Everything (almost) according to plan. In Caen, individual time trial stage, Remco Evenepoel wins, but he is immediately behind Tadej pogacar, which returns to dress in yellow. A great one completes the podium Edward Affini. And also Adriano Malori somehow he enjoys and greets the giant from Mantua: it is with him that we analyse this time trial.
But maybe the big news of the day is that jonas vingegaard he paid the price. Not even Donald Trump would have done so well: 1'21" from Remco and 1'05" from his first rival, Pogacar
Again il Tour de France It offers a huge crowd. It's amazing how this event manages to be so attractive. Partly because of its DNA, and a lot because of the organizers' skill in making it so big and appealing. The turnout for these two legs was incredible. Ultimately, today was a long show: the morning tests and then the chance to see all 179 remaining athletes, one by one.
A word from the three tenors
“Everything went according to plan,” Evenepoel said. I never felt like I could go faster, so I'm happy with the result. It is the second victory for the team (after that of Tim Merlier, ed.), so it's great. I ran pretty consistently, I kept a steady pace from start to finish and I think that was my strong point. In the various intermediate runs: I continued to climb the rankings each time and gained time in the last 7 kilometers. My pace was perfect and everything was going swimmingly. It's a step closer to the podium. I won't win this race this year. But in a few years, yes."
Oddly enough, despite not winning, the Slovenian king seems to be the happiest. Revenge after his debacle in the Dauphiné time trial is well and truly served.
"I'm really happy with how I rode today," said Pogacar, already in yellow. "I'm only 16 seconds behind the Olympic champion, the world champion, and the best time trialist at the moment. I'm extremely happy. And besides, apart from Evenepoel, I'm gaining time on all my other rivals for the yellow jersey. Especially since I didn't expect to gain so much time, I thought Vingegaard would be closer. But now we have to stay focused. Nothing is decided, and defending the yellow jersey until Paris won't be easy."
Bent over his long Cervélo After the finish line, Vingegaard was the last to speak and was laconic: «I didn't have the legs and I don't know... I didn't expect it, but it happens. The result reflects the sensations I had on the bike. I was struggling with my legs and position on the bike. A gap greater than a minute? If we look at recent years, we've won with bigger gaps – as if to say there's room to make up ground.
And now let's move on to Adriano Malori.
Adriano, what did you think of this time trial?
Certainly I didn't expect Vingegaard to collapse like this. I expected a stronger Pogacar than the one I saw at the Dauphiné, because he wasn't in his best form there at all. I thought the Dane might lose 15-20 seconds to Pogacar, but not by much. You could see him looking disheveled, even from behind. And then sometimes he was agile, sometimes he was going hard... this is the typical sign of someone who can't find the rhythm, the relationship...
Obviously, Adriano, such a gap is the result of a bad day. But we noticed that there was wind and he had a much higher front wheel than the others. Could that have had an impact?
No. I repeat, it was clear that he wasn't having a good day, and it was clear from the start. Vingegaard has historically been slightly superior to Tadej in the time trial, while today the trend was decidedly the opposite. For me, even with a lower wheel, nothing would have changed. Also because the strong, steady wind was only present in the final section. And besides, if we look closely, that's where Remco made the clear difference over Plapp and Affini.
And now?
Many will say Tour is over, but the Tour is not over because 1'13” can be recovered. It's obviously not easy because Pogacar is up there… But I'd wait, after all.
What technical aspect of this time trial intrigued you?
Overall a really big improvement in position. Until last year, only Evenepoel managed to stay really well tucked in with his shoulders and be one with the handlebars. There are so many of them now. But that's the way it is: when one has an invention, the others copy it. Or take helmets, for example. Everyone said the ones launched by Visma were unsightly, but now almost all the teams use them like that. Really great care. As well as the driving...
We noticed it too. The final section was technical, yet Remco seemed more skilled on the time trial bike than on the road bike…
In general now there is a search for performance also from the driving point of view. In the finale, Pogacar even gained a 3-4" lead on Remco, who also did very well, and that could easily have been the difference that decided the race. This level of riding, generally speaking, is certainly the result of specific training. Training that, if I hadn't had the accident, I would have done too.
Tell us better ...
My time trial bike riding was something I could improve on, and I had planned to train at go-kart tracks. It was something I'd do at the end of the season. Go-kart tracks, or children's tracks... in short, safe circuits with tight bends, where you can practice your driving technique. To stay in position, to make good trajectories. Only one time Cancellara He rode a time trial bike like the kids do today. Now everyone dives into corners as if they were on a road bike.
We thought that with such a lead over Vingegaard, the team car would tell Pogacar not to take any risks. And instead he gained…
pogacar He took risks, but not beyond the limit, because he does it naturally. This means he's used to it, that he's confident on that bike. Then I also think that all these athletes live in places where the roads, at least at certain times of the day, allow you to push yourself a little more, to practice technique. They live in France, Slovenia, Monaco, Denmark, Spain... where the asphalt is wide, safe, and the road surface is excellent. Here, at least in my area of Parma, there are cracks that can get you right up to your prosthetics!
Clear…
People like that can say, "Well, this morning I'm going to wake up early and go down a nice, fast descent." And maybe I even have a bike in front of me that can serve as a reference. I'll tell you this: before the 2013 World Championships in Florence, Cancellara woke up in the middle of the night to be ready for the very first light of dawn. It was him and a motorbike, and he rode the final part of the time trial because he wanted to see it without traffic and do it at race speed, or almost. And that also made a big difference. Ten years ago, people were already paying attention to these things. And ten years ago, in today's cycling, it's like thirty.
What about Remco's helmet with the opening on the visor?
Even before it's an aerodynamic issue, I believe it's because, being so closed, the visor was bothering his forearms. That cut, in addition to not having this problem, allows it to close even better.
Is time trialing a futuristic specialty, the pinnacle of technique and preparation?
There has been an impressive evolution: materials, position. Take climbers: once upon a time they took minutes, and minutes… today they are there at a minute and a half. You think about it Quintana Who in a 33-kilometer time trial like today only takes a minute and a half off Cancellara? It's normal now. Careful positioning, effort management, a power meter, a coach who analyzes your wattage before the start and how to distribute it... Ironically, if you like, the time trialist's job has kind of disappeared. Because you no longer have to learn how to manage yourself, you no longer have to learn your position: it's the teams, the staff, who get you there.
What else struck you about the Caen time trial?
That finally they put a time trial for time trialists. No climbs in between or 15 percent gradients you can't see. Today's route was beautiful, linear. In fact, I'd make a point...
Go…
Since there is this great phenomenon, Pogacar, who then leaves everyone behind even on the climbs, I would like to see a Tour with two nice 50km time trials like in the past. Think about it. Maybe Remco could reach the mountains with a two-minute lead. It would change everything. There would be more of a spectacle.
Let's get back to current events: what can you tell us about Affini?
I would have told you about it even if you hadn't asked! I really liked EdoardoWithout taking anything away from other great time trialists, let's remember that he's a domestique. He pushes all day, keeps his leaders in front, goes to get the water bottles. He did it like this at the Giro and he's doing it like this at the Tour. He couldn't do the Italian time trial because they called him back up to altitude, and despite all the work he's put in these past few days, today he finished third... behind two aliens who prepared for the Tour as best they could. So, truly congratulations to him. It's great to see him there. And if a team like the Visma-Lease a Bike He just had it renewed for three years, there's a reason.
