Visma-Lease a Bike used their mixed power and a few defensive however environment friendly techniques to keep away from dropping any time to Tadej Pogačar and another general rivals through the gravel stage 9 of the Tour de France close to Troyes.
The Dutch staff has dominated the Tour de France and Grand Tour racing in recent times however is following a distinct technique in 2024, the place defence is healthier than assault, and Pogačar is by far the largest risk.
Jonas Vingegaard suffered critical accidents within the Itzulia Basque Country crash in early April and has solely skilled for six weeks. Visma-Lease a Bike’s technique is to restrict Vingegaard’s time losses to Pogačar in any approach they will, within the hope that Vingegaard will come good within the ultimate week of the Tour within the excessive mountain.
After successful the Giro d’Italia, Pogačar is taking part in an reverse technique and making an attempt to realize time on his GC rivals every time he can, maybe earlier than the fatigue of racing two Grand Tours begins to harm him. It is creating an epic battle.
Vingegaard misplaced 50 seconds on the stage over the Galibier to Valloire after which 25 seconds within the Cote d’Or time trial. The Dane is 1:15 down on Pogačar within the GC standings, with Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) between them at 33 seconds and Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) fourth at 1:36.
On the gravel roads, Pogačar tried to surge away a number of occasions.
With 77km to race, he joined Evenepoel, with Vingegaard on his wheel. However, the Dane refused to collaborate, and the trio finally eased up in a recreation of bluff and returned to the GC group.
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Pogačar then made an enormous effort and double assault on the Daudes gravel sector with 21km to go. Vingegaard struggled and was barely distanced as Christophe Laporte tried to comply with Pogačar, solely to explode. Fortunately, like some form of Superhero determine rising from nowhere to save lots of the day, Matteo Jorgenson appeared and dragged Vingegaard as much as Pogačar’s wheel.
Evenepoel and Roglič have been dropped, and it was an enormous second within the GC battle. However, Vingegaard and Jorgenson determined or have been ordered from their staff automobile, to not work with Pogačar. Visma-Lease a Bike had riders within the group and so there was no have to danger going with Pogačar, solely to be distanced close to the end.
It was a logical however defensive tactic and all of the big-four Tour de France contenders completed collectively in Troyes.
“The rival of the Tour is Pogačar,” Jorgenson defined post-stage.
“We weren’t going to trip with Pogcar on our wheel and have Wout Van Art and Christophe Laporte behind us. That was not sensible in any respect. We needed to play it sensible.”
Vingegaard agreed on the defensive technique.
“He was using so quick himself, we didn’t give it some thought,” Vingegaard stated. “We thought it was higher for us to have extra teammates in case one thing occurred.
“It would have been higher to trip as a result of Primož and Remco weren’t there, however alternatively, our objective was to not lose time, so possibly it was higher to attend.”
Jorgenson praised his staff chief for his calm after swapping bikes with Jan Tratnik mid-stage and for racing with logic all the best way to the end. Also, for his capability to tackle greater and extra aggressive riders on the French gravel.
“He was doing unimaginable for the state of affairs. He did an unimaginable job, I’m happy with him,” Jorgenson.
“He was using with a distinct place, completely different bars and a distinct attain. It was spectacular. He’s simply so mild too, he’s not suited to gravel however he did it.”
Visma-Lease a Bike used their staff power to dominate the racing on the gravel and maintain Pogačar beneath management.
“It wasn’t that anxious as a result of we had the strongest staff for this stage,” Jorgenson argued.
“We have been on the entrance of each single gravel sector, and we had confidence that we may get ourselves out of any drawback.”
Jorgenson joined Visma-Lease a Bike for the 2024 season and instantly confirmed his skills by successful Paris-Nice. On the Tour de France gravel, he saved Vingegaard’s general hopes alive.
“Matteo did some implausible work for Jonas and we’re so glad to have him within the staff,” senior directeur sportif Merijn Zeeman stated.
“When Pogačar attacked, he performed for a second after which closed the hole. That was very good. Pogačar was unimaginable, and we’d like the entire staff to manage him and sluggish him down.”
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