Tour de France 2021: Solo triumph Politt, Pogacar still leader

image: Cor VosNils Politt solos to victory from the breakaway in the 12th stage of the Tour de France. Imanol Erviti outsprints Harry Sweeny for the second place, while the main group comes home 16 minutes behind the stage winner. (Slideshow route/profile)

Uitslag 12e etappe Tour de France 2021

1. Nils Politt (ger)
2. Imanol Erviti (spa) + 0.31
3. Harry Sweeny (aus) s.t.
4. Stefan Küng (swi) + 1.58
5. Luka Mezgec (slo) + 2.06
6. André Greipel (ger) s.t.
7. Edward Theuns (bel) s.t.
8. Brent Van Moer (bel) s.t.
9. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) s.t.
10. Sergio Henao (col) s.t.
– peloton at 15.53 minutes

GC after stage 12
1. Tadej Pogacar (slo)
2. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 5.18
3. Jonas Vingegaard (den) + 5.32
4. Richard Carapaz (ecu) + 5.33
5. Ben O’Connor (aus) + 5.58
6. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 6.16
7. Alexey Lutsenko (kaz) + 6.30
8. Enric Mas (spa) + 7.11
9. Guillaume Martin (fra) + 9.29
10. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 10.28

Race report
After 15 kilometres of hard racing a lead group of thirteen riders takes shape. Julian Alaphilippe, Stefan Küng, Edward Theuns, André Greipel, Conor Swift, Luka Mezgec, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Stefan Bissegger. Sergio Henao, Harry Sweeny, Imanol Erviti, Nils Politt, Stefan Küng, Stefan Bissegger, Connor Swift, Harry Sweeny, Brent Van Moer and Nils Politt carve out a gap of more than 12 minutes.

Politt intiates a phase with several attacks. Eventually, Erviti, Politt, Sweeny and Küng open up a 1 minute gap.

Sweeny jumps clear on a small climb with 15 kilometres out. Politt and Erviti rejoin the 22-year old Australian.

Politt is next to attack. He opens a gap with a strong effort and forges on to solo to victory.

The peloton comes home with a 15.53 minutes deficit and Pogacar remains the overall race leader..

Another interesting read: route 12th stage 2021 Tour de France.