Jonas Vingegaard knew Tadej Pogačar was going to tear the Tour de France aside on the higher reaches of Pla d’Adet on stage 14, however this time he couldn’t sew all of it seamlessly again collectively. The basic classification is now tailor-made altogether extra comfortably for Pogačar, even when Vingegaard remained bullish about his prospects of snatching the yellow jersey off his again by Nice.
“I did a very good efficiency, so I don’t assume I may be dissatisfied in that, however after all it’s disappointing to lose 40 seconds,” Vingegaard mentioned when he emerged from the Visma-Lease a Bike bus lengthy after the end. “I imply, we simply should take the great issues from right here, that I did one other good efficiency. And tomorrow is one other day, perhaps a day that fits me even higher.”
At Le Lioran in midweek, the momentum of the Tour appeared to be with Vingegaard after he closed a 35-second hole to Pogačar after which beat him to the stage win. The Dane was braced for a repeat offensive right here, however a forewarning about Pogačar is sort of a hurricane forecast; there may be little to do however batten down the hatches and trip out the storm.
“We knew final night time that Tadej would assault on the ultimate climb,” mentioned directeur sportif Grischa Niermann, and Pogačar telegraphed his intentions nonetheless additional on Saturday by dispatching his teammate Adam Yates up the highway on the decrease slopes of the ultimate climb whereas he took the measure of his rivals. The inevitable assault got here with 5km go and it started with a well-known form of sample. Like on the Col de Galibier on stage 4, Vingegaard was unable to match the preliminary violence of the acceleration, however Pogačar then appeared unable to drag any additional clear.
This most high-octane stalemate endured for 2 kilometres or so of laborious highway. Every time Pogačar checked over his shoulder, Vingegaard was nonetheless there, virtually inside touching distance. With 3km to go, the hole was simply 8 seconds, however Pogačar’s benefit started to stretch out inexorably from there. With 2km to go, Vingegaard trailed by 21 seconds. Come the end line, he would lose 39 seconds. In the general standings, Vingegaard is now second general, 1:57 behind his rival.
“Of course, I used to be very joyful to see the end line, however I did a very good efficiency and I feel I may be proud of that,” Vingegaard mentioned. “He deserved the victory right this moment, so congrats to him, it was actually a powerful trip. But it’s a brand new day tomorrow and hopefully I can do higher that.”
‘Nothing has modified’
On crossing the road, Vingegaard rolled instantly downhill in direction of his group bus, the place he warmed down intently whereas a jungle of tv cameras and microphones knotted themselves into place on the opposite facet of the rope. Teammate Matteo Jorgenson arrived quickly afterwards, putting a consoling hand on Vingegaard’s again as he started his warmdown alongside him.
The newest race content material, interviews, options, critiques and skilled shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
“We after all hoped for a unique final result,” Niermann mentioned whereas his riders mushy pedalled on their turbo trainers behind him. “But right this moment Pogačar was on a unique degree, we have now to simply accept that. Jonas did a very good effort, he rode Remco [Evenepoel] out of his wheel, however ultimately he misplaced numerous time and we have now to simply accept it. Tadej was higher.”
Niermann smiled resignedly when requested if Pogačar had been higher than Visma had anticipated at Pla d’Adet. “No, however he was perhaps higher than he hoped, eh,” he mentioned, earlier than insisting that Vingegaard’s elevated deficit would do little change his group’s strategy within the days forward. “Not lots, as a result of we have now to attempt to acquire time someplace and we’ll attempt all the best way till Nice.”
Jorgenson was the following to make his means into the impromptu blended zone that had developed exterior the bus, whereas Vingegaard climbed aboard for a bathe. The American had been pressed into motion on the head of the yellow jersey group by Yates’ shock assault on the ultimate ascent.
“We determined earlier than the stage to trip defensively right this moment as a result of we knew the stage didn’t swimsuit Jonas. We knew the assault was going to come back and we hoped Jonas may comply with,” mentioned Jorgenson, who echoed Niermann’s tackle the highway forward.
“Look, we hoped the entire time since we made the plan for the Tour that Jonas could be his finest for the ultimate week, and nothing has modified.”
Plateau de Beille
When Vingegaard emerged from the bus, showered and adjusted, he talked reporters by way of his day in Danish after which in English. Reading his expression for indicators of fatigue is basically moot, given how his pallor is as putting in victory as it’s in defeat.
Vingegaard’s phrases, nevertheless, had been resolutely upbeat. Despite the losses incurred, he reasoned that he had held Pogačar in his sights on the steepest parts of Pla d’Adet earlier than dropping floor when the highway flattened out and sometimes dipped nearer to the summit.
“To be sincere, I used to be extra dissatisfied after the Galibier stage. Today I did a extremely good efficiency so truly I can’t be dissatisfied,” Vingegaard mentioned.
“We knew that he had this loopy assault and perhaps the final 3k suited him higher together with his higher energy on the downhills. In that case, it is smart as a result of he has extra whole energy than I’ve. I used to be getting nearer on the steeper components. He gained more often than not when it was flatter as a result of he has his whole energy. In some form of means, this additionally offers confidence for tomorrow as a result of it’s a unique climb.”
On Sunday, the Tour peloton tackles 4 class 1 climbs en route to a different hors catégorie end, this time atop Plateau de Beille. Vingegaard maintained that the terrain would swimsuit him higher within the Ariège, and he urged, too, {that a} second consecutive day of climbing would play to his strengths.
“I feel that’s solely in my favour too,” Vingegaard mentioned. “In basic, it’s only a tougher day tomorrow. Today was very quick, so to say. I feel the longer and tougher it’s, the higher it’s for me.”
Vingegaard’s steadfast perception in his powers of endurance is all of the extra exceptional contemplating his truncated build-up to the race after he suffered a punctured lung in a crash at Itzulia Basque Country. A deficit of virtually two minutes absolutely complicates his activity nonetheless additional, however Vingegaard was quietly defiant about his prospects of conjuring up one other miracle to overtake Pogačar.
Asked if it was nonetheless potential to put on the yellow jersey in Nice subsequent week, Vingegaard’s response was politely agency. “Yes,” he mentioned. “It is.”