Pello Bilbao reignites GC bid with Tour de France stage 10 victory
Spaniard catapults himself from eleventh to fifth with breakaway win
Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) pulled off an impressive Tour de France GC raid on Tuesday, winning from the breakaway on stage 10, and rising to fifth overall.
The Spaniard was part of a five-rider group that chased Israel-Premier Tech's Krists Neilands in the closing kilometres. Once the catch was made, he reacted quickly to attacks, and launched his own race-winning sprint with 200m to go.
Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) finished second, with Ben O'Connor (AG2R Citröen) in third.
“I just wanted to make the right group,” Bilbao said after the stage. “We needed to go full in the front, everyone was on the limit, Neilands did an impressive attack. I think he was the strongest one but he spent a lot of energy.
"In the last 3km, I knew I was the fastest man in the group, so I just took control.”
In his post-race interview, the Bahrain Victorious rider pointed to the Ride For Gino tribute on his jersey, in memory of Gino Mäder who died last month. "I crossed the line and I just put out all the anger I had inside and remembered the reason of this victory," he said, his voice cracking. "A special one. For Gino.”
Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) continues to hold the yellow jersey, with his 17-second advantage to Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) unchanged.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
How it happened
With fresh legs aplenty after Monday’s rest day, the racing began at a relentless pace from the flag drop in Vulcania. Immediately, the sprinters dropped out the back, stage hunters peeled off the front, and the GC teams frantically policed attacks. The peloton was left shredded, gasping in the 40°C heat.
The electric start took David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) and Romain Bardet (dsm-firmenich) by surprise, with both Frenchmen losing the wheel in the first 20km. The gap from them to the peloton stretched out to around two minutes, before they were towed back into contention by their teammates and the French public breathed a sigh of relief.
It would take almost 60km of full-tilt racing before the mood settled and the breakaway formed. Initially composed of seven riders, the group doubled around the stage’s midway point, with Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-Quick Step), Michał Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers), O'Connor and Bilbao among the biggest names present.
With 85km to go, Esteban Chaves (EF Education-EasyPost) sprung out of the front group on the fourth of five categorised climbs. His attack, however, was short-lived, and he rejoined his breakaway companions.
In a similar vein, Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) shot out of the peloton with 45km remaining, threatening to spoil the breakaway's day. The pace, however, proved too high to bridge across, and the life-long rivals were reabsorbed by the bunch.
Up ahead, Neilands tried his luck from range. The Latvian initially tried a two-pronged attack with Alaphilippe, before wriggling away himself, and stretching out a 30-second advantage. He led solo over the final climb, the Côte de la Chapelle-Marcousse, but was reeled in with 3km to go by a five-rider group spearheaded by Bilbao.
The Spaniard's kick is well known in the peloton, so it was no surprise when the other leaders tried to disrupt a sprint finish. O'Connor attacked first, but Bilbao latched himself onto the AG2R rider's wheel. Then came Zimmermann's attempt, and Bilbao did the same again.
The Bahrain Victorious rider then took charge on the front, leading out his own sprint which he unleashed in the final 200m. Nobody else could follow.
Thanks to the almost three minutes accrued by the breakaway, the victory propelled Bilbao up the general classification, from eleventh at the start of the day to fifth. He now sits 12 seconds off fourth-placed Carlos Rodríguez, with the Alps beckoning.
Tour de France, stage 10: Vulcania > Issoire (167.2km)
1. Pello Bilbao (Esp) Bahrain Victorious, in 3-52-34
2. Georg Zimmermann (Ger) Intermarché-Circus-Wanty
3. Ben O'Connor (Aus) AG2R Citröen
4. Krists Neilands (Lat) Israel-Premier Tech
5. Esteban Chaves (Col) EF Education-EasyPost, all at same time
6. Antonio Pedrero (Esp) Movistar, at 3s
7. Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl-Trek
8. Michal Kiwatkowski (Pol) Ineos Grenadiers, both at 27s
9. Warren Barguil (Fra) Arkéa Samsic, at 30s
10. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Soudal-Quick Step, at 32s
General classification after stage 10
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma, in 42-33-33
2. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, at 17s
3. Jai Hindley (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 2-40
4. Carlos Rodríguez (Esp) Ineos Grenadiers, at 4-22
5. Pello Bilbao (Esp) Bahrain Victorious, at 4-34
6. Adam Yates (GBr) UAE Team Emirates, at 4-39
7. Simon Yates (GBr) Jayco AlUla, at 4-44
8. Tom Pidcock (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 5-26
9. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, at 6-01
10. Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma, at 6-45
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer. He is the host of The TT Podcast, which covers both the men's and women's pelotons and has featured a number of prominent British riders.
An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides.
-
Shimano Ultegra C60 wheelset review: fast rolling and great value, if a little heavy
The Ultegra C60 wheels share many similarities with the more expensive Dura-Ace model except for price and weight
By Andy Turner Published
-
The 16-year-old bike that's just won the British National Hill Climb championships
Rim brakes, no paint, tiny seat stays and a decade-old groupset are still plenty fast enough to help champion Harry Macfarlane see off some serious competition
By Joe Baker Published
-
British free-to-air Tour de France highlights being 'explored' for 2026, after ITV loses rights
2025 will be the last year for the Tour on ITV, as 25 years of coverages comes to an end due to Warner Bros. Discovery "exclusivity" deal
By Adam Becket Published
-
Tadej Pogačar says blistering Sormano attack was 'planned' after cruising to fourth Il Lombardia title
World Champion ends his season on a high in Italy with 25th victory of the year secured at Italian Monument
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Mark Cavendish to conclude professional cycling career in Singapore
Tour de France stage win record holder to bring curtain down on racing career at ASO end of season criteriums in Asia
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Mont Ventoux returns?: All the route rumours for the 2025 Tour de France
Here's where the peloton may be heading next July
By Tom Davidson Last updated
-
How Tadej Pogačar created history and claimed cycling's Triple Crown of the Giro-Tour-Worlds
A journey that was supposedly fraught with risk and uncertainty was anything but for Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and World Championships victor Tadej Pogačar
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Pogačar mania takes hold in Canada with 2026 Montréal World Championships on the horizon
Organiser of GP Québec and Montréal gearing up for Worlds returning to North America in 2026
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Simon Yates says he took a pay cut in order to join Visma-Lease a Bike
32-year-old says it was now or never as he gets set to leave Jayco AIUla after eleven years
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tadej Pogačar misses out on GP Québec win on return to WorldTour action
Slovenian finishes seventh in first race back since third Tour de France victory
By Tom Thewlis Published