Mauro Schmid delivered a Schmid breakaway win on Tour de France stage 13, beating Harold Tejada in Belfort after 205.8km of racing.
The Jayco AlUla rider outsprinted Tejada of XDS Astana after the pair escaped the remains of a large breakaway. They held off a late chase after the stage crossed the Vosges and the Ballon d’Alsace.
Tom Pidcock led the next group home for third, two seconds behind the leading pair. The Pinarello Q36.5 rider also made a major general classification gain on the longest stage of this year’s Tour.
Tadej Pogačar kept the yellow jersey, and the main group finished 7:32 behind Schmid. Pidcock rose from 10th to fourth overall, nine seconds behind Remco Evenepoel and the podium.
Schmid breakaway win follows aggressive opening
The stage began in Dole in the Jura region and sparked attacks almost immediately. An early five-rider move came back, but the pressure continued on the rolling roads of the Doubs département.
After around 30km, 37 riders went clear. Several teams had numbers in the move, including Jayco AlUla, while Pidcock targeted both the stage and time gains.
Sprint contenders also joined the move to contest the intermediate sprint. Jasper Philipsen led Mads Pedersen and Biniam Girmay through the points before all three later dropped on the Ballon d’Alsace.
The category-one climb measured 8.8km at 6.9% and reduced the front group sharply. Luke Plapp and Pidcock both attacked near the top, but a small group crested together with 30km remaining.
Pidcock’s descending skills looked like a possible weapon, but the descent did not prove steep or technical enough. Schmid then attacked with 16km remaining, and only Tejada could follow.
Schmid said he could not immediately believe the victory after an intense day. He described the racing as “full gas from the first minute” and said Jayco AlUla had tried several times to place riders in breakaways.
The 26-year-old Swiss rider also had late concerns after cramping with 4km to go. He said Tejada forced him to lead before the sprint, but Schmid recovered and finished the move.
Schmid had lost a similar two-up sprint to Jonas Abrahamsen in Toulouse last year. This time, he held his nerve and gave Jayco AlUla its first stage victory of the race.
He credited the team’s depth in the break, with Plapp active and Michael Matthews behind as another option. Schmid said he initially worried the final climb might prove too hard.
Tour de France stage 13 result
- 1. Mauro Schmid (Swi), Jayco AlUla, 4:06:58
- 2. Harold Tejada (Col), XDS Astana, s.t.
- 3. Tom Pidcock (Gbr), Pinarello Q36.5, +2s
- 4. Maxim Van Gils (Bel), Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, s.t.
- 5. Brandon McNulty (USA), UAE Team Emirates-XRG, s.t.
- 6. Kévin Vauquelin (Fra), Netcompany-Ineos, s.t.
- 7. Jordan Jegat (Fra), TotalEnergies, s.t.
- 8. Clément Braz Alfonso (Fra), Groupama-FDJ United, s.t.
- 9. Tim Wellens (Bel), UAE Team Emirates-XRG, s.t.
- 10. Luke Plapp (Aus), Jayco AlUla, +11s
General classification after stage 13
- 1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo), UAE Team Emirates-XRG, 47:18:31
- 2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den), Visma-Lease a Bike, +3:36
- 3. Remco Evenepoel (Bel), Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, +4:06
- 4. Tom Pidcock (Gbr), Pinarello Q36.5, +4:15
- 5. Juan Ayuso (Esp), Lidl-Trek, +4:22
- 6. Paul Seixas (Fra), Decathlon CMA CGM, +4:35
- 7. Florian Lipowitz (Ger), Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, +4:44
- 8. Isaac del Toro (Mex), UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +5:08
- 9. Mattias Skjelmose (Den), Lidl-Trek, +5:45
- 10. Lenny Martinez (Fra), Bahrain Victorious, +6:34