It is perhaps his second best sprint of this Tour de France: Fabio Jakobsen had to give everything, in the last ascent of Peyragudes, to return to the deadline in extremis. Fifteen seconds is the meager safety mattress he still had when crossing the finish line, wildly encouraged by the public present and by his teammates who were waiting for him at the finish line.
The Dutchman hangs on as best he can in the Pyrenees, with the hope of defending his chances in Cahors, on the 19th stage, and on Sunday, during the traditional arrival on the Champs-Elysées. But another high mountain stage awaits him this Thursday…