Romain Bardet Gives it His All on the Challenging Altu de l’Angrilu

French cyclist Romain Bardet showcased his attacking prowess on the grueling Altu de l’Angrilu climb, finishing in 12th place after an intense battle with the GC group.

Despite the potential for a breakaway, the race began with a flurry of attacks. Bardet’s team dsm-firmenich was active in chasing down the moves, but the peloton managed to keep them in check. Bardet’s teammate Chris Hamilton and Romain Combaud made it into a five-rider breakaway, but as the peloton closed the gap, they were eventually reabsorbed.

As the race continued and the climbs got tougher, Bardet remained in the peloton alongside teammate Max Poole. Approaching the final climb, Bardet tested himself against the GC group. Although he made two strong attacks, the group maintained a relentless pace, denying him a significant advantage. Bardet then switched his focus to conserving energy and battling up the steep gradients to secure 12th place at the finish line.

Reflecting on the demanding day, Bardet stated, “It was a hard day but it was good… I tried to give it a go at the start of the steep part but once I could see that I couldn’t make a decisive move, then I tried to ride as conservatively as possible to hopefully be at the front tomorrow.”