Bike Changes and Top Performances at Stage 16 Time Trial
Stage 16 of the Tour de France saw riders battling it out in a hilly time trial, which offered a potential tiebreaker between race leader Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard. One of the hotly debated topics of the day was whether riders would opt for a bike change during the stage, particularly for the challenging finale, which included the Côte de Domancy climb.
One rider who tested out the bike change strategy was Mikkel Bjerg. Bjerg, who hasn’t been going full gas in recent days, made a bike change at the bottom of the climb to gauge its effectiveness. It remains to be seen if this tactic will be employed by Pogačar later on.
As riders made their way up the climb, Dries Devenyns emerged as the quickest at the top so far, setting a time of 29:16, which was 45 seconds faster than Gianni Moscon. However, these times were likely to be challenged by the top contenders.
Throughout the stage, various riders started their time trials, including Mezgec, Kragh Andersen, and Girmay. Notable names like Kristoff, Sagan, and Declercq also joined the race later. However, it was Mikkel Bjerg who recorded the quickest time at the first checkpoint, crossing it at 12:31. Despite his slower pace, Bjerg was determined to support Pogačar in the coming days.
At the finish line, it was Zingle who initially claimed the fastest time with 30:13. However, Gianni Moscon came through just a second shy of 30 minutes, challenging Zingle’s lead. As the first rider to finish, Moscon set the benchmark at 39:46, although it was expected to be surpassed shortly.
The stage also saw some unfortunate crashes and falls, with riders like Nils Eekhoff and Adrien Petit going down at the first corner. Fortunately, these incidents didn’t result in serious injuries.
With rain showers forecasted later in the day, riders were eager to complete their time trials before the potentially treacherous conditions. It remained to be seen how the changing weather might impact the overall standings.
As the clock ticked down, tension built up among the riders and fans. The stage promised to be a thrilling battle between Pogačar and Vingegaard, with just 10 seconds separating them in the general classification. The stage held not only the potential for a tiebreaker, but also the opportunity for other riders to make their mark and challenge for a podium position.
Stay tuned for further updates as the time trial unfolds and the contenders fight for every second on the road.