CYCLING – Team Bahrain Victorious rider Santiago Buitrago climbed the podium yesterday after finishing an impressive third on stage 16 of this year’s Tour de France.
Still coming back from the crash which dashed his general classification (GC) hopes on the seventh stage, the Colombian finished the 171.5-kilometre leg just four seconds behind winner Valentin Paret-Peintre of Soudal Quick-Step, who pipped runner-up Ben Healy of EF Education-EasyPost at the line.
Paret-Peintre kept his cool in a furnace of pressure and heat, delivering a thunderous victory atop the legendary Mont Ventoux to give France its first win in this year’s Tour de France.
Buitrago was joined in the breakaway by Bahrain Victorious teammate Fred Wright, and the two worked well together to ensure Buitrago was in the right place to follow the select group, which was to go clear on the lunar slopes of Ventoux’s gruelling denouement, 15.6km at 8.7 per cent.
Although Buitrago couldn’t quite match the explosive finish of Paret-Peintre and Healy, it was a herculean effort from the 25-year-old who has been suffering since hitting the deck 11 days ago.
Bahrain Victorious’ lead sports director Roman Kreuziger was as impressed by Buitrago’s apparent return to form. “Santi was brave to make the move with Fred,” said Kreuziger. “It was nice to see him fighting for the win after his setback on stage seven.
“This should be a huge booster for him to get back confidence and get ready for the last five stages, where we as a team see him as someone to potentially deliver a stage win.”
Also following yesterday’s stage, Bahrain Victorious’ Lenny Martinez dropped to second place in the King of the Mountains (KoM) rankings to give up the race’s polka dot jersey to UAE Team Emirates-XRG star Tadej Pogacar, who is also the GC leader.
Today is the last of the flatter stages of this edition of the Tour de France, with two fourth category ascents along the 160km route from Bollene to Valence. Although they offer just a single point each towards the KoM jersey – with Martinez and Pogacar tied on 60 points – it does provide an opportunity for the Frenchman to move back into a clear lead.
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