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Celebrating the News TdF145
The winner of every stage faces a scrum of soigneurs, race personnel, press, interviewers and TV camera. The scrum goes ballistic when the winner is a Frenchman taking a stage for his country with only three stages left to race. Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) knew he had delivered the stage for France, but he along with his team personnel and the French press were waiting to see just how far up the General Classification he had managed to get. Bardet pumped his fist as they all learned that with his bonus seconds for the win, he is now in second place! Although he is over four minutes behind the Maillot Jaune of Chris Froome (Sky). And yes he is pumping his fist in the air, not punching the personnel who is holding his arms wide. He is keeping a very close eye on Bardet, who he will shortly take to the doping control tent. Every stage winner is tested to make sure his win was clean. With one stage where the race will be full on, it is doubtful that Bardet will be able to take over the lead. But, Froome did crash, it will remain to be seen if there are any linger affects on his form in the final day in the French Alps. The last day it is considered bad form to attack the jerseys. It is a day for a promenade, until the sprinters take over racing for a stage victory on the Champs Elysees in the shadow of the l'Arc du Triomphe.