At the Tour de France begin in Agen on Friday morning, most discuss was of Primož Roglič’s crash the day prior to this and the Tour de France’s imminent entry into the Pyrenees the following. Outside the UAE Team Emirates bus, nevertheless, supervisor Mauro Gianetti warned in opposition to underestimating the duty that lay instantly earlier than Tadej Pogačar et al, particularly stage 13 to Pau. “In the Tour, day-after-day is a key day,” he smiled.
There was actually lots to digest by the point the peloton had accomplished the 165km run by means of Armagnac nation 4 hours later. A riotous stage started with UAE’s Adam Yates slipping right into a harmful break of twenty-two riders. Later, Pogačar misplaced a key domestique Juan Ayuso, who climbed off with COVID-19, after which Visma-Lease a Bike seemed to pressure extra echelons.
For good measure, the yellow jersey Pogačar could not resist having a carefree crack off the dash for a stage victory at day’s finish, in the end taking ninth in a lowered bunch end marred by a crash within the ending straight.
“I had good legs, I used to be in a terrific place, and it is good to have high 10 in a dash stage,” Pogačar defined in his post-stage press convention. “But don’t fret guys, I used to be all the time protecting calm within the last, no stress. I used to be in my protected zone, in my very own bubble, avoiding the hectic issues and considering with a transparent head. I might see I might push for the highest 10 with out stress.”
Yates’ surprising presence within the early transfer hadn’t been deliberate, however the situation was one Pogačar and his crew welcomed on condition that it pressured Jonas Vingegaard’s Visma-Lease a Bike squad to perform a little chasing. They struck again by making an attempt to pressure a break up of their very own later within the day, although Pogačar, inevitably, by no means seemed in peril of being caught out.
“It was a very nice stage and actually quick,” Pogačar stated. “There was a whole lot of curiosity in going within the break, and Adam was up there. That was excellent as a result of it meant we did not have to spend so much of vitality.”
They did, nevertheless, lose an essential a part of Pogačar’s cadre of climbing help when an sick Ayuso introduced an finish to his Tour. The Spaniard had begun the day as certainly one of 4 UAE riders within the high 9 general, and his absence might assist degree the enjoying area within the days forward for Visma, who misplaced key figures earlier than this race to harm and sickness.
“It’s somewhat bit a disgrace that we lose one man, however I stated already earlier than that we’ve got a really sturdy crew,” stated Pogačar, who rigorously namechecked every of his remaining teammates.
“Tim Wellens and Nils Politt are doing actually nice, they usually’re bettering day-after-day. They do every part, like Marc Soler and Pavel Sivakov. And Adam and João [Almeida] appear actually within the form of their lives for the climbs, so I’m not stressing out at dropping one man. It’s not excellent however we are going to make it work.”
Into the Pyrenees
The Tour de France takes on a distinct guise from Saturday with the race’s entry into the Pyrenees, the place Pogačar units out with a lead of 1:06 on Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) and 1:14 on Vingegaard. Although the peloton tackled the mighty Galibier within the opening week, the majority of the climbing on this yr’s route has been shoehorned into the ultimate eight days of racing. This weekend, with its summit finishes at Pla d’Adet and Plateau de Beille, marks the primary consecutive days within the mountains.
Stage 14 is simply 151km in size, however it brings the race over the Col du Tourmalet and Hourquette d’Ancizan forward of the summit end at Pla d’Adet. The following day, the hors categorie finale at Plateau de Beille is preceded by 4 class 1 ascents. At this level within the sport, the Tour turns into an endurance occasion in earnest.
“Before the Tour, I did not actually know which climbs we must do, however now that I do know, I’m pleased,” stated Pogačar. “These are climbs that go well with me properly.”
Attacking appears to be hardwired into Pogačar’s strategy to Grand Tours, however it stays to be seen if that may nonetheless be the case this weekend after his bold however unsuccessful escape over the Puy Mary in midweek. For a dizzying couple of minutes, Pogačar seemed to be placing the Tour past the attain of everyone else, however his day had a sobering ending. Vingegaard made up a 35-second deficit on the next Col de Pertus after which beat him within the two-up dash at Le Lioran.
“We did not have too many climbing levels – we solely had one correct climbing stage till now,” Pogačar stated. “We will see how the opposite groups will race. We can go somewhat bit on the defensive and possibly nonetheless take the stage win or one thing if we will, however not expend an excessive amount of vitality as a result of we’ve got a snug lead.”
The consolation of that lead is all within the eye of the beholder, however protecting one thing in reserve will certainly be a vital aspect on this backloaded Tour. The race’s last three days within the hinterland of Nice, the place two summit finishes precede a tricky last time trial, determine closely in everyone’s calculations.
“At the second we’ve got a bonus on GC, so we’re not obligated to assault,” Gianetti stated. “Tadej is an aggressive rider, who likes to assault, however he is aware of when to assault and when he can not. If he sees the chance to assault, he’ll take it. But it is the identical for Jonas or Evenepoel. If they see a possibility, they may take it.”
