The 2023 Tour de France continues to be a nail-biting battle for the yellow jersey, with Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard fighting for every second and their UAE Team Emirates and Jumbo-Visma doing everything they can to help their team leaders.
Last week the Tour de France peloton raced from the Massif Central to the Jura and then into the high Alps for a holiday weekend of intense racing and a battle for supremacy that remains impossible to predict.
On Saturday Vingegaard arguably came out on top over the feared Col de Joux Plane. The Dane dug deep to control Pogačar on the Alpine climb and then even beat him to the summit to gain three bonus seconds and land a psychological blow.
Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers) took advantage of their rivalry to go clear on the descent to Morzine and win the stage, while Pogačar led home Vingegaard to take second and so pulled back two seconds.
On Sunday Vingegaard and Pogačar clashed again on the mountainous road to Saint-Gervais, again racing for every second.
The breakaway escaped their grasp after a roadside spectator sparked a crash and slowed the peloton, with Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) able to drop Wout Van Aert and win alone.
Vingegaard and Pogačar then went toe to toe again but again the Slovenian could not distance his rival. After swapping several final attacks, they crossed the finish line together.
Following Monday’s second rest day in the Alps, the racing for every second resumes with the only time trial of the 2023 Tour de France on a hilly 22.4km course between Passy and Combloux.
Photographer Chris Auld was in the Alps to capture the racing as Vingegaard and Pogačar clashed. Enjoy his full-width shots in all their glory below.
Stage 14
Bahrain-Victorious ahead of stage 14
An unassuming Wout Poels (Bahrain-Victorious) at the start of stage 14, his performance on stage 15 the next day saw him take his first stage victory at the Tour de France
Peter Sagan in his typical aero tuck, seemingly enjoying his final Tour de France
Egan Bernal has suffered through this year’s Tour de France, but his Ineos Grenadiers team has enjoyed notable stage win success, and still has a chance at the podium
Tom Pidcock attacking on his descent from Ramaz, but his efforts weren’t enough for him to regain touch with the GC favourites group which dropped him on the ascent
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