Jonas Vingegaard completed 37 seconds down on Tadej Pogačar, misplaced an extra 13 seconds because of time bonuses on the high-speed race over the Col du Galibier and on the descent to the end in Valloire, but appeared the very best of the remaining on stage 4 of the 2024 Tour de France.
With the European soccer championships ongoing, soccer analogies are frequent on the Tour and Vingegaard claimed he felt he was solely 1-0 all the way down to Pogačar whereas it might have been 3-0 after he was solely capable of prepare for six weeks after his horrible Izulia Basque Country crash.
“We anticipated to be 3-0 behind, so possibly that’s a small victory,” Vingegaard stated post-stage, higher than any defeated soccer participant.
“We got here right here believing we’d lose time in three of the primary 4 levels, so to lose time on only one is fairly good for my part. We thought we would lose two minutes or extra, so solely 50 seconds behind is kind of good. Our time will come.
“I used to be doubting myself going into this Tour but it surely’s not like he was lots stronger uphill. I’d have appreciated to shut the hole as an alternative of it opening. I’d have appreciated to stick with him however that’s life.
“The Tour is lengthy and we’ll do our greatest. We know what to do. We imagine in our plan, like within the final two years and we’ll see on the finish of the Tour.”
Vingegaard was the one one capable of go together with Pogačar when he attacked within the closing kilometre of the Col du Galibier however then he misplaced his wheel within the closing hairpins as Pogačar accelerated with anger and pace.
The two raced a pursuit match on the 20 km descent to the end line however Pogačar gained second after second, each taking enormous dangers. They touched speeds of 90 km/h however Pogačar progressively opened a niche.
Vingegaard was finally caught by Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step), Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) and Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers) on the descent and will solely end fifth on the stage.
He misplaced two seconds to them on the end line and in addition failed to choose up any bonus seconds. Evenepoel took eight seconds for second on the stage and so moved to second general at 45 seconds. Vingegaard is third general at 50 seconds.
Visma-Lease a Bike boldly wrote ‘All to play for’ on social media however the first mountain stage of the Tour de France indicated that whereas Vingegaard was good, he was a stage beneath Pogačar.
“Most of the time I misplaced at this time was on the second a part of the downhill, not the primary, the place weight issues a bit extra,” Vingegaard claimed
“Pogačar has a bit extra gravity that works for him and so he took time. I can solely settle for that.”
Pogačar was capable of assault after his UAE Team Emirates squad made everybody endure within the headwind up the valley to the foot of the Galibier, particularly so on the climb. Vingegaard was quickly alone.
Matteo Jorgenson did what he might to guard him however the American was spat out of the group 5 kilometres from the summit. Vingegaard defended his crew in public however Visma-Lease a Bike seem to be far weaker than UAE Team Emirates this yr.
“It all the time helps to have a helper and possibly I’d have put him on the entrance to journey. It was the way it was at this time,” Vingegaard stated.
“I do know that Matteo (Jorgenson) and Wilco (Kelderman) can do. I’m certain they’ll be there later within the race.”
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