Mads Pedersen claimed victory on Stage 13 of the 2022 Tour de France as the peloton transitioned from the Alps to the Massif hills. The opening stages of the race were defined by repeated attempts to create a breakaway with Pedersen a consistent member of the runaway packs.
Ineos Grenadiers’ Filippo Ganna led the way up Cote de Brie and seven riders managed to get clear on the descent and after three days of mountainous climbing the GC riders they seemed content to spend a day resting up in the peloton, never really mounting a chase to reel in the leaders.
Teams Lotto-Soudal and Alpecin may have had thoughts of setting up a sprint finish but they ended when Lotto’s Caleb Ewan crashed and injured his knee. His team dropped off the front of the peloton and any hopes of catching the breakaway riders faded away. That made it a seven horse race until Quinn Simmons dropped off after shielding teammate Pedersen for most of the stage.
With 10km to go, Pedersen put on the burners and caused a split in the group meaning he just had to contest the finish with Hugo Houle and Fred Wright. Pedersen was the big favourite of this trio and with 150m to go he flew home to take his first ever grand tour stage win.
Relive all the action from Stage 13 of the Tour de France 2022:
