Tour de France 2023, Ion Izagirre wins stage 12
Tour de France 2023, Ion Izagirre wins stage 12
Spaniard Ion Izagirre won by a breakaway on stage 12 of the 168.8-kilometer Tour de France from Roanne to Belleville-en-Beaujolais, the second career partial victory for him at the Grande Boucle after the one in Morzine in 2016. Dane Jonas Vingegaard retained the yellow jersey.
The stage included five Grands Prix de la Montagne, although not transcendental: Cote de Thizy-les-Bourgs after 20.5 km (633 meters, 4.3 km at 5.6%, 3rd category), Col des Ecorbans after 37.9 km (853 meters, 2.1 km at 6.9%, 3rd category), Col de la Casse Froide after 109.9 km (740 meters, 5.2 km at 6.1%, 3rd category), Col de la Croix Montmain after 125 km (737 meters, 5.5 km at 6.1%, 2nd category) and Col de la Croix Rosier after 140.4 km (717 meters, 5.3 km at 7.6%, 2nd category).
A few hundred meters from the top of the last climb the 34-year-old Basque of Cofidis sprinted and no one saw him again until the finish. At 58 seconds, Frenchman Mathieu Burgaudeau beat U.S. Matteo Jorgenso, omnipresent in the breakaways, in a two-man sprint. Also among the day’s breakaways were Thibaut Pinot, sixth at 1’13”, and Mathieu Van der Poel, who from being in the lead then finished 51st at over five minutes.
The best of the general classification were set in a sprint by Tadej Pogacar and finished with a gap of 4’14” to Izagirre. Tomorrow is scheduled the 13th stage, 137.8 km from Chatillon-sur-Chalaronne to Grand Colombier, “hors categorie” uphill finish at 1501 meters, 17.4 km at 7.1%.
