Stage 4 TDF 2022 Blog: Flying Like Blériot
Wout van Aert celebrated his win on Stage 4 by flapping his arms like wings – maybe a reference to Louis Blériot, who set off from Calais to cross the Channel by plane in 1909, the first person to make the crossing by air.
Van Aert showed his different qualities on a bike: climber/sprinter on the Cap du Blanc-Nez, to get a lead, then time triallist over the remaining 11km to the finish line.
What a performance by the yellow jersey. After three second places, he was ready to for a win.
Nathan van Hooydonck and Tiesj Benoot set it up for van Aert, doing explosive turns on the front on the climb to blow the rest of the peloton away.
The last two riders to be dropped were Adam Yates and Jonas Vingegaard. If they had held on over the top of the climb, they could have taken some seconds in the GC battle.
It could be an indication of their good form, and maybe that will show through in the end.
Pogacar was some way further back. It will be a relief if his level has dipped somewhat, so that we get an exciting race. If he experiences some adversity, he will become a more rounded person.
"I was riding my bike, fighting for position!"
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 5, 2022
Tadej Pogacar was a little taken aback by Matt Rendell's question asking where he was when Wout Van Aert attacked. #TDF2022 #ITVCycling pic.twitter.com/OClyN9ZlVv
Cort and Perez
Earlier in the day, Magnus Cort was in a breakaway with Anthony Perez of Cofidis. Cort swept up the mountains points, and Perez was last man out front, until around 11km to go.