Danish rider Jakob Fuglsang continued his strong Tour de France yesterday, netting tenth on the stage to Alpe d’Huez and advancing from eighth to seventh place in the overall standings.
The Astana leader overtook a struggling Laurens ten Dam in the general classification, and also closed to within 35 seconds of a fading Bauke Mollema, ten Dam’s Belkin Pro Cycling team-mate.
“My legs are tired after the time trial, and I felt that on the climbs today,” he said after the finish. “But I think the goal of a top ten is very realistic now, and I will watch the other riders ahead of me to see who is vulnerable until the finish.”
Fuglsang was a strong eighth in Wednesday’s time trial and said the Alpe d’Huez stage was one which rewarded consistency. “I knew ten Dam was struggling, and so was Mollema, and when we got to the second time up Alpe d'Huez they were nowhere,” he said. “So I followed riders who I knew would not attack and ride normally, and when it came to three kilometre to go I looked at who I was with and saw them on the limit and thought - why not?" Fuglsang said.
The mountains continue today and tomorrow, and Fuglsang knows that if he can continue to recover well in this gruelling third week, that he could continue to advance.
His previous best Grand Tour finish was eleventh in the 2011 Vuelta a España.