Tour de France - Pogacar collects seconds for victory - premiere for Evenepoel
Tadej Pogacar and World Champion Remco Evenepoel had a good laugh after an intense duel between the vineyards of Burgundy in the finish area, while Jonas Vingegaard had to take the next blow. The role distribution at the 111th Tour de France is becoming clearer after the first Individual Time Trial.
Although Pogacar had to concede the stage win to the Belgian youngster with a twelve-second deficit, he built on his lead over his biggest rival Vingegaard by an additional 25 seconds and took the next step towards his third overall victory.
"I see that I have improved in time trials. That gives me a lot of self-confidence. Last year, I lost almost 1:40 minutes, this time I gained time on Jonas and Primoz (Roglic). That's very good for me," Pogacar said after his second place on the 25.3-kilometer long time trial course from Nuits-Saint-Georges to Gevrey-Chambertin.
First Tour stage win for Evenepoel
Evenepoel's small deficit to the Slovenian specialist could be endured, as Evenepoel is not his main rival. The Belgian himself admitted it. "Tadej is almost unbeatable," said Evenepoel, who won his first Tour stage for the first time, and added: "We didn't think about time gaps in the general classification, it was about the stage win. We accomplished our mission."
Vingegaard finished fourth with a 37-second deficit to Evenepoel and fell further behind in the fight for his third Tour triumph in a row. Pogacar now leads the general classification by 33 seconds over Evenepoel, who, however, appears to have no chance against the Slovenian exception in the mountains. Vingegaard is 1:15 minutes behind third place.
Roglic also lost time, but less than expected. The Giro winner of 2023 was 34 seconds slower than Evenepoel and shows a deficit of 1:36 minutes to his teammate Pogacar in the general classification. The dream of a Tour victory remains unfulfilled for Roglic.
Pogacar takes revenge for Tour humiliation in 2023
Pogacar has taken revenge for 2023, the first double from Giro d'Italia and Tour since Marco Pantani 26 years ago is getting closer. Already at his mountain show at the Col du Galibier on Tuesday, the Slovenian showed his extra class and left Vingegaard and Co. behind.
Last year, Pogacar suffered a humiliating defeat in the Tour time trial, losing 1:38 minutes to Vingegaard on just 22.4 kilometers. "The time trial in Combloux was a moment where I mentally broke down," Pogacar admitted.
Pogacar was already ahead of Vingegaard by 13 seconds after the only climb of the day at the Côte de Curtil-Vergy at kilometer 14.4, who this year only completed three smaller time trials due to his heavy crash at the Baskenland-Rundfahrt. On the other hand, Pogacar prepared everything for this year and optimized his helmet, material, and seating position - apparently with great success.
Still faster flew Evenepoel despite a last-minute mechanical issue over the course. The World Champion in the time trial had explicitly prepared for this race, visited the track multiple times. In the end, the 24-year-old was rewarded with the first stage win of the Tour. However, he had a small disadvantage: His white jersey as best young professional was less aerodynamic than his specifically designed World Championship outfit.
German cyclists hopeless
And the Germans? Of the eight cyclists, Time Trial Champion Nils Politt finished as best in 29th place. "As German champion, one wants to present oneself. My legs were good", said Politt. Nevertheless, Germany has not had a specialist in this discipline since the departure of four-time Time Trial World Champion Tony Martin three years ago.
- Despite the close competition between Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel during the time trial in Burgundy, Jonas Vingegaard faced a setback in the Tour de France's stage victory.
- Evenepoel's victory in the UCI WorldTour's first Individual Time Trial of the Tour de France marked his first stage win in the renowned event.
- The stars of cycling, including Pogacar, Evenepoel, and Vingegaard, showcased their Show of strength during the time trial stage in France.
- The Alps stage awaits the cyclists, and Pogacar, with his time trial triumph, is poised to strengthen his position in the elite Tour de France competition.
- Evenepoel's achievement marks a significant milestone in his racing career, further establishing his presence in the world of professional cycling.
- The stage victory is a welcome triumph for Evenepoel, who raced amidst the vineyards of Wine field, while Pogacar and Vingegaard faced their own challenges along the time trial course.
- The Tour de France continues to captivate international spectators, undeniably showcasing the sport's best talents competing in an exciting display of cycling excellence.
- With the success of Evenepoel and the tight race between Pogacar and Vingegaard, fans and cycling enthusiasts around the globe eagerly anticipate the upcoming stages of the Tour de France.
