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PEYRAGUDES, France (AFP) – Defending champion Tadej Pogacar gained stage 17 of the Tour de France within the Pyrenees on Wednesday, however was as soon as once more shadowed over the road by Jonas Vingegaard, the race’s total chief.
With the bonus seconds for the win, UAE Crew Emirates rider Pogacar now trails the Dane by two minutes and 18 seconds.
It was a 3rd stage win of this yr’s Tour for the two-time defending champion, however his celebration was clouded with Jumbo-Visma’s Vingegaard protecting a agency grip on the true prize.
Ineos chief Geraint Thomas dug deep to retain third place, zig-zagging over the ultimate 16% incline and increasing his lead on fourth-placed Nairo Quintana to virtually three minutes.
On the backside of the primary climb on the packed roads, with camper vans and barbecues galore, a fan brandished an indication studying ‘The Earth is Flat’, however after the three mountains on the menu virtually all of the finishers ended mendacity exhausted flat on the ground.
At the least they raced within the relative cool of the mountain air with temperatures spherical 24 levels, quite than the baking 38 levels of Tuesday’s begin and end.
This yr’s Tour has entered its endgame with one mountain stage and one time-trial the remaining actual battle grounds to settle the talk over the yellow jersey.
The relentlessly attack-minded Pogacar, 23, was led up the ultimate climb by Brandon McNulty, whereas willowy 25-year-old Vingegaard remained stony-faced in his slipstream many of the day.
On a day when Pogacar misplaced key lieutenant Rafal Majka via damage, the Slovenian stated his team-mates had been operating on emotional vitality and the sensation within the group was optimistic of their combat to assert again the highest spot they misplaced within the Alps.
“We confirmed we’re nonetheless sturdy as a crew. We’re optimistic and motivated to go once more tomorrow,” he stated.
“Now we have been unfortunate, however tomorrow we’ll give all the pieces we’ve.”
Pogacar admitted he missed all his absent teammates, with UAE Emirates now at 4 riders.
“If we had all of them right here, we might have made it a more durable race for him (Vingegaard), and we’ll attempt once more,” he stated.
Vingegaard himself was removed from satisfied the race was his but.
“It isn’t all in hand, however I’m proud of the way it went,” stated the previous fish market employee.
“I’ve to keep watch over him since you by no means know which second he’ll assault. I solely should observe Tadej.”
– Battle of younger and previous –
Within the battle for third place, veteran Thomas, 2018’s champion, once more proved doubters unsuitable as he dug deep after being dropped by the youthful main pair as his teammates Adam Yates and Tom Pidcock dropped away badly.
The 36-year-old Thomas seems to have gained his battle with Colombia’s Quintana, in a battle of an older era.
The highest three seems to be settled, however the remaining order stays to be seen with Thursday’s huge mountain slog to Hautacam and Saturday’s 41km time-trial more likely to wreak harm.
World Rugby Participant of the Yr, Toulouse and France scrum-half Antoine Dupont, who hails from the Pyrenees, was within the director’s automobile to observe the globe’s most prestigious biking race.
Friday’s twentieth stage will begin in his dwelling village of Castelnau-Magnoac.
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