Le Lioran (France), Jul 10 (EFE).- In a great duel of titans, Dane Jonas Vingegaard (Visma Lease a Bike), defending champion, won in a direct duel with Slovenian yellow jersey winner Tadej Pogacar in the eleventh stage of the Tour de France, contested between Evaux-Les-Bains and Le Lioran, 211 kilometers, a victory that strengthens the pulse between the best cyclists in the peloton.
Vingegaard (Hillerslev, 27 years old) made a comeback with a victory that revitalizes the Tour and fuels the expected duel with Pogacar. After going through an ordeal due to the serious accident suffered in the Itzulia on April 4, following 12 days in the Vitoria Hospital, the leader of Visma returned to his former glory.
A very special victory
Vingegaard, who arrived at the start of Florence following many doubts regarding his form, took his fourth Tour victory ahead of Pogacar. A nice way to come out stronger and foreshadow battles in the future. The Dane, now sporting a moustache, raised his arms in a time of 4h.58.00, averaging 42.5 km/h. A victory that brought tears to the face of the winner of the last two Tours.
“This victory means a lot to me considering everything I’ve been through over the last 3 months. I never thought I might achieve this in such a short time, it’s incredible,” said Vingegaard at the finish.
Vingegaard and Pogacar, with 10 and 6 seconds bonuses respectively, made a good impact on the general classification. Evenepoel reached the finish line 25 seconds behind, the same time as Roglic. The Slovenian was placed on a par with the Belgian by the judges, as he suffered a fall near the finish line, injured by a racing bike.
A group of Carlos Rodríguez, Mikel Landa, Joao Almeida and Adam Yates crossed the finish line 1.47 minutes later. The worst-off of the day was Juan Ayuso, 4.39 minutes behind.
In the general classification, the podium zone is clear, with Pogacar as the leader, followed by Evenepoel at 1.06 minutes, Vingegaard at 1.14. Roglic is fourth at 2.15, Carlos Rodríguez sixth at 4.40, Mikel Landa at 5.38 and Juan Ayuso ninth at 7.09.
Lazkano joins the breakaway
The only stage entirely through the Massif Central was no joke, with 6 climbs and a total of 4,350 metres of elevation gain. A race marked by the favourites for the final 50 km, with 4 demanding climbs. In the volcanic area of Auvergne, the stage quickly erupted as the breakaway formed.
A breakaway with a strong Spanish presence, Oier Lazkano (Movistar), along with Carapaz and Healy, Vercher, Lapeira and Onley. The initial project was later joined by Armirail, Guillaume Martin, Bernard and Grégoire. The peloton gave the green light, but Pogacar’s UAE quickly made it clear that they were not going to allow any huge advantages.
With the gaps on the descent, Lazkano put his cards on the table. The Vitorian, powerful in his pedalling, attacked 44 km from the finish, in the middle of the climb to the Col de Néronne (2nd category, 3.8 km at 9.1%). He was unable to go off alone, but was joined by the Irishman Healy before reaching the top of the mountain.
Carapaz joined on the descent, while the group in the yellow jersey was seriously threatening just over half a minute later. The breakaway was over. Pogacar’s men, with Adam Yates at the front, caught the Ecuadorian, Lazkano and Healy. Shortly followingwards, the yellow storm.
Pogacar breaks the race in Puy Mary
As soon as the breakaway broke up, 600 metres from the summit of Puy Mary (1st class, 5.4 km at 8.1%) Pogacar went into overdrive. He attacked hard. “Nobody is reacting,” the leader heard over the headset. And he flew over the summit with 4 seconds on Vingegaard, 13 on Roglic and 22 on Evenepoel. The big favourites for the battle.
Pogacar launched himself on the descent for a prize that might mark his third overall victory in the Tour, but the Slovenian had not counted on the reaction of Vingegaard, who shaved half a minute off him on the climb. At the top of the Col de Pertus (2nd category, 4.4 km at 7.9%) the leader gained 8 seconds and the Dane 5. Behind him, Evenepoel and Roglic at 45, out of control of the stage.
Vingegaard wins the duel of giants
The big favourites, equal winners of the last 4 Tours, face to face, alone for the victory, for the pride of dealing a heavy blow to their main enemy. All that remained was the climb to the Col de Font de Cère (1st, 3.3 km at 5.8%) and the short descent to the ski resort of Le Lioran, a paradise for hikers and mountain bike enthusiasts in the heart of the Massif Central of Cantal.
The Auvergne volcanic zone was the scene of the crossfire between the two best cyclists in the Tour. There was an alliance, collaboration until the finish, but hostility when the stage was played. Pogacar wanted to deal another, almost definitive blow to Vingegaard, especially in his morale, but the Nordic rider had before him a dark cycle to close and the door to hope.
Pogacar-Vingegaard, Vingegaard Pogacar. Two men, two leaders and victory at stake. Neither attacked the other, opting instead for marking and challenging for speed. Glances, feints of departure, waiting, until the fury was unleashed.
Pogacar, initially faster, jumped first, gained a few centimetres, but Vingegaard gave it his all, full of courage and rage, until he embraced glory three months following the serious accident in the Basque Country, on the way to Legutiano. The fourth stage of the Tour for the Dane, the eighth of the season, and the confirmation that he is fit and in condition to challenge Pogacar for the Tour. A victory full of hope.
The twelfth stage will be held on Thursday, between Aurillac and Villeneuve-sur-Lot, 203.6 km long, a steep stage conducive to breakaways.
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2024-07-11 00:52:42