Our special correspondent on the Tour routes
In the final climb to Villard-de-Lans, a little too rolling for a forward attack to create a gap, Tadej Pogacar stood up.
The Slovenian climber, leader of the UAE Team Emirates challenged Primoz Roglic, his compatriot.
The yellow jersey, in its shadow, has not lost a centimeter (21st and 22nd at 16'41 '' from the German team Bora-Hansgrohe, winner of the 16th stage).
Before the duel announced this Wednesday at the summit above Méribel (21.5 km at 7.8%), with terrible portions in the Col de la Loze and passages at more than 20%, at a press conference, the Yellow Jersey summed up: “It was a good day for us.
I stay in yellow.
Everything remained under control.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) will be even more beautiful to watch on television.
I expect to be attacked.
This is the queen stage, the highest point of the Tour.
The last five kilometers of the Loze pass are insanely difficult.
We will fight for every second.
I hope it will be another good day for the team and that I will have good legs to do my best. ”
“It will be super hard to control everything. Along the way, we'll have to decide if we let the breakaway go. ”
Primoz Roglic
About Tadej Pogacar, the Yellow Jersey assures: “Tadej is my closest rival.
I have to keep an eye on him at all times.
I expect him to attack me.
Like others (Uran 3rd in the general classification is at 1'34 "; Lopez 4th at 1'45"; Yates 5th at 2'3 "; Porte 6th at 2'13" ...).
When I see this rise, it will favor the strongest.
We will focus on us, in order to do the best possible job. ”
La Loze, an unprecedented ascent, a dreaded finish: “It will be super hard to control everything.
Along the way, we'll have to decide whether to let the breakaway go.
The final ascent is really very hard.
I don't have a scenario in mind.
I expect a very difficult day of cycling tomorrow, ”said the leader of a Jumbo-Visma team who will do everything to keep control of the race.
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About his viaticum (40 seconds), before the second part of the triptych in the Alps and before the time trial in the Vosges (36.2 km between Lure and La Planche des Belles Filles), Saturday, the day before parade on the Champs-Elysées, Primoz Roglic assures us: "It is better to have an advantage of 40", than a deficit of 40 ".
But it's never enough.
Even with 5 minutes early, we always want more.
But I am happy with the current situation… ”
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