4 Van Gils Maxim   Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe,,

5 McNulty Brandon   UAE Team Emirates - XRG ,,

6 Jegat Jordan   Netcompany INEOS ,,

7 Vauquelin Kévin   TotalEnergies ,,

8 Braz Afonso Clément   Groupama - FDJ United ,,

9 Wellens Tim   UAE Team Emirates - XRG ,,

10 Plapp Luke Team Jayco AlUla 0:11

GENERAL RANKING:  

1 Pogačar Tadej UAE Team Emirates - XRG

2 Vingegaard Jonas Team Visma | Lease a Bike 3:36

3 Evenepoel Remco Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe 4:06

4 Pidcock Tom Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team 4:15

5 Ayuso Juan Lidl - Trek 4:22

6 Seixas Paul Decathlon CMA CGM Team 4:35

7 Lipowitz Florian Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe 4:44

8 Del Toro Isaac UAE Team Emirates - XRG 5:08

9 Skjelmose Mattias Lidl - Trek 5.45

10 Martinez Lenny Bahrain - Victorious 6:34

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency