'A slap in the face' - Reaction to 'pointless' incident that left Wout van Aert 'peeved' at Tour de France

21.07.2022 - 12:51 eurosport.com

Eurosport cycling expert Adam Blythe has given his views on the controversial incident that saw Nils Eekhoff (Team DSM) deny Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) points at the Tour de France.

Van Aert has said afterwards that it was “sad” that Eekhoff had surged ahead of him to pick up full points during the intermediate sprint on Stage 16.

The Belgian had started the day on a near-insurmountable tally of 378 in the green jersey points classification and has since all-but clinched the green jersey at this year's race.

Ad/> The 27-year-old was left peeved when Eekhoff, who started the day on zero points, needlessly kicked clear near the line of the only intermediate sprint of the stage at Lavelanet.

cycling sprint Team Emirates Adam Blythe France Belgium Uae

Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team) produced a ride for the ages to put herself in pole position to win the Tour de France Femmes, but will other teams regret not putting time into her when she was struggling with a stomach bug and then had a mechanical. The 39-year-old broke away with Demi Vollering on the first climb – the Petit Ballon – on a day of 3000m of unprecedented climbing before distancing Vollering a kilometre from the top of the second climb of the day, the Col du Platzerwase. Ad/> She then extended her advantage over the day’s final climb, the Grand Ballon, and would finish some 3’26” ahead of SD Worx rider Vollering.

Tour de France Femmes: ‘They’d break’ – Why other riders shouldn't replicate Annemiek Van Vleuten’s training

Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team) produced a masterclass in stage racing on Saturday to take a vice-like grip of the yellow jersey ahead of the final day of the Tour de France Femmes. The 39-year-old put the hammer down on the first climb of the day, the Petit Ballon, alongside Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx), and then soared away from her rival a kilometre from the top of the second climb of the day, the Col du Platzerwase. Ad/> The Movistar rider had a three-minute advantage as she crested the third climb of the day, the Grand Ballon, and finished the day 3’26” ahead of Vollering, who she now holds a 3’14” advantage over in the general classification ahead of Sunday’s final stage.

'Going to go on a rampage' - Annemiek van Vleuten's Tour de France Femmes chances assessed after slow start

One of the biggest surprises of an already eventful two days of the Tour de France Femmes 2022 is the notable absence of Annemiek van Vleuten’s name from the main headlines. Having triumphed at the Giro Donne just two weeks before the new Grand Tour hit Paris on Sunday, Movistar's Dutch superstar had been tipped to double up at the race. Ad/> However, two stages down and you have to scroll further than you might have expected on the general classification to find Van Vleuten’s name.

Tour de France Femmes: 'Incredible' Marianne Vos is 'up there with the men' at reading a race after Stage 2 win

Marianne Vos’ tactics to claim victory and the yellow jersey on Stage 2 of the Tour de France Femmes have drawn huge praise from Eurosport’s Breakaway team. The Jumbo-Visma rider timed her sprint to perfection as she fended off the challenges of the likes of Elisa Balsamo (Trek–Segafredo), Maike van der Duin (Le Col-Wahoo), Silvia Persico (Valcar-Travel & Service) and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM) to take the win. Ad/> Watching the action for Eurosport, Adam Blythe was impressed with the way Vos overcame her rivals and suggested she could even provide a match for male racers.

'Everything we love would be forgotten about' – Should Wout van Aert go for yellow at Tour de France in 2023?

Could Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) actually win the yellow jersey at a future edition of the Tour de France? That was the question posed on The Breakaway after the curtain call at the 2022 Tour, which saw the Belgian’s team-mate Jonas Vingegaard crowned champion after a thrilling three-week battle with Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates). Ad/> Van Aert has been the rider of the Tour with a string of devastating attacks and selfless teamwork helping deliver six stage wins for Jumbo, including three for himself and the green jersey.

Jumbo-Visma have 'torn up rulebook' but it would be ‘different story’ without Wout Van Aert at Tour de France

Adam Blythe says that Jumbo-Visma have torn up the rulebook with a performance of pure dominance at the Tour de France, and reserved special praise for their Belgian talisman Wout van Aert. The Dutch team could finish the Tour de France with the yellow, green and polka dot jerseys, and – depending on the victor on Stage 21 — seven stage wins in an almost unprecedented show of excellence at the French Grand Tour. Ad/> Jumbo-Visma secured a one-two on the Stage 20 time trial after Vingegaard survived a scare late on to finish second behind the irrepressible Van Aert.