SAINT GERVAIS MONT BLANC – Who will win the Tour? If even the final climb of this stage didn't help to create a gap, it means that Vingegaard and Pogacar are really identical. I hope no one gets offended, but the stage was rather boring and lacking in emotion: have we perhaps become too accustomed to it? Meanwhile today Wout Poels won, who pulled in the Tours of Froome and Bernal and has now taken the pleasure of taking the more famous Wout off his wheel. When the Dutch of the Bahrain Victorious he attacked, Van Aert preferred to remain seated and save second place.
Ellingworth: «The time trial will decide»
Who will win this Tour? We took advantage of a tour of the buses to ask some managers. The first is Rod Ellingworth, the head of the Ineos Grenadiers, who won the Tour six times with Wiggins, Froome and Bernal and is currently in contention with Carlos Rodriguez for a place on the podium.
«I think it's pretty clear – he says – that Pogacar and Vingegaard are ahead of everyone else. Instead, for third place, there is a good fight. Carlos is just focusing on doing his best every day, doing simple things well, as seen today on the climbHe's not thinking about the podium. He climbed up as fast as he could, and when he got them, he didn't sit down. We thought he was capable of breaking into the top five and we're on the right track.But it's the first Tour and with these young riders you never know, maybe one day I'll spend too much or make some small dietary mistakes.
«I think that between the first two the physical side is always the most important elementEvery team has its own philosophy and we have been too. close to winning the Giro. Who will win between the two of them? I think they're both similar. I think the time trial will show who's in better shape.It's a race that people enjoy; all the ingredients are there. Every Tour has its own history, you just have to accept it as it comes."
Matxin: «The battle continues»
Matxin is Pogacar's team manager, his head sticking out from a forest of microphones. This morning the meeting on the bus UAE Team Emirates it lasted a long time, a sign that something was boiling in the pot.
«I don't read the future – he smiles – I couldn't have known that they would arrive at the time trial almost on par. Obviously it was an important milestone for us. We had a great team that believed in TadejAdam Yates first tried to make the podium, then he made himself available again.
«I'm not surprised, however, that Tadej arrived at the Tour after two months without racing and is so competitive. He is the number one in the world, he is a rider who almost wins every race he does.But he has the winner of the last Tour de France in front of him. Vingegaard is one of the best riders in the world. The time trial will be very good for both of them, the battle continues.. 10 seconds, which are few today, could perhaps be many in Paris. Tuesday's time trial is not similar to the one we used to win the 2020 Tour. This will be much more technical."
Vingegaard: "Today was a draw."
The Jumbo men went straight to the hotel, so Vingegaard gave us their point of view directly, caught after the arrival and then in the press conference.
«Today there was a draw – analyses the yellow jersey – no one managed to gain timeIt was a decisive stage, as will be the time trials on Wednesday in Courchevel and Saturday in Le Markstein. It was a beautiful day, made difficult by the fall that involved three teammatesIt would be nice if fans understood that photos can still be taken on the sidewalk and not in the middle of the street.
We still believe in our plan. We can always do better, Probably none of us know what our limit is, but we must try to get as close as possibleNow I'll focus on what I have to do, trying to go as fast as possible in the time trial. But First I will rest and spend time with my family, who will come to visit me."
Unzue: «Watch out for the Col de la Loze»
Unzue is the great chief of the Movistar Team, that At the start of the Tour he lost Enric Mas and now he's here courting Carlos Rodriguez: a topic on which Eusebius does not intend to go into detail, however.
"They are equal," he smiles, "and superior to the others. They remind me of Fignon against Hinault, or Fignon against Lemond, but… There were differences between those, however, which are not there here.. The first day I thought they were crazy because they were looking for discounts, but those small differences are the margin that still divides them todayOn the first day in the Pyrenees alone, Jonas gained almost a minute, then he was absolutely equal.
«The time trial will be important, but there are two major mountain stages left. The Col de la Loze is an hour-long climb, the longest of the entire Tour.And then the Vosges at the end which, even in the heat, can make stage number 20 a beast. The teams are balanced, but compared to last year Vingegaard will miss Roglic, who was decisive on the key day. I think that the yellow jersey learned a lot that day. Let's say that the time trial will tell which of the two will have to risk everything with an attack».
