Tour de Suisse 2022: Pinot solos to victory, Higuita new leader

image: Cor VosThe riders traverse the high mountain for the second day in a row. Thibaut Pinot wins from the breakaway, while Sergio Higuita leaves Jakob Fuglsang and Geraint Thomas behind to move into the leader's jersey. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 7th stage 2022 Tour de Suisse

1. Thibaut Pinot (fra)
2. Óscar Rodríguez (spa) + 0.25
3. Alexey Lutsenko (kaz) + 0.38
4. Sergio Higuita (col) + 1.19
5. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 1.30
6. Nicolas Prodhomme (fra) + 1.40
7. Jakob Fuglsang (den) + 1.48
8. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) + 1.59
9. Sébastien Reichenbach (swi) + 2.09
10. Neilson Powless (usa) + 2.19

11. Bob Jungels (lux) + 2.24
18. Stefan Küng (swi) + 2.59
19. Andreas Leknessund (nor) + 3.42
20. Felix Großschartner (aut) s.t.

GC after stage 7
1. Sergio Higuita (col)
2. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 0.02
3. Jakob Fuglsang (den) + 0.19
4. Neilson Powless (usa) + 1.16
5. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) + 1.37
6. Sébastien Reichenbach (swi) + 2.09
7. Stefan Küng (swi) + 2.19
8. Bob Jungels (lux) + 2.31
9. Felix Großschartner (aut) + 2.47
10. Andreas Leknessund (nor) + 2.59

Race reportThe race starts on descent and the breakaway takes shape when the route starts to go up. Fausto Masnada, Clément Champoussin, Michael Matthews, Thibaut Pinot, Ilan Van Wilder, Alexey Lutsenko, Ion Izagirre, Gianni Moscon, Jack Bauer, Clément Berthet, Nelson Oliveira, Óscar Rodríguez, Sylvain Moniquet, Gavin Mannion, Yannis Voisard, Mathieu Burgaudeau, Nicolas Prodhomme, Paul Ourselin, and Lewis Askey are on board.

Askey, Ourselin, Moscon, Bauer and Voisard drop back on the Lukmanier Pass, while the otrhers reach the summit 7 minutes before the peloton.

The attackers tackle the finish climb with a lead of 3.30 minutes. Van Wilder, Loetsenko and Izagirre don’t dilly-dally and head out together. The young Belgian is dropped, while Pinot tries to regain contact. That’s not to Izagirre’s liking and he goes solo.

Pinot rejoins Lutsenko en leaves him behind in the last 4.5 kilometres. He makes the catch with 2 kilometres remaining to continue on his own.

Martínez decimates the GC group to Fuglsang, Thomas and Higuita before he runs out of steam. Then Higuita gives it a go. The Colombian opens a good gap, inspiring Thomas to leave Fuglsang behind in the last 500 metres.

Meanwhile, Pinot is savouring his victory. Higuita crosses the line 1.19 minutes behind the Frenchman and 11 seconds ahead of Thomas, which is just enough for the leader’s jersey. But with only an ITT ahead the Welshman must feel very comfortable.

Another interesting read: route 7th stage 2022 Tour de Suisse.