On Thursday July 12, a chaotic sprint finish decided the outcome of the thirteenth stage of the Tour de France between Agen and Pau, with green jersey Biniam Girmay taking fourth place.
Because of the wind, this flat stage gave rise to a far from classic race scenario, with constant attacks at the start of the race leading to the formation of a twenty-rider breakaway, which never enjoyed more than a one-minute lead.
In the second half of the race, the peloton split into several parts following a series of curbs. Biniam Girmay, present in the first group, could count on the support of Georg Zimmermann, Laurenz Rex, Hugo Page and Mike Teunissen at his side.
With his four team-mates, he tackled the final stretch towards Pau to challenge for victory. Girmay then avoided a crash in the final hectometres to claim his eighth top-10 finish of the year.
In the points classification, Biniam Girmay remains in the lead with a 75-point advantage over Jasper Philipsen, the day’s winner. The green jersey will wear its jersey for a ninth consecutive day this Saturday at the entrance to the Pyrenees.
Biniam Girmay:
“The wind made this flat stage very difficult. The general classification riders went ahead, which made the race tougher, but that was to be expected. The final sprint was quite long, and I found myself locked in the last 200 meters. To be honest, I didn’t have the best feeling today, it wasn’t my best day. Above all, I’m glad I didn’t fall, that’s the most important thing. We’re on the Tour de France, and the more days go by, the harder it’s going to be. We’re ready for a tough weekend in the mountains. Recovery and fitness are paramount.”
Points classification:
1. Biniam Girmay 346
2. Jasper Philipsen 271
