Blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for victory because theirs will be the kingdom of the Tour. Blessed Jonas Vingegaard, the one who cries like a child while he embraces trinehis girlfriend, yeah Fridathe couple’s daughter, because this Sunday she will win the most beautiful Tour in years on the most cycling avenue in the world, the Elysian Fields from Paris. Blessed Tadej Pogacar, who has not surrendered a day since he capitulated, and not without rage, to his Danish rival. And blessed Wout van Aert for being the wildest cyclist in the peloton, in his victory, the third, in the final time trial of a French round to frame.
The last truly competitive stage, 40.7 km time trial, was a tribute to the three cyclists who have made this Tour great. Vingegaard (second in the stage) did not need to show anything other than crying with emotion when he finished with a small Danish flag in his hand, so discreet as is your figure in a cycling that until these last three weeks did not have him as a world figure. And he even allowed himself to “raise his foot to let me win”, as Van Aert assured after his victory.
Van Aert suffered in the hot seat while waiting for the outcome of the time trial. He couldn’t show enthusiasm because if anyone won it it was his partner Vingegaard and everything stayed at home; Six victories have been achieved by the Jumbo boys in this Tour. And it was not an easy time trial. It was a savagery in the style of what Van Aert demonstrates every day. There were dangerous descents, slopes that took away the hiccups and even a tunnel from which there was no exit. It was a time trial worthy of the wonderful show that this Tour has been, to the point that it is a pity that this whole festival of Danish, Slovenian and Belgian giants ends this Sunday in Paris, when the light falls on the city where it shines best.
The 22nd place in the general
After a few years nobody will remember those who occupied the places that go from third to 21st position, great cyclists but almost clandestine in this Tour. But when they get to the 22nd position of the general all will stop because in this position will arrive Van Aert to Paris. And watch out among the favorites to score the victory in the world sprinters’ garden.
Because without Van Aert, Vingegaard would not have won the Tour buried the first week between wicked cobblestones until the Belgian came to his rescue. Because without Van AertPrimoz Roglic would have sunk before resurrecting in the Galibier and starting with Vingegaard the offensive that killed Pogacar. And without Van Aert the fantastic stage hautacam it would not have ended with a victory for the yellow jersey.
And it is that he has escaped every day, he has had fun wearing yellow and green, he has been the best sprinter, despite not having won any sprint, the best time trialistthe one who hasn’t missed a day and the one who hasn’t even gotten tired of directing his team when the ‘earpiece’ with the orders sounded choppy or he decided to put on his stripes and everyone listened to him; Vingegaard first.
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Van Aert he seemed to fly to win a time trial designed for him to declare that he is a savage; the perfect cyclist, the one who is winning all year, the king of cyclocross, the star of the classics and the one who has left Mathieu van der Poel in the duel between irreconcilable enemies. This Sunday he will arrive dressed in green as the winner of the points classification because he did not find out at the Aubisque that if he passed first he would also win the mountain that Vingegaard will score on the rebound in Paris.
That is why it was a blessing that yesterday he won the time trial, a prize that Vingegaard didn’t need. He won to make it clear that the day he forgets to come to the Tour to have a good time, which is what he has done this year and last (this Sunday he will be rewarded as the most combative of the race), that his Danish boss tremble and pokecar, because he has the quality to fight for victory. But Van Aert he just wants to be aware of the clock when he disputes a ‘chrono’. And that does not change because to win the Tour they are already Vingegaard either Pogacar. He is the only cyclist who wears a private sponsor, specifically on the helmet, because he is different. He has been the third man on this wonderful Tour. Blessed be the wildest of the cyclists in the peloton.