July 06, 2024
Despite Jonas Vingegaard losing time to his rivals in stage nine’s individual time trial, his team says that the general classification at the Tour de France is not out of reach
One minute and fifteen seconds. With 13 stages of the Tour de France remaining, this is the gap between Jonas Vingegaard and the yellow jersey. The time was lost first on the brutal slopes of the Col du Galibier, when the Danish rider was unable to follow the relentless attack from Tadej Pogačar, who then put even more distance into Vingegaard on the descent to the finish in Valloire. More seconds fell away on Friday’s individual time trial – the Visma-Lease a Bike rider looked strong in the opening kilometres but ended up losing over half a minute by the finish, seemingly struggling on the fast, technical sections of the course. The way things are going, the dream of a third Tour victory for Jonas Vingegaard is disappearing into the distance.
It is disappearing on the shoulders of Pogačar, who so far has looked in imperious form in this year’s Tour de France. Just like he did at Strade Bianche earlier in the season. And during the Ardennes Classics. And during the Giro d’Italia. Recent history of Pogačar’s form this year tells us that getting the better of him over the next three weeks is going to be one tall order for his rivals. Vingegaard, however, argues that performances this year should not be the reference point. Instead, he casts his mind back to last year and Pogačar’s famous, catastrophic blow up on the Col de la Loze on stage 17.
“Last year I took seven and a half minutes in two stages. The power is there so we just have to believe in our plan,” the Danish rider said at the end of the time trial stage.
“To be honest I think it was a good time trial for me. I’m happy with my performance and to only lose 37 seconds to Remco on a time trial that suits him pretty well is a pretty good result for me.I wouldn’t say it’s a big hit, rather the opposite actually. I expected to lose more time. It’s a time trial that’s way more favourable for him so it’s good to only lose 25 seconds to him today.”
Vingegaard’s optimism was refreshing and is conducive to a man who has won two Tours in a row – he is not getting ahead of himself. There is plenty more road to be raced on. The flat individual time trial…