The matter was settled, the competition beaten. The man in yellow, Tadej Pogacar, could have had a nice afternoon on Saturday on the 20th stage. Slow down a bit, dream a little about his third triumph in the Tour de France, about the award ceremony on Sunday in Nice. He could have spared his colleagues from Team UAE, who had already worked hard enough during the first 19 stages.
Pogacar had indicated a somewhat quieter day at work the day before, after he had used the 19th stage on Friday to launch an all-out attack on the competition. Even Jonas Vingegaard, the Tour winner of the past two years, had to give in on the queen stage. After this stage, Pogacar had a lead of more than five minutes over him in the overall rankings. More than enough to be able to calmly face the final two days, the ride through the mountains on Saturday and the time trial on Sunday from Monaco to Nice. The battle for victory was thus decided, Vingegaard admitted, deeply disappointed. For him, it is still a matter of defending his second place against the Belgian Remco Evenepoel until Sunday, until the grand finale on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice.
Pogacar with whip instead of sugar cubes
The 20th stage was 132.8 kilometers from Nice to the summit of the Col de la Couillole. One last roller coaster ride, not too long, but once again difficult, very difficult. Another 4,600 meters of elevation and a final climb to 1,700 meters, 15.7 kilometers long, with an average gradient of seven percent, that’s a lot.
The decision was made on this climb. The usual scenario. A group in front, let loose thanks to a free pass from the following general classification riders. A three-minute lead for the breakaway riders who were desperately trying to get to the top. The group of stars behind them. And as always, the big question. Will anyone attack? Who wants to distance their opponents and when? Who wants to take time and confidence away from the competition? The standard answer up to that point for all difficult mountain stages had been: Pogacar. He always started when things got worst. On the steepest passages. Would he really take it easy that day? Offer his competitors a piece of cake, a stage win? Or would he take out the whip again?
He decided to use the whip. But he took his time until then. Seven riders went into the final climb at the front with a three-minute lead. When there were still twelve kilometers to go, there were six left, all of them climbers, including the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, the Spaniard Marc Soler, the Frenchman Romain Barden and the Dutchman Wilco Kelderman. Then Carapaz and Mas broke away. Eight kilometers to go and their lead was still 1:50 minutes. It was getting tight. And it all depended on what happened further back.
“I really enjoyed the stage today”
Not much at first. The group of favourites was getting smaller. Marc Soler, Pogacar’s last helper, dropped back and the leisurely day became the boss’s business again. Pogacar against the rest of the world. What can he do? Someone has to win, he had said the day before. Five kilometres to go. The showdown began with an attack from Evenepoel. Vingegaard stayed with him, and so did Pogacar. Then a counterattack from Vingegaard, which in football would be called a quick switch. He attacked in turn and turned the field of favourites into a duel. Only him and Pogacar. Two kilometres to go and they overtook Mas and Carapaz. Now the big question: Will Pogacar give way to his competitor, who was badly beaten the day before and is now fighting so desperately? Will he grant him this stage win? At first it looked a little like that.
But 250 meters before the finish line he took off and left Vingegaard behind. His fifth stage win in this Tour. A day that he actually just wanted to enjoy had turned into another Pogacar day. One thing doesn’t have to contradict the other. “I really enjoyed the stage today,” said the Slovenian at the finish. His victory was another painful defeat for Vingegaard, who only had the consolation of keeping Evenepoel at a distance and increasing the time gap to 2:50 seconds. That should be enough to defend second place against the world champion in this discipline in the time trial on Sunday.
