"The fatigue is gradually creeping into everyone's legs" - Louis Meintjes sees opportunity to climb few position in general classification
Cycling
The GC leader for Intermarché-Circus-Wanty, Louis Meintjes completed a decent first racing block at Tour de France. The 31-year old South African has been consistently working up the ranks in the general classification, landing in 12th position after ninth stage with less than two minutes to top 10.
"The final climb was ridden like a time trial, that's how high the rhythm was from the foot to the top," said Meintjes, who crossed the finish line on mythical Puy de Dome in 24th place. "From the start in Bilbao, the level has been extremely high. But now that the fatigue is gradually creeping into everyone's legs, I can climb the rankings little by little."
Meintjes is therefore very pleased with his results in the first nine stages. "It is probably the first time that I have entered the first rest day in such a good position. On one hand it is positive because the top ten is not far away, but on the other hand this position does not make it easier for me to attack," he explains.
"The goal is to improve this position over the next two weeks. Now the battle for the top ten in the general classification really begins. The toughest stages are yet to come and it will be a real tactical battle," concludes Meintjes who is defending a nice 7th place from 2022.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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