Stage 4 – La Toussuire – Le Corbier presented by Sunweb
A new Nordic leader!
A change of scenery for the 4th stage presented by Sunweb, which took place in Savoie, between La Toussuire and Le Corbier. It was won by Frenchwoman Elsa Borgey ahead of Spaniard Iker Ozkoidi. The musher, who confirmed her ambitions, scored her first stage victory after a breathless 22 km race through the Sybelles ski area before pushing on to the Bollard head on rain-slicked snow. The teams swallowed up 1150 m of positive vertical drop before descending to the Pointe du Corbier, then the site of the Chat and the finish on the Corbier snow front, a total of 1200 m of negative vertical drop. Norwegian Hans Lindahl saves his Crédit Mutuel-sponsored leader’s jersey despite finishing 3rd on this stage. “I made a bad choice of lead dog. He lacked experience and the trail was slippery, it felt like sliding on sand”.
In the Nordic category, the two Frenchmen Jean Combazard and Philippe Desmurger continued their mano a mano, and this fine stage was a success for Philippe, who took the leader’s jersey sponsored by Crédit Mutuel. “Magnus, my lead dog, was exceptional today, winning the stage,” explains his musher.
The Dog care jersey of the day, sponsored by Royal Canin, was awarded to Rodolphe Lardet, who has been working hard this autumn on his huskies to teach them to remain calm and patient before the start of the stages. They were exemplary at the finish of the Bernex stage.