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Lonely peak: Jonas Vingegaard in the Pyrenees
Photo: YOAN VALAT/EPA
Jonas Vingegaard won the 18th stage of the 2022 Tour de France.
On the last mountain stage of the Great Loop this year, the overall leader from Team Jumbo-Visma reached the finish in Hautacam ahead of Tadej Pogačar (+1:04 minutes) and Wout van Aert (+2:10 minutes).
Vingegaard significantly increased his lead in the standings: The Dane is now 3:26 minutes ahead of Pogačar.
In addition, the 25-year-old took over the lead in the mountains classification from German Simon Geschke.
Pogačar has the last opportunity to make up time in the overall standings on Saturday: position shifts are possible in the individual time trial from Lacapelle-Marival to Rocamadour, the remaining two sections on Friday and Sunday are flat stages, primarily of interest to the sprinters.
However, an attack on Vingegaard is unlikely given the distances.
van Aert breaks away, Geschke lets go
From Lourdes, the peloton went to the Pyrenees one last time.
Chris Froome no longer started: The four-time tour winner, who was 26th in the rankings this year, had to end the tour prematurely due to a positive corona test.
This saved the Briton two of the highest mountains and one of the first category: The Col d'Aubisque was the first challenge in the field's way.
On the steep climb up, the man in the mountain jersey had to be torn off: Cofidis man Geschke couldn't follow the pace of the best climbers, he didn't collect any more points for the dotted jersey that day.
The points for the mountain jersey were initially determined by a large breakaway group around the once again conspicuous Wout van Aert. The Italian Giulio Ciccone from the Trek-Segafredo team scored 20 points for first place on the Col d'Aubisque.
The duel between the two best drivers, Vingegaard and Pogačar, had to wait: the way to the finish was still too far to try to break big gaps.
The climb up the Col de Spandelles, which is steeper on average but shorter, also offered the superstars a stage for the first time: 39 kilometers from the finish, Pogačar launched the first attack, but Vingegaard had little trouble keeping up with Pogačar's increased pace.
On the descent, both riders experienced a moment of shock: first Vingegaard lost control of his rear wheel for a moment, but was able to avoid a fall.
Pogačar was less fortunate shortly afterwards, the Slovenian suffered visible abrasions in a fall.
Vingegaard didn't capitalize on his rival's misfortune, instead waiting for Pogačar to catch up.
The tour winner of 2020 and 2021 thanked for the fair gesture with a thumbs up.
Geschke loses the mountain jersey and keeps it on
By the time the final climb up to Hautacam, Vingegaard's noble helper Sepp Kuss had also caught up.
Pogačar, who had benefited from a show of strength from his team-mate Brandon McNulty the day before, was left to his own devices in view of the numerous absentees at the UAE team Emirates - and in the end could no longer keep up the pace, especially since he was now like the rest of the breakaway group falling behind van Aert was able to match the pace of his Jumbo Visma colleague Vingegaard for a few hundred meters.
At the finish, Vingegaard also scored enough mountain points not only to take over the dotted jersey, but also to not be able to be overtaken mathematically.
However, Geschke maintained second place in the special classification and can continue to wear the jersey on behalf of the man in yellow.
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