Gallery
Launching Off the Front TdF26-73
It was a bit of a surprise to see Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) going on the offensive just ten kilometers into the stage. Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-Quick Step) saw the opportunity (or perhaps the danger) in the moved and quickly jumped on to the former World Champion's wheel. Both are on the teams of two of the best sprinters in the peloton. With the day ear marked as s day for a sprint finale, these two being off the front would mean their teammates wouldn't be expected to chase down a break should they be able to stay away. Of course, the peloton wasn't having it, and they were soon back in the fold.