A spectacular stage ultimately yielded only 1 second difference in the final settlement. But would the standings have looked different if Pogacar could continue his attack on the Joux Plane? “Not using nadars and only tensioning a rope on the final climb is failing as an organization,” says Christophe Vandegoor.
For once it wasn’t Jonas Vingegaard, but 2 bikes and the crowd that took the sting out of an attack by Tadej Pogacar.
At the top of the Joux Plane, the Slovenian wanted to accelerate to collect bonus seconds, but his way was blocked. “Let’s hope that this turns out not to be a decisive price fact,” says Vandegoor.
The standings could have looked a lot different without the mess. “It’s not just about that 3 second difference”, Serge Pauwels calculates.
“Otherwise it was 3 seconds in favor of Pogacar and not Vingegaard. So you are actually talking about 6 seconds. If Pogacar wins the sprint on the Joux Plane, he will come within 4 seconds of the yellow jersey Vingegaard.”
You want to put an accent in the course, but you are going to pack it very badly.
Serge Pauwels
The 2 analysts are therefore keen on the organization. “The ASO often behaves inviolably, but this is still an organizational error,” suggests Christophe Vandegoor.
“On other cols you have nadars. I was shocked when I saw that there was only a cord. This is failure as an organization.”
“It is indeed anything but professional”, Pauwels adds in the story. “Especially if you put bonus seconds there.”
“You want to put an emphasis on the race, but you are going to pack it very badly. This is unacceptable.”
“It seems with the idea of bread and circuses,” concludes Vandegoor. “At least now the Tour is being talked about again and there were a lot of people on the last climb.”
Tactically perfect course
But apart from that one incident, the analysts both saw a fierce battle between the 2 protagonists.
“At Jumbo-Visma they had hoped for something more”, Pauwels sees. “They held the stage in a stranglehold all day long, until Pogacar attacked.”
“But 1 second, that’s not what Jumbo-Visma has been leading all day long for. Although they certainly didn’t make a wrong choice, they tried what they should try.”
“So they drove a tactically perfect race, only they have to conclude that Pogacar no longer shows the weakness he showed on the Marie Blanque.”
When he is 24 or 25, he might be able to match the level of Vingegaard and Pogacar.
In the end, Pogacar and Vingegaard were surprised by a Rodriguez who whizzed past out of nowhere.
“The way he returns to the 2 best in the world today is impressive,” says Pauwels.
“And still only 22, then together with Ayuso you are the great Spanish future,” Vandegoor suggests.
“He does indeed still have progress,” Pauwels concludes. “When he is 24 or 25, he may be able to match that level of Vingegaard and Pogacar. Because the gap is no longer very big.”
Tour de France ranking
rit
general
berg
points
young people
team
Tour de France
stage date start – finish type stage total winner leader
1
01/07Bilbao – Bilbao
182 km
Adam Yates
2
07/02 Vitoria-Gasteiz – San Sebastian
207,3 km
Adam Yates
3
03/07Amorebieta-Etxano – Bayonne
193,5 km
Adam Yates
4
04/07Dax – Nogaro
181,8 km
Adam Yates
5
05/07Pau – Laruns
162,7 km
Jai Hindley
6
06/07Tarbes – Cauterets-Cambasque
144,9 km
Jonas Vingegaard
7
07/07Mont-de-Marsan – Bordeaux
169,9 km
Jonas Vingegaard
8
08/07Libourne – Limoges
200,7 km
Jonas Vingegaard
9
09/07Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat – Puy de Dôme
182,4 km
Jonas Vingegaard rust day 10/07
10
07/11Vulcania – Issoire
167,2 km
Jonas Vingegaard
11
12/07Clermont-Ferrand – Windmills
179,3 km
Jonas Vingegaard
12
13/07Roanne – Belleville-en-Beaujolais
168 km
Jonas Vingegaard
13
14/07Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne – Col du Grand Colombier
137,8 km
Jonas Vingegaard
14
15/07Annemasse – Morzine
150,4 km
Jonas Vingegaard
15
16/07Les Gets – Le Bettex
179 km
rest day 17/07
16
07/18 Passy – Combloux
22,4 km
17
07/19Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc – Courchevel
165,7 km
18
20/07Moûtiers – Bourg-en-Bresse
184,9 km
19
07/21Moirans-en-Mountain – Poligny
172,8 km
20
22/07 Belfort – Le Markstein
133,5 km
21
23/07Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines – Paris
115,1 km
2023-07-15 18:25:15
#Sporza #Tour #critical #professional #organization #bread #games
