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The Jumbo-Visma formation of the yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard mastered the last stage in the Pyrenees this Thursday, July 21. Jonas Vingegaard, 25, won a second stage victory in the 2022 edition by crossing the line first at Hautacam. His runner-up Tadej Pogacar lost ground on the final climb.
The last mountain stage of the Tour de France 2022, between Lourdes and Hautacam, started without Briton Chris Froome (Israel PT), four-time winner of the event, due to a positive test for Covid-19 performed on morning. Two other runners, the Spaniard Imanol Erviti (Movistar) and the Italian Damiano Caruso (Bahrain) were also forced to leave the race, which brings to fifteen the number of abandonments due to the coronavirus.
Powerless Tadej Pogacar
The 18th stage promised a new duel between the first two, the Danish yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard and his dolphin Tadej Pogacar, separated by 2 min 18 sec in the classification after the victory of the Slovenian, Wednesday in Peyragudes (Hautes-Pyrénées).
With three severe climbs, the last of the Tour, Tadej Pogacar is trying to make up time on the yellow jersey. In the Aubisque, one of the great classics of the massif since 2010, climbed by the western slope from Laruns (Km 58.5), the two men stayed together. It was in the Col de Spandelles, a novelty (10.3 km at 8.3%), that Tadej Pogacar released his first banderillas, but which in no way destabilized the yellow jersey still stuck to the wheel of the Slovenian.
Wout van Aert bends Pogacar
There was still Hautacam and its 13.6 kilometers at 7.8% average gradient to tip the Tour in his favor, he who had lost his yellow jersey in the Alps. In front, the indefatigable Wout van Aert, accompanied by the Frenchman Thibaut Pinot and the Colombian Daniel Felipe martinez, is still doing his festival. Tadej Pogacar who tries to push Jonas Vingegaard into the Col de Spandelles is caught in his own trap and finds himself on the ground. In the first part of the climb to Hautacam, the first two in the general classification neutralize each other.
Less than ten kilometers from the finish, Wout van Aert shakes the coconut tree and leaves Thibaut Pinot on the side. Daniel Felipe Martinez resists. The two men are caught five kilometers from the finish by the yellow jersey group. Wout van Aert, Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar only have to fight for the stage victory. But Pogacar is left behind, Wout van Aert bends the Slovenian. Jonas Vingegaard finished the last four kilometers alone and headed for the stage victory while consolidating his yellow jersey.