Vingegaard and Pogacar play the Tour with a time trial and two mountain stages

Fourteen seconds apart Jonas Vingegaard from Tadej Pogačar first day of rest in Clermont-Ferrand. Sigh. The two were seen on the Basque stages, in Marie Blanque, in Tourmalet and in Puy-de-Dôme. Everything in the air. A week later, with a good part of the alpine stages covered and the Joux Plane crowned, the difference is even smaller: ten seconds. A trifle.

The ten-second lease is one of the shortest earned by a world leader Tour of France at this point in the race. However, it is not the smallest of the last twenty-four editions, which have been held since 2000. Such an honor matches the seven seconds Frank Schleck had over Bernhard Kohl in the 2008 edition, 15 years ago. Interestingly, none of them won. The Luxembourger fell to fifth place overall. German Gerolsteiner, although he was on the podium on the Champs Elysées, was disqualified for doping.

Given the parity seen between Vingegaard and Pogacar, it’s hard predict what may happen in the six remaining stages of this tour. It is assumed that three of them are fundamental for increasing the income of a Dane, decreasing or reversing a Slovenian in the general classification.

It would be interesting if one of the most hilly editions in history could be seen for sentencing this Tuesday in its unique chronometer, 22.4 kilometers between Passy and Combloux. Sam Christian Prudhomme, general director of the Tour, announces that he “favors climbers who defend themselves well in the fight against the hands of the clock”. From this point of view, neither Pogacar nor Vingegaard is of any use, because both ride well in the time trial and are at their best when the road rises.

The Coast of Domancy, whose summit is three and a half kilometers from the finish, is forever associated with the 1980 Sallanches World Cup, which Bernard Hinault won alone in the cold and rain. They overcame almost 6,000 meters of bumps. For many, it is the most difficult in history. Silver went to Baronchelli, and bronze to Juan Fernández. Finished… fifteen runners. Yes, fifteen.

Two seconds for Pogačar

The results of the Tour time trials in which they met confirm this equality between Vingegaard and Pogacar. The difference between the two of them in the four contested in the last two years was only two seconds in favor of the Slovenian. In 2022, Pogacar led Vingegaard by eight at 13.2 kilometers of Copenhagen. The difference was the same, but in favor of the Dane, 40.7 from Rocamadour. In 2021, the cyclist from the United Arab Emirates did 27 in the 27.2 kilometers from Laval to Jumbo, taking away his 25 in 30.8 en route to Saint-Émilion.

They return on Wednesday high mountains and the Alps with a port of the second category (Longefoy), two first class (Saisies and Cormet de Roselend) and one outside the category (Loze), from the top of which, located at 2,304 meters above sea level, six and a half meters will remain until the finish in Courchevel.

He Col de la Loze It is an eternal ascent with a length of 28.1 kilometers and an average gradient of 6%, which does not drop below 9% for the last five years. Within that section, near the top, there is a 24% ramp. After the descent, the slope towards the Courchevel altiport is steep, with percentages of 18% on one of the walls.

It presents a lot of ground to attack. Now the result of the stopwatch will determine who should attack and who should defend. It will also add or subtract value to the bonuses that will be distributed by Sunday.

Both the time trial and the last alpine day will reduce the strength, which will put the penultimate stage to the test again on Saturday. a series of stops in the Vosges. The Ballon d’Alsace (11.5 kilometers at 5.2%) and the Petit Ballon (9.3 km at 8.1%), which is by no means small, arrived at the Tour de France many years ago.

He Platzerwasel regiment (7.1 km at 8.4%) has fewer names, but as many or more gradients than the previous ones. A series of efforts will take its toll. The organizers of the gala round must be dreaming of a Vingegaard-Pogacar duel on that climb. It would be the highlight of an exciting edition so far, with two riders far superior to the rest who turned every climb into a one-on-one.