2023-07-12 22:01:29
RSNplus”Tour will be decided in mountains and time trials – but not only”
By Joachim Logisch from Moulins
Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo – Visma / right) and challenger Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) – you have to expect attacks from them every day. | Photo: Cor Vos CHECK
07/12/2023 | (rsn) – Every second will be fought for with every tactical trick in this Tour de France, as challenger Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and defending champion Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo – Visma) appear almost equally strong. A little thing can mean the difference between a tour win and second place.
At the beginning of the 10th stage, the two top stars were in a breakaway group, which they then left again. Jumbo’s German sporting director Grischa Niermann didn’t find that very unusual.
“We had something like that in Mende last year on a similar stage. Pogacar is someone who can sometimes attack from further away. You have to watch out for him. But we can do that too. That’s why Jonas was up front yesterday and Pogacar had to react,” explained the ex-pro, who wouldn’t be surprised if something similar happened during stage 13 from Roanne to Belleville en Beaujolais. Niermann: “That makes it clear once again that the tour is usually decided in the mountains and in the time trial, but not necessarily only there.”
___STEADY_PAYWALL___ “Stage 13 is even harder than Tuesday’s,” the Hanoverian warned that Pogacar could try an early attack again. His top star Jonas Vingegaard wasn’t worried about that. “I feel good and I’m ready for what’s ahead suits me. Tomorrow’s stage is tricky so we have to be careful. I will try to keep the yellow jersey because my daughter Frida loves it. I have to bring her as many as possible,” he revealed with a wink, looking at the fabric lions that the wearer of the leader’s jersey gets on the podium every day. But he collects yellow and the lions not only for Frida: “I enjoy every day in the yellow jersey, for me it’s the most beautiful jersey.”
Find the sports director: On the rest day, Grischa Niermann was out cycling with his riders. | Photo: Cor Vos
His biggest and probably only opponent in the fight for the title defense has only shown a weakness once during the 5th stage, only to catch up second by second afterwards. “My wrist is better. I feel the same pain every day, but after the Tour de France I will need a few days rest. It’s the bad roads that hurt my wrist the most. Luckily all roads in France are beautiful . Yesterday’s (10th) stage was one of the toughest of this Tour de France, and tomorrow’s is similar. So we have to be careful because that could affect the overall standings, ”the Slovenian is also cautious about the next stage of the day.
Aldag also expects a tough day, but an escape victory
“Tomorrow it will be quite sporty, a similar stage to the tenth. A breakaway group will get through. This will only consist of strong people because you can only get into the group if you are in good shape,” warned Bora’s sporting director Rolf Aldag of the dangers threatening on the way to Belleville en Beaujolais.
He’s expecting another high-speed race as what is likely to be a strong group will do everything in its power to build up a big lead. “But you won’t let them drive away for 16 minutes, which will make it fast and difficult again. You’ll see tomorrow whether the classification drivers will step in,” he thinks it’s possible that Pogacar and Vingegaard, but also the competitors behind his Third-placed Jai Hindley could try to improve their position Aldag: “You have to prepare for the worst on the Tour anyway. You must not oversleep anything.”
Rolf Aldag is also interviewed by Australian broadcaster SBS on the tour about captain Jai Hindley. | Photo: Cor Vos
The ex-professional has a particular eye on the Ineos Grenadiers. “With Rodriguez (4th place) and Pidcock (8th place), they have two drivers in the classification and a strong team that can solve problems. Bilbao (fifth place) is also dangerous now,” he said, citing the main opponents in the case of Bilbao, however, to limit: “There is also a reason why he conceded eight minutes beforehand. In addition, the difficult stages are yet to come. If everyone’s form stays the same, then Bilbao will be even further behind in Paris. It only becomes a problem when he finds the legs.”
The fact that it became known that Nils Politt Bora – hansgrohe will probably leave at the end of the season, does not concern Aldag during the tour: “I’m damn happy that Nils is here to help Jai (Hindley). Maybe there’s another stage for him, but I don’t make the contracts,” said the sporting director.
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