Youngest rider in the Tour, Simon Yates (far right) riding in good company.
Fortune favors the brave as Biel Kadri took a breakaway with fellow countryman Sylvain Chavanel and didn't disappoint the fans to solo to a brilliant win on the first mountainous stage 8. The Vosges mountains are not the Alps or Pyrenees but there were 3 categorized climbs to cause plenty of hurt. An impressive French win and also Kadri picks up enough points to wear the polka dots jersey. With Bastille Day upcoming this Monday can we even expect another French victory? Pourquoi pas?
The young Simon Yates was equally impressive, stuck it out in the break du jour and looked damn good leading the peloton over the 4th cat climb - on his first Grand Tour. He's young, only 21 years old, and climbs damn well. Known to be calm as a cucumber nothing really gets to him.
"The longest race I've done is eight days and I've done that now on this Tour and so I'm taking it day by day. If I'm knackered I'll just put a pin in it, it doesn't really matter. There's no pressure on me at all."
- Simon Yates
"He's class. The kid is class. It was the first opportunity we gave to Simon in the Tour de France and he took it with two hands."
- Matt White, DS Orica GreenEdge.
"He is a better climber than I so I had to manage a gap. I had to avoid having him coming back to me on the last climb. I think he will have a good career. He will be a very great and strong rider in the future."
- Biel Kadri on Simon Yates.
Boom! Now KoMs!
via sirotti
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