Together with his UAE Team Emirates – XRG squad, Tadej is riding a winning wave at the 113th Tour. After he and Isaac del Toro—who took 1st place yesterday—delivered the team’s first one-two stage win at the Tour de France in Stage 2 on Montjuïc, Tadej shone in full brilliance in the finale of Stage 3.
It started in Granollers, Spain, and after 195.5 kilometers and 3,850 meters of climbing it finished in Les Angles in the French Pyrenees. UAE initially planned a calm day, above all aiming not to lose time to rivals in the fight for the top of the general classification, but its objective changed mid-stage.
Tadej’s teammates moved to the front of the peloton and began setting a fierce pace, caught all the breakaway riders, and on the short finishing climb (1.7 km, 6.5%) Tadej and Isaac put the finishing touch on an excellent team performance. The outstanding Mexican rider set up the final move for the world champion, and in the last 200 meters no one could follow him.
»Because of Isaac, I had a bit of extra power in the finale. On the last climb he gave more than 100 percent, the whole team delivered. Mid-stage we decided we could go for the win. I’m very happy we started the Tour like this. The finish was incredible,« Tadej said after his 22nd stage win at the Tour.
»If we can win, like we did today, and the team feels very good, we must take advantage of every opportunity. We tried, we gave it everything, and we succeeded,« Tadej continued.
Before the stage, he was six seconds behind the wearer of the yellow jersey, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma Lease a Bike), and he made up exactly that much today. The gap on the road was two seconds, and he gained another four on the Dane—who was 2nd this time—through bonus seconds for the win. Because of a lower total of stage placings, Tadej put on the yellow jersey.
»Wearing the yellow jersey is every cyclist’s dream at any age. I don’t even know how many times I’ve already worn it, but every time I’ve had it on my shoulders, the feeling was really great. I don’t know how long this will last, but we’re trying to enjoy every moment,« Tadej also said.
He put on the yellow jersey for the 55th time in his career, and the main goal is to be wearing it at the finish of the 113th Tour in Paris on July 26. Tomorrow, together with his teammates, a rolling 4th stage awaits him: 181.9 kilometers from Carcassonne to Foix.