Orleans (France), Jul 8 (EFE).- The Tour de France enjoyed its first day of rest following an intense week capped by the “white roads” stage, an unprecedented day in which anything might have happened, but nothing happened in terms of sport, although something did happen regarding the “modus operandi” of some of the favorites.
Pogacar, leader and number 1 favourite, and Evenepoel, second in the general classification, questioned the way Vingegaard and Visma are racing due to excessive conservatism and obsession with marking the Slovenian, an aspect that, according to the yellow jersey, “they might pay dearly for”. Meanwhile, the Spanish options with Juan Ayuso and Carlos Rodríguez are somewhat far from the podium.
There are no major differences in the general classification, but the positions are becoming more established. Pogacar dominates, Evenepoel holds on, and Vingegaard, quietly, step by step, is improving his form and has not yet waved the white flag. The Slovenian is only 33 seconds ahead of the Belgian and 1.15 minutes ahead of the Dane. A pole position is already decided before the second week.
On the periphery of the podium, the differences are starting to become worrying. Primoz Roglic, the three-time winner of the Vuelta, is trading down at 1.36, Ayuso, who will be an Olympian, is the first Spaniard at 2.16 behind his leader and 1.01 from third place. Carlos Rodriguez, who is chasing a place on the podium following his fifth place in 2023, is 1.16 from bronze.
The earth stirred the debate
“The Visma only look at me and underestimate the others, I think they can pay for it.” Words, clearly in a position of discomfort, from Tadej Pogacar, who expected Vingegaard’s collaboration to consolidate a breakaway in which Evenepoel was also involved.
Evenepoel played down Vingegaard’s attitude during the rest day, which he had criticised 24 hours earlier. He respected “his tactics, we can’t do anything regarding it,” said Remco, the man who imposed his power in the time trial.
Vingegaard awaits third week
Meanwhile, Vingegaard is keeping quiet, protecting himself “so as not to lose time” and trying to make up for the deficit in form resulting from the accident in the Itzulia. Pogacar beat him in the time trial and in the Galibier, but with the caveat that the Slovenian only beat him by 6 seconds going uphill, the rest, half a minute going downhill. Visma hopes to have the defending champion close to 100 percent for the final week.
The first third of the Tour was interesting in the second stage, with Pogacar and Vingegaard leading the way on the Cotta San Luca near Bologna. The third stage in Turin saw Eritrean Girmay make history as the first winner of the Black Africa. Carapaz briefly wore yellow.
The Galibier stage was Pogacar’s first serious warning, with his 12th Tour victory. In Valloire he put more than half a minute on Ayuso, Vingegaard, Roglic, Evenepoel and Carlos and Vingegaard. In the fifth stage Cavendish passed and surpassed the record of 34 victories that he shared with Eddy Merckx, and in the time trial Evenepoel beat Pogacar.
Strong emotions from the Massif Central to the Pyrenees
After the break, it’s back to the road for a second week that will take in the Massif Central and end in the Pyrenees with a key high mountain stage on the Plateau de Beille. Before that, and to start with, on Tuesday between Orleans and Saint-Amand-Montrond, only the wind might prevent a foreseeable sprint.
It will be the prelude to an interesting day in its final stretch, even explosive, with 4 climbs between the Auvergne volcanoes that can give a lot of play, the last of them, the Cota de Font de Cére (3a, 3.3 km at 5.8) 2 km from the finish line in Le Lorian.
After two transitional days featuring the sprinters, the Tour enters the Pyrenees on Friday with two mountain-top finishes, the first in Saint-Lary-Soulan-Pla D’Adet (10.6 km at 7.9%) following having climbed the legendary Tourmalet (Special Category, 19 km at 7.4) and the Hourquette d’Ancizan (2a, 8.2 km 5.1).
One of the most important stages of the Tour will be the next one on Sunday 14 July, the day of the National Day in France. Five mountain passes on the menu, Le Peyresourde (1a, 6.9 to 7.8 km), Col de Menté (1a, 9.3 km to 9.1), the Portet D’Aspet (1a, 4.3 km to 9.6), Col D’Agnes (1a, 10 km to 8.2) and the Plateau de Beille (Special, 15.8 km to 7.9). A big day for climbers.
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#Tour #rests #reproaches #Pogacar #boss
2024-07-09 11:58:36
