Rudsbygdingen is fighting for his first Tour win since 2017 and his first professional winner in three years. It didn’t last long.

– I was one of the first to go. We worked well together and it was an enjoyable trip. Losing is always bitter, especially if it’s been a long time (previous wins). We can only try again, Boasson-Hagen told TV 2 after it was over.

He wasn’t really meant for a spot on the TotalEnergies team in this year’s race, but was brought in days before the opening stages. On Wednesday, there was evidence that he could still mark the world’s biggest cycling competition.

Boasson-Hagen was part of a six-man break on the rough cobblestone stage. The group was reduced to four riders in the final phase. There, the 35-year-old was on a manhunt when Neilson Powless attempted a jerk punch.

“Gunnet” is active

He closed the hatch and took the lead, but then Boasson-Hagen suddenly ran out of energy. He froze completely when the battle of victory had to be decided.

– I thought it would work when I caught it again, but I froze completely when it was 300-400 meters away. It’s sour. I should have cooled down a bit in there and waited. I’m sure it’s still running, so it’s just for the “shoot”, he tells of a suspenseful ending.

Simon Clarke first stepped over the finish line ahead of Taco van der Hoorn of the Netherlands. The Australian remains the winner in the prestigious French race for the first time.

– I still can’t believe I managed to overtake Taco, so I thought I should take another look at the goal photos. “Even when Powless attacked, I thought I should just sit back and wait,” Clarke said in a triumphant interview.

Defend the jersey

Primoz Roglic, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Wout Van Aert, Peter Sagan and Ben O’Connor were among the big fish lured in the cobblestone area.

It looked to be the new Tour leader, but a final sprint from Van Aert saved the Belgian leader’s jersey. Boasson-Hagen is now third in the summary and has 14 seconds to take the lead.

For one of the biggest overall favorites, Primoz Roglic, Wednesday’s stage ended up being pivotal in the battle for the yellow jersey. The Slovenian finished nearly three minutes behind Clarke and more than two minutes behind title holder Tadej Pogacar. There is now a difference of two minutes and 17 seconds between the two rivals of Slovenia in summary.

The 157-kilometer stage from Lille to Arenberg is expected to cause problems for some of the combined riders. And that prediction came true. On the way, the cyclists had to cover 19.4 kilometers over cobblestone which was divided into eleven sections, and the first came more than 80 km from the finish line.

Problem

Boasson-Hagen tried early to get away from the main course, and after more than 20 kilometers of intensive driving, the Norwegian managed to establish himself in the break. With him he earned climbing jersey holders Magnus Cort as well as Van der Hoorn, Clarke, Powless and Alexis Gougeard.

With 98 kilometers remaining, the overall leader Van Aert descended the hill. He looked unfazed by the crash but eventually returned to the main court with the help of Steven Kruijswijk.

A hard run started from the first stone yards, and several stages and overall favorites got into trouble. Among them were Roglic, Van der Poel, Van Aert, Alexander Kristoff, Peter Sagan and Ben O’Connor. Everyone is hooked.

Breakaways mostly have a hold for more than four minutes, but distances decrease rapidly as riders reach for cobblestones. Violations must be proven away.