The young Decathlon CMA CGM puncheur bounced back from his injuries and seized the opportunity provided by the cobbled uphill finish to demonstrate his readiness for the World Tour. The yellow jersey passes to Belgian rider Niels Driesen ahead of the time trial that kicks off the Alpine trilogy.
Aubin Sparfel was frustrated at missing his chance to contend during the first stage, as the finish in Argentan was perfectly suited to his strengths. A painful crash had taken him out of the running, but despite his still-visible road rash, he didn’t give up—in fact, he raised his arms in triumph at Semur-en-Auxois, the finish line of a fourth stage that was once again raced at a blistering pace (48.7 km/h!).
The 700-meter finishing climb—featuring tricky cobblestones in the heart of this medieval town in the Côte-d’Or—played perfectly to his skills as a puncher-sprinter. This was especially true given that his coach, Alexandre Pacot, who knows the region inside out, had given him a highly motivating description of the course. Sparfel seized the opportunity in the Côte-d’Or, claiming another victory in a major U23 race—adding to wins in stages of the Tour de Bretagne and the U23 Giro d’Italia, among others. He hopes this proves he belongs in the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale World Tour squad without delay; his riding style differs from that of Paul Seixas, but he operates at the same elite level.
In the meantime, his team did lose the yellow jersey—held by Norwegian rider Kasper Haugland—to the Belgian Niels Driesen (the opening-day winner). The lead changed hands based on cumulative placings, as the top three riders (including Italian world champion Lorenzo Finn) remain tied on time. However, the French team did a remarkable job for Sparfel, dashing the hopes of a ten-man breakaway group at the last moment—though three of those attackers still managed, in the dying moments, to secure the minor podium spots (second through fourth). The mountainous terrain dominating the final three days is not Aubin Sparfel’s greatest strength; however, the Flaine time trial—covering the 11.4 km ascent of the Col de Pierre Levée from the Les Carroz resort—will begin to shape the hierarchy for the overall victory, a contest in which Lorenzo Finn, the logical favorite, is already well-positioned.
