MORZINE – It was a draw. Today again the two stars of the Tour faced each other head to head and the confirmation that comes from the arrival is that the two are substantially equivalent. Carlos Rodriguez He won the stage, also because a Team Team bike and a TV bike, almost stopped in the middle of the road, forced Pogacar and Vingegaard to stop during the final sprint. At that point A curtain of torpor fell over the front of the race and Rodriguez regained ground.
Vingegaard's plans
Now we have to understand who of the two will maintain this condition until the end or who will eventually have to drop. Will Pogacar's flank work be enough to break down Vingegaard's defenses? Or is the Dane, sly and cynical, taking the measure of his rival, reserving the right to fire all his cartridges on a pre-arranged day, as was the case last year on the Granon?
«I still think – says the yellow jersey – that at some point there will be bigger differences between us. We always make plans, last year as well as this year. We continue to follow what we have planned and maybe I will be in the yellow jersey in Paris. There's more than a week to go. Pogacar made a good attack, I took my time and finally managed to reach himI also gained a second, now I have a 10 second lead. I can't say if I'm the winner, but I'm satisfied.We're moving very fast, faster than last year. We're happy with what we've accomplished. I want to thank all the teammates who worked hard».
Vanotti's reading
He was probably making the right reflection this morning when leaving Annemasse that old fox of Alessandro Vanotti, who won the Tour in 2014 alongside Vincenzo Nibali.
«I don't think Vingegaard is declining – said the Bergamo native – pay attention to that. When Pogacar attacks him, he pushes up to a certain point, then it's as if he closes the gas to avoid over-revving.. He picks up his pace and doesn't let go. He keeps it in his sights and then, if anything, comes back in."
That's exactly what happened today on the Col de Joux Plane. Pogacar let Yates pull and then attacked, gaining a maximum of five seconds. Turning around repeatedly, while the other one made his own rhythm and finally managed to catch up with him, giving the feeling of not being exhausted at all. Considering that the Tour he's just reached the halfway point, he's wondering which tactic pays the most.
Pogacar's tactics
We need to understand Pogacar and probably wait for him in the future. He knows he has to attack or he wants to do itHe could wait for the time trial, but the feeling is that there is also a psychological war going on between the two to elect the alpha male.
«Tadej is an intelligent guy – explains Gianetti, team principal of the UAE Emirates – You don't have to tell him things three times. What should he do? He's understood that the difference between him and Vingegaard is minimal and therefore… He has to run well, he can't waste energy because the other is a great rider. We know that on the big mountains we have a more complete block than Jumbo, although they have a super Kuss, which alone does an exceptional job.
We hoped the work we'd done would be enough, and we were happy in Bilbao. Instead, we lost ground in the first Pyrenean stage, perhaps due to having spent too much energy beforehand. However, Tadej reacted well and started to improve. Of course, we're still talking about minimal growth. Vingegaard arrived in excellent condition and is maintaining it, Tadej has found the balance he was looking for».
Rodriguez and BMX
In all this, that tall guy Carlos Rodriguez came back to the two just before the descent began and then left them there to challenge each other even in the dive.
"It's an incredible feeling to be here," says the Spaniard, "winning is even more incredible. I don't know if I'll be able to get on the podium; the others are also very strong. I'll take it day by day, try to do my best and hope that from here on out my legs will respond to me.. When I was chasing Pogacar and Vingegaard, I concentrated on making the rest of the climb as short as possible. They were climbing very fast, but at a certain point they started looking at each other and this allowed me to film them. Then on the way down, I just focused on getting down as fast as possible. I know I'm going strong, I won for this and for the many years of BMX I did as a child».
A dedication and we start again
His eyes are shining. A Spaniard tries to ask him what he thinks about the possible change of shirt next year, but first he's met with the incinerating look of the British press officer, and then Rodriguez himself pretends not to have heard and answers another question.
«I am very grateful to my team – he says – and to all my colleagues for their support. But if I have to dedicate this victory to someone, it is to my parents and my family., who supported me since I was little. They did everything they could for me; they gave me everything. Being here would have been impossible without themThey still support me today and try to be with me in every race they can. This victory is for them. Spanish cycling is at a good level. We can't always be the best, but Spanish fans can be sure that we do everything we can to make them proud.».
We start again tomorrow. Vingegaard has a 10-second lead over Pogacar, 4'43" over Rodriguez and after a second there is Hindley. The first two will have accumulated more fatigue and the Saint Gervais Mont Blanc stage promises disaster, with its 179 kilometers and many climbs. And yet seeing them challenge each other today with shots that were not shots, we leave Morzine with the awareness of what a privilege it was to see Marco Pantani race.
