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PARIS: There was a heady retro feel as Jonas Vingegaard clinched his first Tour de France title after an epic battle with Tadej Pogacar, who defended his crown to the bitter end, with the pair laying the platform for what could be a historic rivalry .
Vingegaard’s triumph was effectively sealed in the Alps, where his powerful Jumbo Visma team’s all-in collective offensive overwhelmed defending champion Pogacar.
Pogacar, nicknamed “Baby Cannibal” for his daring racing style compared to the great Eddy Merckx, refueled on the final climb to the lung-smashing Col du Granon, his face a mask of exhaustion and despair after countless attacks had to survive by Vingegaard and his teammates.
The 23-year-old Slovenian, who last year became the youngest rider to win consecutive Tour titles, threw everything and the kitchen sink at Vingegaard, but the Dane remained steadfast as Jumbo-Visma controlled the rest of the race.
Pogacar took big risks on a last-ditch effort on the final mountain stage to Hautacam, while Vingegaard lost his balance on the descent of the Col de Spandelles after being pushed to the limit.
However, it was the defending champion who slid into the gravel bed after an overcooked corner. It signaled his defeat but Pogacar said there was no better way to lose the Tour.
Vingegaard won at the Hautacam summit, where his compatriot Bjarne Riis had prevailed on his way to victory in the 1996 Tour after one of the race’s most amazing efforts.
Vingegaard’s teammate Wout van Aert was instrumental in the Dane’s success as the Belgian all-rounder sealed the green jersey for the points classification, winning sprints but also appearing in breakaways and taking monstrous corners in the mountains to keep Pogacar at bay.
STAGE OF THE CENTURY
Van Aert’s style is reminiscent of the Irishman Sean Kelly, who won on all terrains in the 1970s and 1980s and the Domestique de luxe gave his team three of his six stage wins.
Vingegaard, a surprise runner-up last year, relied on his team’s collective strength while Pogacar’s sheer talent was his main weapon, and the Slovenian exhausted himself trying absolutely everything to overthrow the eventual champion.
Attacking on the climbs, flats and descents, he launched a long-range offensive, but the UAE Emirates leader never found a crack in Jumbo-Visma’s armour.
Pogacar, who led the race from stages six to ten, also impressed on the cobbles in a memorable fifth stage, but it was Vingegaard’s victory on the ‘stage of the century’ at the Granon that decided the Tour.
Pogacar never found allies as the Ineos Grenadiers, who started with three leaders in Dani Martinez, Adam Yates and Geraint Thomas, but made no impact on the race and ended up settling for third overall for the 2018 champion.
The British team, which dominated the Tour from 2012 to 2019 with seven titles in eight years, have failed to understand the shift in mood since Pogacar took power in 2020, nor has it managed to succeed 2019 winner Egan Bernal Tour found multiple injuries when he was hit by a bus on a practice drive.
However, there is hope for the Ineos Grenadiers in Tom Pidcock after the 22-year-old won at the top of the legendary climb to L’Alpe d’Huez and declared his future title aspirations.
This year’s Tour was the fastest in history, which underscores the shift in racing strategies – furious starts and more offense.
“We had 20 days where we kicked the shit out of each other from kilometer zero to the end,” said Luke Rowe, road captain of the Ineos Grenadiers.
Jumbo-Visma, who ended heartbroken in 2020 when Primoz Roglic’s spectacular failure in the final time trial gave Pogacar the title, was always in control, save for a moment of panic when bikes flew across the road on the cobblestone stage after Vingegaard suffered mechanical damage.
However, he was pushed back by his team – exactly the kind of support Pogacar rarely benefited from.
Pogacar also suffered from the absence of now-retired sporting director Allan Peiper, whose tactical mind would have been helpful in keeping the Slovenian’s composure as he pursued every attack, sometimes unnecessarily, on stage 10.
Pogacar, who finished second in the standings for the third year in a row and picked up the white jersey for best U25 rider, must learn his lessons and hope for reinforcements in the team if he is to beat Vingegaard next year.
France, meanwhile, are still looking for a first local winner since Bernard Hinault clinched the last of his five titles in 1985.
Despite David Gaudu finishing fourth overall at the end of a brave drive, the 25-year-old finished 13:39 behind Vingegaard on provisional times, with no realistic dreams of an overall win in the future.
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