The following article discusses Courchevel, a popular ski resort located in France. Jonas Vingegaard established a commanding lead in the Tour de France on Wednesday. At the same time, his primary competitor Tadej Pogacar suffered a significant setback, losing nearly six minutes during the arduous ascent on the most challenging stage of the race.
Felix Gall emerged victorious in the highly anticipated “Queen” stage, encompassing a challenging 69km of Alpine climbing, outperforming Simon Yates.
The defending champion, Vingegaard of Jumbo Visma, has significantly extended his lead in the overall standings to an impressive 7 minutes and 35 seconds. Pogacar holds the second position, while his UAE teammate, Adam Yates, has climbed up to third place with a gap of 10 minutes and 45 seconds.
Following the race’s conclusion, Vingegaard leisurely walked through the paddock, cradling his daughter. Meanwhile, his vanquished competitor remained seated on a stack of tires, gazing downwards sadly.
The cause of my sudden fatigue and inability to continue climbing is unknown to me. I found myself devoid of energy at the base of the ascent. Pogacar expressed profound disappointment as he experienced an early fall during the stage.
Vingegaard was inquired about his perception regarding his potential clinching of the Tour.
Based on my analysis, it is likely that the proposed statement holds. The 26-year-old victor of the 2022 Tour expressed satisfaction with their current lead of over seven minutes.
However, our current location is not in Paris at this time. Tadej demonstrates unwavering determination and perseverance. The individual stated, “You are aware of that.”
The formation of storm clouds occurred prematurely.
Carlos Rodriguez, the rider representing Ineos, experienced a decline in position, falling to fourth place. The time difference between him and Adam Yates is 1 minute and 16 seconds, while he is leading Simon Yates of Jayco Alula by a margin of 18 seconds.
Following Vingegaard’s dominant performance in the individual time trial, where he outperformed Pogacar, the latter expressed his determination to retaliate by expressing his desire for unfavorable weather conditions.
However, the predicted storms cleared during the early morning hours, and the journey from Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc to Courchevel was completed under scorching temperatures.
Before the race from the picturesque Alpine resort, prominent riders and their respective teams underwent a doping test one hour in advance.
At approximately 7 kilometers remaining on the final ascent of the Col de la Loze, Pogacar communicated to his team via radio, stating, “I am fatigued and depleted.” The user expresses an inability to continue.
Vingegaard proceeded to move away swiftly. Adam Yates, who was no longer providing pacing services to Pogacar, closely trailed the Danish cyclist.
During a Tour where motorbikes have garnered significant attention, Vingegaard encountered an incident on the higher sections of the final mountain. The incident occurred when a vehicle malfunctioned, obstructing the race director’s car.
The roadsides were densely populated with enthusiastic spectators, as has been the case throughout the Tour. This created an obstacle for Vingegaard, as he could not find a clear path to navigate around the stationary cars. Given the frequency of incidents, it is highly probable that a security review will be conducted.
The composed Danish individual remained unfazed by the situation and experienced a slight irritation when onlookers proceeded to push him to assist him in resuming his movement.
Thierry Gouvenou, the race designer, displayed anger as he exited the vehicle upon reaching the finish line.
The race will return to flat terrain on Thursday, following four remarkable stages in the Alps that will be remembered as iconic moments in the history of the Tour.