Enlarge image
Tadej Pogačar drove to victory on the Col du Portet
Photo: Gvg / imago images / Panoramic International
Bluff:
Richard Carapaz tried his hand at the Col du Portet as a poker player. In the top group with Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, the Ineos professional followed with his tongue hanging out. Pogačar even dropped back once and told Carapaz that he would have to take over the management work, but he seemed completely exhausted. Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that. Carapaz later attacked but was unable to pull away. A few hundred meters from the finish it came as expected: Pogačar pulled past and sprinted to his second stage win.
The result:
The podium at the end of the Tour de France in Paris could look like the day's podium: Overall leader Tadej Pogačar won the 178.4-kilometer 17th stage from Muret to the summit of Col du Portet ahead of the Dane Vingegaard and the Ecuadorian Carapaz.
Read the stage report here.
The
silver bullet
:
"I can't describe how to win in yellow," said Pogačar at the finish.
At 22 years and 296 days, he is the youngest rider in Tour history to win a stage in the Maillot Jaune.
He replaced the German Didi Thurau, who had held the record since 1977.
Thurau was tested positive for doping several times later in his career.
The decision?
At the Col du Portet, the final summit of the stage, it became clear that Pogačar wanted to make the final decision on the tour here. About eight kilometers from the finish, the defending champion attacked from the top group. Only Vingegaard and Carapaz could follow. The man in the yellow jersey led the trio up the highest pass in the French Pyrenees at an enormous speed to 2200 meters. Here in the clouds that enveloped the summit, Pogačar extended his lead in the overall standings to 5:39 minutes over pursuer Vingegaard.
Suits him:
Primož Roglič, captain of the Jumbo-Visma team and runner-up last year, had to give up the tour early. Since then, the 24-year-old Vingegaard has been the team's top-ranked professional. Before the tour, no one had thought that he would be Pogačar's most stubborn pursuer. "I am impressed. Jonas is still so young. The fighting spirit he shows is fantastic, "said sports director Grischa Niermann at Eurosport:" The position suits him very well. I hope that he can keep this place behind Pogačar. "
Vive la Chance:
On July 14th, the French national holiday, local professionals are usually particularly motivated. So this time too: four French people sat down in a six-person escape group to take their chance of an entry in the history books. In the end, only Anthony Perez remained at the top. But in view of the highly motivated Pogačar, Perez's lead of three minutes quickly melted and his dream was over at the Col du Portet. Warren Barguil remains the last Frenchman to win a stage on July 14th, and his success is now four years old.
The pain:
Serious falls overshadowed the start of the Tour de France, numerous riders had to give up or had to fight injuries for several days. So does Simon Clarke. But only now does the Australian know where his pain is coming from. He broke a vertebra on the third stage, said Clarke at "cyclingweekly". The break was only noticed a few days ago. The 34-year-old said he could drive on without causing any more damage: "But to be honest, I can't wait to get to Paris." That sounds more medically questionable than particularly heroic.
That hurts:
on such difficult mountain stages in the Pyrenees, the sprinters in particular have to suffer. Mark Cavendish is usually one of the first to say goodbye to the peloton and is accompanied by his teammates, who even remove his water bottles so that he does not have to carry too much weight while climbing. This time, too, the man in the green jersey made it to the finish line during maternity leave. The dream of a stage win in Paris is alive, it would be the 35th Tour stage win in Cavendish's career. That would make him the sole record winner.
Up to the Tourmalet:
Cavendish still has to survive one mountain stage. On Thursday the route leads again through the Pyrenees, up to the Tourmalet and then to Luz Ardiden - two climbs in the most difficult category. For Pogačar's competition it is the last chance to attack the overall leader in the mountains. In view of the 22-year-old's performance, it seems impossible that he can still be caught.
