Published on : 09/08/2020
Guillaume Martin, victim of a minor fall midway through the race, was supported by his teammates to preserve his 3rd place in the overall classification. Elia Viviani, meanwhile, was able to join the battle for the sprint where he claimed 4th place and thus demonstrated his growing strength.
After a well-deserved day of rest, the peloton hit the road again on Tuesday. This Tuesday, to the delight of the numerous spectators who came to support the riders and for the first time in twenty years, a stage of 168.5 km took place entirely in Charente-Maritime.
At Cofidis, we knew that this was a risky stage because of multiple factors, including the wind from the ocean - which was relatively weak in the end - but also the many roundabouts, islets and urban developments that made the stage even more difficult.
Viviani confirms he is back in business
At the entrance of Rochefort, Guillaume Martin was caught in a fall, apparently not very serious. The rider complained about his back at the finish. After the fall, he benefited from the precious support of his teammates to get back into the peloton. He then tried hard to stay with the best, protecting his 3rd place in the general classification. Martin is nevertheless confident about his health and hopes for "a less stressful day" tomorrow, in order to recuperate well.
His sprinter teammates, on the other hand, were involved in the final battle. Elia Viviani, who is gradually regaining full control after being injured in the first week, stayed in line with the most energetic riders of the moment. He finished in 4th place, his best result on this Tour de France edition. A visible increase in performance and a ranking that he hopes to improve tomorrow at the finish in Poitiers.
THEY SAID...
Guillaume Martin (3rd overall): "
From the beginning, the race was fairly smooth every day. Today, it was more difficult with this fall in the middle of the race and the wind that bothered us. I manage not to lose time and that's the main thing. I was well supported by the whole team who waited for me and especially Pierre-Luc and then Christophe in the final.
My back hurts a bit, there was a bump on the head so it must have compressed the vertebrae a bit. I was having a little trouble getting back at the end, but I don't think there's anything too detrimental for the rest of the race. The main thing is that I didn't waste any time. I hope to have a quieter day tomorrow and be able to recover."
Elia Viviani (4th of the stage): "
Of course I'm not happy because I can't be satisfied with a 4th place. I'm here to fight for victory. Of course, it's nice to be back at the level of the best sprinters in the world. It wasn't an easy day but Simone (Consonni) did an important job to protect me until the end. You have to make a perfect stage to win it and today Sam Bennett was the strongest."