Mollema third, Skujins fifth and Bernard tenth in stage 15
With three riders joining the day’s breakaway Trek-Segafredo was ready to play again for a stage win after the thrilling race and near-win by Jasper Stuyven in stage 14.
Julien Bernard, Toms Skujins, and Bauke Mollema joined a massive 29-rider move, and again the Team Sky-led peloton was content to let them fight out the stage win.
Skujins was aggressive ahead of the category one climb, softening up the large group, and it was Bernard who attacked and bridged to Fabien Grellier (Direct-Energie), the start of the first real selection.
“The plan was for us three to go into the break, and it was a big fight to get there, so we did lose a lot of energy to get in it,” explained Bernard. “Toms tried attacking 5-6 times, and I felt the good moment, and I went and got the Direct-Energie guy. We worked well together and had a good advantage. On the climb, I took my tempo, and when I heard Rafal Majka was close behind, I made an acceleration. After I did not have much energy left for the last 3-4kms. When I was caught by the group, I just tried to stay there as long as possible.”
Rafal Majka (Bora-hansgrohe) was the first significant threat to attack on the category one climb, setting off after the pair out front and catching them on the climb. Mollema made his move near the top of the climb in an attempt to close him down ahead of the descent.
“It was a really hard climb, bumpy roads, and Majka did a strong attack, and just at the top I tried to close the gap and didn’t quite make it. And then the other guys came back, and we worked really well together in the descent after that. The final was just a tactical game,” said Mollema.
With Majka caught and the breakaway back to eight riders, the tactical games began.
“With 10k to go we knew that we had enough of a gap to the next group behind and we could start messing around,” said Skujins. “I attacked a couple of times, the Astana guys attacked a couple of times, and then Bauke got away with Izagirre and Nielsen, and once they had a gap the others couldn’t close I got on the radio and said, “go, go, go!”
“First, we had to get Majka back, but we worked well behind with two of us, two of Astana, two of Bahrain, so that went really well,” added Mollema. “Then everyone was looking at each other, it was a bit of a game to try and attack in the last 10kms until I got away with Izagirre and Nielsen.
“It was good to attack there, but you know that Nielsen is so fast that it’s difficult to drop him. He deserves the win today.”
Mollema stood little chance against Magnus Cort Nielsen (Astana) in the sprint, crossing the line in third place.
“I didn’t have an acceleration in the legs anymore. When Izagirre went at around 1km to go, I was dropped almost, and then in the sprint I just didn’t have the speed anymore to sprint against those guys. Anyway, I am happy that I was in the break because that was the goal for today. It was a big group, and there were lots of attacks, but I felt really good all day. I could keep going and keep giving it my all, so I am really happy about that.”
Skujins arrived moments later, sprinting to fifth, and Julien Bernard crossed the line in 10th place, giving the team three riders in the top 10, and first place in the team classification for the stage.
“At one moment I was thinking that I could pass the climb ahead and be there for the finish,” continued Bernard. “But I am proud of my teammates, yesterday we were in the breakaway and finished third, today again third. I am happy with my race today – this is the Tour de France, and I am French, and I know everyone is watching on the TV. It was nice to be in the front and take a breakaway that played for the win. This is something I will remember for a long time. Maybe I start to be out of the shadow of my father today.”
