The Tour de France chief’s yellow jersey sits on Tadej Pogačar’s shoulders, however Jonas Vingegaard will imagine the momentum of this Tour is with him because the race reaches the Pyrenees. The defending champion will attain the foot of the Col du Tourmalet on Saturday in third place total, 1:14 off Pogačar, however buoyed by his stage victory at Le Lioran in midweek.
“We go right into a terrain that fits me a bit extra, so we’re trying ahead to the upcoming days,” Vingegaard mentioned in Pau after stage 13, the place he completed within the entrance group on the finish of a fraught day that noticed the peloton splinter at numerous factors on the highway south from Agen.
“I really feel excellent. Today ended up being day for us, we did not lose any time. Now hopefully we will recuperate for tomorrow after which we’ll see.”
Recovery has been the motif of Vingegaard’s Tour so far. His prospects of chasing a 3rd straight title appeared slim when he suffered a punctured lung and damaged collarbone in a mass crash at Itzulia Basque Country in early April. “I actually believed I used to be going to die three months in the past,” Vingegaard mentioned earlier this week.
Visma-Lease a Bike solely confirmed Vingegaard’s Tour participation ten days earlier than the race, however he gave an early indication of his health by going toe to toe with Pogačar on the San Luca on stage 2. Although Vingegaard conceded floor to Pogačar at Valloire and within the stage 7 time trial, his startling show at Le Lioran, when he in some way closed a 35-second hole to the yellow jersey, had the texture of a turning level.
Some observers, thoughts, had been anticipating a downturn in Vingegaard’s performances within the second half of the Tour given his disrupted preparation. He did not race between Itzulia Basque Country and the Grand Départ. Precise particulars about his preparation had been sparingly communicated till he joined his teammates for a pre-Tour camp in Isola 2000, nevertheless it appears clear that Vingegaard spent much less time coaching at altitude than in 2022 or 2023.
“Jonas Vingegaard may go effectively at first, however he’ll pay the invoice finally, in any other case I do not perceive something about biking anymore,” five-time winner Bernard Hinault mentioned earlier than the Tour.
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A 12 months in the past, Vingegaard appeared to be the Eliud Kipchoge of biking, all of a sudden and stunningly overwhelming Pogačar within the closing third of their marathon duel to say an emphatic total victory. Visma-Lease a Bike directeur sportif Arthur van Dongen conceded that Vingegaard’s potential to remain the course at this 12 months’s Tour is moderately much less sure, regardless of exceeding his expectations so far.
“We’ll see how he feels on the finish of a Grand Tour with out, in concept, one of the best preparation like he had prior to now – altitude, Dauphiné, altitude,” Van Dongen mentioned in Agen on Friday. “That’s additionally a query mark – how contemporary he will probably be within the final week? But for now, it is OK.”
The Pyrenean doubleheader will reveal extra. Saturday’s quick stage takes within the Col du Tourmalet and a summit end at Pla d’Adet, whereas stage 15 is an extended haul with one other demanding finale atop Plateau de Beille.
“In concept, will probably be extra for Jonas as a result of he has much less kilograms [than Pogačar – ed.], nevertheless it’s additionally in regards to the legs and the way you are feeling within the race,” Van Dongen mentioned.
“First, we are going to see what occurs on Saturday after which we are going to plan for Sunday. But the powerful phases within the third week will probably be very, essential. I feel these days will make the most important distinction.”
Team Visma-Lease a Bike
While Vingegaard’s show at Le Lioran prompt he has the situation to push Pogačar all the way in which to Nice – “He is within the type of his life,” the yellow jersey mentioned – it is moderately much less clear if he has a crew to assist him do it. Visma arrived at this Tour, in any case, with out a number of of their deliberate choice, with Steven Kruijswijk and Dylan van Baarle compelled out by harm and Sepp Kuss dominated out by sickness.
Their limitations, at the very least relative to UAE, had been uncovered on the Galibier on stage 4 and once more at Puy Mary on stage 11 when Vingegaard was shorn of his teammates by the forcing of Pogačar’s guard. In 2022, Vingegaard might lean on Kuss, Primož Roglič and a supersonic Wout van Aert to place Pogačar beneath strain. This day out, Pogačar has the extra dependable supporting forged, Juan Ayuso’s abandon attributable to COVID-19 however.
“We usually are not afraid, nevertheless it’s true that we’ll miss some particular key riders in our ways, like Steven Kruijswijk or Sepp Kuss,” Van Dongen mentioned. “We will miss them lots however nonetheless ultimately will probably be more often than not a combat between the large favourites, between Jonas, Tadej and Remco [Evenepoel].”
Matteo Jorgenson, second on the Critérium du Dauphiné final month, seems to be to be Vingegaard’s most dependable assist within the mountains, although the American was comparatively subdued on the Puy Mary within the face of UAE’s onslaught. “He was dropped a bit too early two days in the past for his personal feeling, nevertheless it was perhaps only a dangerous day,” Van Dongen mentioned. “But he will be necessary for Jonas, to assist him so long as potential.”
Two years in the past, Vingegaard cast his Tour victory along with his crew’s offensive on the Galibier, whereas in 2023, he constructed his problem across the Combloux time trial and the mighty Col de la Loze in week three.
This day out, the playbook appears a little bit extra advert hoc. Visma’s overarching thought, it appears, is to maintain Vingegaard within the hunt till the arduous closing troika of phases subsequent week, when summit finishes at Isola 2000 and the Col de la Couillole are adopted by the final day time trial to Nice.
“That’s plenty of concept, however first we’ve got to do that weekend after which do the phases subsequent week earlier than the time trial,” Van Dongen mentioned. “There’s nonetheless lots developing, so it is too early to foretell, however within the time trial, we will see large variations. The parcours is tough and after three weeks, effectively, we have already got the expertise with Primož on the Planche des Belles Filles… Other guidelines rely then.”