2023-07-18 17:47:45
MADRID, 18 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo Visma) consolidated his overall leadership of the Tour de France after winning stage 16 on Tuesday, a 22.4-kilometre time trial between Passy and Combloux, where he drove away the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), already forced to come back if he wants to have a chance of victory.
In an intense time trial, Vingegaard put in a strong performance to overtake Pogacar and Belgian Wout van Aert (Jumbo Visma), while the best Spaniard was Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorius), fourth, with Carlos Rodríguez (INEOS Grenadier) losing by a small margin his provisional place on the podium.
In this 2023 edition, the Tour de France only had 22.4 kilometers against the clock, but arriving with a difference of 10 seconds in the general between the two big favorites, they appeared to be crucial. The ascent to the Cote de Domacy four kilometers before the finish line opened the option for the cyclists to change their bikes at the foot of the pass, which allowed various strategies.
With the peloton very depleted after more than two weeks of the race, until the appearance of Vingegaard and Pogacar, the first great time to beat was that of Van Aert, although the two candidates would leave their good performance to nothing. Pogacar, first to start, started with a great rhythm, placing himself in the first intermediate point as the fastest until the yellow jersey arrived, which already warned of his intentions by putting 16 seconds on him. With an excellent pedaling rhythm, Vingegaard offered better sensations just before starting the climb and increased his advantage at 31 seconds.
To face the Cote de Demacy, the Slovenian cyclist was one of those who chose to change bicycles, in a risky maneuver in which he lost a few seconds and that did not give him much benefit. The Dane, on the other hand, did not get off his mount, a successful strategy as reflected by the rent of more than a minute on his rival at the top. Pogacar couldn’t find any improvement in the final stretch and Vingegaard prevailed with a 1:38 lead.
In this way, the leader takes a big step towards his second victory in the Tour as he increases his overall lead to 1:48 over Pogacar, while in the fight to complete the podium, it is now the British Adam Yates ( UAE) who occupies the third position to the detriment of the Spanish Carlos Rodríguez.
The young Andalusian cyclist was not at his best level in this time trial, where he could only finish twelfth, 3:36 behind the winner, although he managed to minimize the damage with Yates, who led him by 34 seconds to lead him overall by a slim margin of five. The best Spaniard was a brilliant Pello Bilbao, fourth, 2:55 behind Vingegaard and who strengthened his position in the ‘Top 10’ (seventh).
This Wednesday, the seventeenth stage will bring back the mountains, with 166 kilometers and two category 1 climbs, Col des Saisies (13.4 kilometers at 5.4% average gradient) and Cormet de Roselend (19.9 km at 6%), one of the 2nd class –Cote de Longefoy (6.6 km at 7.5%)– before the ascent to the highest point of this edition, the Col de la Loze (28.1 km at 6 %, but with ramps greater than 20%) that is crowned at 2300 meters. The goal will be in the descent, in Courchevel.
–CLASSIFICATIONS.
-Stage.
1. Jonas Vingegaard (BEL/Jumbo Visma) 32:36.
2. Tadej Pogacar (ESL/UAE Team Emirates) a 1:38.
3. Wout Van Aert (BEL/Jumbo Visma) 2:51.
4. PELLO BILBAO (ESP/Bahrain Victory) 2:55.
5. Simon Yates (GBR/Jayco Alula) 2:58.
-General.
1. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN/Jumbo-Visma) 63:06:53
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO/UAE Emirates) 1:48.
3. Adam Yates (GBR/UAE Team Emirates) 8:52.
4. CARLOS RODRIGUEZ (ESP/Ineos Grenadiers) 8:57.
5. Jai Hindley (AUS/Bora-Hansgrohe) 11:15.
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