The question of the day – Slovenian turned into a defender on the slopes of Mont Ventoux. Simple day without or fall in tension?
Stuck in the wheel of Jonas Vingegaard launched belly on the ground in Mount Ventoux, Tadej Pogacar has grimacted. A stealth image. Rare. The Slovenian responded to the attacks of the Danish out of his reserve, ready to play everything for everything, as he had announced. The yellow jersey was a veiled sun. Deprived of wings, stuck in lead shoes. Attached to defending the essentials. SA 22e Stages victory on the Tour de France will wait. Symbolically (and as always since the start of this tour), he applied himself to finish in front of the valiant Jonas Vingegaard. Two seconds. A breath. From a distance from the struggle for the victory that saw Valentin Paret-Peintre dancing at the top of the “Géant de Provence”.
Victory on the Tour is promised to Tadej Pogacar, the immense favorite for a long time. And each step, emptied of suspense, brings it closer to Paris. In recent days, his main opponent seemed to be himself. At what level would he manage to hoist his will, his domination and the collective which accompanies him to shake up all the records and settle at the top.
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PAPON BERNARD / REUTERS
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If the Slovenian remains a solid yellow jersey (he has 4’15 ” ahead of Vingegaard), and in his team it is indeed the essential, his pride of champion was affected. Some meetings deserve special attention. In search of legs in 2021 on Mount Ventoux, he was once again up to the “Mont Chauve”.
Sarah Meyssonnier / REUTERS
Big meeting Wednesday … then Thursday at the top of the Col de la Loze
The next big meeting on his way will be, after the 17the STEP Between Bollène and Valence this Wednesday, the lively stage ending Thursday at the top of the Col de la Loze. In 2023, he finished in crumbs. Far from Jonas Vingegaard. He had sank and dropped: ” I’m screwed up, I’m dead. Tadej Pogacar never makes the same mistakes twice. He has an account to settle. The ideal opportunity to show that it was not a blow but only a fleeting weakness …
