It is not always easy for a rider to exist in this Tour de France 2023, as the showdown between the yellow jersey, Jonas Vingegaard, and his runner-up, Tadej Pogacar captivates spectators and specialists alike. Wout Poels can attest to this. On Sunday July 16, the Dutchman from Bahrain-Victorious crossed the finish line of the 15e stage, alone, in an almost general indifference. For good reason: at the same time, the Dane from Jumbo-Visma and the Slovenian from UAE Emirates were still on the last climb of the day leading to Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc (Haute-Savoie), the climb of Bettex (7 kilometers at 7.7%, 1D category).
This Sunday marked the second day of the peloton in the Alps, the fourth arrival at the top of this 2023 vintage too. In short, an excellent opportunity for one of the two strong men of the event to widen the gap in the general standings before blowing, Monday, during the day of rest. Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar will have finally spent the entire 179 kilometers of the course to gauge themselves. And if the second did try to attack, one kilometer from Saint-Gervais, they completed this stage side by side, 6 min 04 after the winner of the day. The Dane remains in yellow; the Slovenian is still ten seconds behind his rival.
“It’s a draw, no one has managed to make up time”summarizes the leader of the Jumbo-Visma. “I would have liked to create a gap with Vingegaard, that’s for sure, but in this type of situation, with a rider as strong as him, I’m happy to be only ten seconds behind. That way, I can be more offensive, rather than passive.argues, for his part, Pogacar.
Having just arrived on Sunday, the interested parties and their teams already had their eyes fixed on what was to come: in the first place, the only individual time trial of this Tour de France, on Tuesday. “In the time trial, I think there will be gaps. And then there is the next stage, with one of the toughest climbs in the world [le col de la Loze, 28,1 km à 6 %, hors catégorie]. There, it will be decisive… There is also the 20e stage [qui se conclut au Markstein, dans le Haut-Rhin], who can make the difference”insists the Slovenian.
“When you’re a child, you dream about it and then it’s done”
Unlike Pogacar, Sunday evening, Wout Poels was determined to savor the moment. At 35, the Dutchman, winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2016, offered his first success in a three-week race. “It’s incredible, it’s my tenth Tour de France. When you’re a child, you dream about it, and then it’s done, I don’t believe it! », he exults. The rider from Bahrain-Victorious managed to drop Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) at the foot of the Amerands coast (2.7 km at 10.9%, 2e category), about ten kilometers from the finish.
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