Pascal Ackermann sprinted to third place on stage 10 of the Tour de France, continuing his upward trend in the sprint finishes after previously finishing ninth, sixth, and fourth.
Without a single categorized climb and not enough wind to split the peloton, it was no surprise that today’s flat stage took place at a relatively slow pace without any real breakaway attempts. It was only in the final part that things got hectic, and the IPT riders were always well-positioned.
“The team did a really amazing job today,” Ackermann said after the stage. “We were always together, and Jakob [Fuglsang] kept us at the front by himself for over 40 km. The other guys took over, and then Jake [Stewart] did a great job in the final. I was in the wheel of [stage winner] Philipsen, but in the end, he was just too strong. Now, I’m really looking forward to the next sprint opportunity.”
Today’s third place is the second podium position in a row for Israel – Premier Tech after Derek Gee finished third on Sunday’s stage 9. Tomorrow, the Tour de France continues with a hilly stage from Évaux-les-Bains to Le Lioran, which looks like another good chance for a break to make it all the way.
