With videoJonas Vingegaard has taken a huge hit in the Tour de France. The Dane from Jumbo-Visma not only won the 22.4-kilometer time trial with an uphill finish, but also dealt a huge blow to his great rival Tadej Pogacar. Vingegaard won with a difference of 1.38 minutes.
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20:37
They have been head and shoulders above the rest throughout the Tour, so no one expected such a huge difference as in today’s time trial. Secretly, there was still hope for a duel until Saturday in Le Markstein, but that chance has become quite small after today. In fact, in this form there is absolutely nothing to be done about Jonas Vingegaard.
The Dane already took 16 seconds on Pogacar at the first intermediate point. Before the foot of the Côte de Domancy, where the second intermediate point was located, the difference had already increased to 31 seconds. On the steep climb, Pogacar was the only classification man to change bikes and Vingegaard did not. On top of the 2.5 kilometer long Côte de Domancy, the difference had already grown to 1.05 minutes.
Tour already decided?
But the damage was not limited to just over a minute for Pogacar, because Vingegaard stuck to it for another half minute in the spur to Combloux. The result: an increase of no less than 1 minute and 38 seconds for the Slovenian, who now has a hell of a job to make up for a two-minute deficit in the two remaining mountain stages.
Wout van Aert finished third in the time trial, although he conceded 2.51 minutes to his teammate. In the battle for the final podium spot, Adam Yates did a good job. Pogacar’s teammate finished seventh and took time from Oscar Rodríguez, who finished twelfth. In the standings, the difference between them is only five seconds. But: almost nine minutes (!) behind Vingegaard.
Wednesday is perhaps the toughest stage of the Tour on the program. The Col de la Loze at 2,304 meters is not only the roof of the Tour, but is also the last climb of the day. The finish awaits after a dangerous descent in Courchevel, where the road still rises in the last kilometer.
“I felt great today. For me it is my best time trial ever and my first time trial victory in the Tour de France. I’m very proud of my victory,” said the winner afterwards. “I even surprised myself today. Is the Tour over yet? No, there are still a lot of tough stages to come and we’re focusing on that now.”
Pogacar is not yet defeated
Although Tadej Pogacar was second in the individual time trial of the Tour de France, he was widely regarded as the big loser of the day. ,,More was not possible today”, said the two-time Tour winner from Slovenia, who now has to make up for 1 minute and 48 seconds on yellow jersey wearer and stage winner Jonas Vingegaard. “I didn’t expect this, but it can happen. I hope for better legs in the next stage.”
On Wednesday it will go via the Col de la Loze – the ‘roof’ of this Tour de France – to Courchevel, where another sprint is waiting on a road that rises 18 percent. ,,I was probably not at my best today”, said Pogacar, who still kept Wout van Aert well behind him. The Belgian called himself the best ‘of the normal people’. But Pogacar also did not come close to Vingegaard in one area, the time trial, on which he convincingly drove his compatriot Primoz Roglic out of yellow in 2020. It led to his first Tour victory, after which he was also the best in 2021. Last year, the 24-year-old Slovenian had to leave the final victory to Vingegaard. That seems to be happening again this year. ,,The Tour is not over yet, but he has gained a lot of time. We’re going to try, but it’s going to be tough,” said Pogacar.
Live blog
5:33 pm
Jonas Vingegaard wins the time trial and more firmly in yellow
Unbelievable: he is 1.38 minutes faster than Pogacar, who is second.
5:31 pm
Vingegaard virtually at 1.30 minutes
Unbelievable, what a blow the Dane deals.
5:26 pm
More than a minute
Vingegaard runs further: 25.52 minutes he puts down on top, making him 1.05 minutes faster than Pogacar.
5:25 pm
Pogacar on Cote de Domancy
He sets 26.57 minutes and is 44 seconds faster than Van Aert. Another short climb of an average of 4 to 5 percent.
5:24 pm
Bilbao and Yates not up to Van Aert’s time
Pello Bilbao ends up in second place (+ 4 seconds) and is slightly better than Simon Yates, who is now third.
5:23 pm
The difference keeps growing
On the Côte de Domancy the difference is already 48 seconds. And they’re not up yet.
5:20 pm
Vingegaard 31 seconds faster
Ai, ai, ai. At the second intermediate point, Vingegaard has already taken 31 seconds on Pogacar, who also made a change on the Côte de Domancy.
17:19
Bike change Tadej Pogacar
Nobody changes bikes, but Pogacar does.
5:17 pm
GC men start climbing
At the second intermediate point, the Yates brothers, Bilbao and Rodríguez all lose time to Küng and Cavagna, for example, but they will make the difference on the climb.
5:14 pm
Simon Yates at the top slightly slower than Van Aeert
The Belgian set a time of 27.42 minutes on the Côte de Domancy, Simon Yates follows at 27.45 minutes.
5:13 pm
Situation first intermediate point
1. Jonas Vingegaard 9.54 minutes
2. Tadej Pogacar + 16 seconds
3. Stefan Küng + 42 seconds
4. Simon Yates + 44 seconds
5. Pello Bilbao + 45 seconds
Adam Yates at 47, Carlos Rodríguez at 48, Wout van Aert at 49 seconds.
5:10 pm
Unbelievable: Vingegaard even faster
The Dane is 16 seconds faster than Tadej Pogacar, 9.54 minutes.
5:08 PM
Top time for Pogacar
The Slovenian is much faster than the rest at the first intermediate point after 7 kilometers. Pogacar sets 10 minutes and 10 seconds. He is 26 seconds faster than Küng.
5:05 PM
Good interim Adam Yates
He is slightly faster than Van Aert and slightly slower than his brother Simon. Adam Yates concedes 5 seconds to Küng. Meanwhile, Jai Hindley loses 30 seconds.
5:03 PM
Pogacar much faster?
According to the GPS timekeeping, Pogacar is 22 seconds faster than Van Aert. Vingegaard drives 17 seconds under the time of the Belgian. We’re just waiting for the first intermediate point…
5:00 PM
Jonas Vingegaard has started
Will the Dane improve the time of Wout van Aert, who he awarded the stage win in the time trial last year?
16:58
Good interim for Simon Yates
At the first intermediate point he is second, two seconds behind Cavagna. Pello Bilbao is one beat slower and is third there.
16:58
Tadej Pogacar has started
He is 10 seconds behind Jonas Vingegaard. Will he manage to conquer the yellow today?
4:55 pm
Top time for Wout van Aert
The Jumbo-Visma rider organizes his time trial very well and sets the fastest time. With 35.27 minutes he is 15 seconds faster than Cavagna.
4:50 pm
Second time Skjelmose
The Dane from Lidl-Trek rides a good climb and ends up 15 seconds behind Cavagna: 35.57 minutes. Good for a provisional second place.
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