2023-05-28 02:18:25
The Planche des Belles Filles and Monte Lussari, two monsters with similar slopes, but which made Primoz Roglic experience very different emotions. While during the Tour de France 2020, the Slovenian had conceded almost two minutes to his compatriot Tadej Pogacar during the time trial between Lure and this Planche des Belles Filles, giving him the yellow jersey at the same time the day before. from the finish in Paris, this time he reversed the Giro in the other direction by dominating Geraint Thomas after a sumptuous last ascent. A demonstration of resilience for the three-time winner of the Vuelta, who had experienced a real nightmare on French roads three years ago.
On September 19, 2020, Primoz Roglic had everything in hand to bring the yellow jersey back to the Champs-Élysées and succeed Colombian Egan Bernal. At the head of the general classification since the 9th stage and with a 57-second lead over his compatriot, the Slovenian approached the time trial of the Planche des Belles Filles as an ultra-favorite. Especially since he had again dominated all his competitors at the top of the Col de la Loze three days earlier and Tadej Pogacar did not seem able to challenge him for the final victory.
Tour de France 2020: cruel Planche des Belles Filles
But the future double Tour winner had the perfect day. Unstoppable, the UAE Emirates runner, just 21 years old, had started the 36 km of this 20th stage perfectly. In the lead at the first intermediate with a 13-second lead, he quickly blew into the neck of his opponent, who was already struggling to maintain his advantage even before the final climb.
At the foot of the Planche des Belles Filles, the fictitious gap in the general classification was already only 20 seconds ahead for Primoz Roglic. But beyond the stopwatch, it was above all the visual impression that made the spectators understand that the scenario was going to be crazy. Helmet back, face white as a sheet, hyper tense muscles, the Slovenian showed his poor state of form, at the worst moment.
On the contrary, Tadej Pogacar seemed to fly. Imperial, serene from start to finish, he easily won the stage, relegating Tom Dumoulin, his closest pursuer, to 1′21”. At the end of his rope, Primoz Roglic only grabbed 5th place, behind his Belgian teammate Wout Van Aert, not yet a specialist in such steep climbs. “Reconnoitring the course that morning was too much. I should have done something much quieter,” said Primoz Roglic a few months later, adding that this result “was brutal, devastating. »
Giro 2023: the revenge
Three years later, it is he who has just inflicted this stinging defeat on Geraint Thomas. The scenario is almost identical, although the differences are smaller. While the Briton had a 26-second lead over his opponent, he too completely broke down on the final ascent of this solo effort. Two seconds behind at the foot of the impressive Monte Lussari (7.8 km at 11.2%), the Ineos-Grenadiers runner had a catastrophic end to the course.
From the change of bike, to switch to a frame more suitable for the mountains, Geraint Thomas made fear the worst. Perhaps too serene, he took the time to change his helmet, unlike the majority of runners. And his rise was of the same ilk as this change of helmet, too slow. Visibly in pain, the winner of the 2018 Tour de France completely lost his footing, despite his opponent’s chain jump which should have allowed him to maintain his advantage.
On arrival, he finally concedes 40 seconds to the Slovenian, 14 too many. A delay that he has almost no chance of making up for this Sunday during the last stage which will bring the riders back to Rome after 135 particularly flat km. “I had good legs until halfway up the climb,” the Welshman told Eurosport on arrival, assuring that “Roglic fully deserves it. Even having suffered a mechanical problem, it takes me 40 seconds. Hats off to him. “A cruel scenario therefore for the Welshman but a revenge for Primoz Roglic, who will hang tomorrow after the last stage a fourth Grand Tour on his list. And who erases this terrible memory of 2020.
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