tour reporter
For the second time, Tadej Pogacar looks stronger than last year’s winner Jonas Vingegaard on the final climb. After the 9th stage of the Tour de France on the Puy de Dôme, the Dane retained the yellow card, but his advantage was only 17 seconds.
Trine Vingegaard had fun on the Puy de Dome: She happily rocked back and forth on a yellow stuffed lion. Her father had just given it to her. Dad has been given such a stuffed animal at the finish line for four days now for winning the yellow jersey Tour de France carries. But his daughter seemed different Jonas Vinegaard significantly less happy at the finish of the 9th stage.
With a lead of 53 seconds, Vingegaard still has 17 to go
The Dane is under pressure. Nine stages have been ridden and he’s taking that Maillot Jaune into the first rest day, but his advantage over Tadej Pogacar, his biggest rival in the fight for the yellow card, has now shrunk to 17 seconds.
Second by second, Pogacar nibbled away his lead, which had already been 53 seconds after the first Pyrenees stage last Wednesday (05.07.23). A day later it had already become 25 seconds. And on the Puy de Dôme, where Canada’s Michael Woods won from a breakaway, Pogacar moved another eight seconds closer to him.
“Of course it would have been better if I had stuck with him”said Vingegaard from the summit of the volcano where the Tour de France had headed for the first time in 35 years. “But I’m happy to be in yellow after the first week.”
Pogacar celebrates a small victory
But he had to fight hard on the climb to the Puy de Dôme. The decision to win the stage had long been made when Pogacar attacked 1.5 kilometers from the finish. Vingegaard, like three days before, had difficulties following on the way to Cauterets. For a moment, it looked like Pogacar could do more with the small gap his appearance had created.
Vingegaard even looked around for his most important helper in the mountains, the American Sep kiss, who had already fallen too far behind to bail him out. The Dane then avoided a slump. Nevertheless, Pogacar was able to finish “a little victory” book. “Today was a good day”he noted.
mind games off-road
The Tour de France will of course be decided on the bike. But the two rivals, who are still so close together, have long been trying to get into each other’s heads off the street. It’s about downplaying weaknesses and exaggerating strengths.
Pogacar is a master of such mind games. When he was asked how he experienced the legendary Puy de Dôme with its last four kilometers with an average gradient of around twelve percent, he shows it impressively. Unlike Vingegaard, the Slovenian skipped the one viewing opportunity that the teams were given in the run-up to the Tour on the generally closed road. “The guys told me that the climb was so hard, so steep”said Pogacar now. “But we flew up the mountain, it didn’t feel that steep at all.”
Vingegaard also masters the mental duel off the bike. While Pogacar is the playful boy who is always in a good mood, the Dane shows an almost provocative calm. Although he admitted on the Puy de Dôme that he hadn’t had his best day on the way up the volcano, he pointed out that this first week with the start in the Basque Country and the two Pyrenees stages was not so much in his portfolio anyway would have fit. The difficult stages that follow in the next two weeks would suit him better. “I’m looking forward to the Alps”said Vingegaard.
decision in the Alps
The rest day on Monday should still suit him. To draw strength for what is coming, also mentally. From next Friday, four mountain stages and a difficult time trial in the Jura and in the Alps are on the route plan. There the Tour de France will probably decide between Vingegaard and Pogacar. “It’s going to be quite a battle,” predicted Vingegaard on the Puy de Dôme.