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With Tadej Pogačar (UAE Workforce Emirates) and Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) clearly on one other planet, the battle for the ultimate Tour de France podium place has begun in earnest within the Pyrenees.
Ineos Grenadiers, nonetheless rebuilding their Tour de France contender pool after dominating as Workforce Sky with Chris Froome, Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas and lastly Egan Bernal, are at present not aggressive in opposition to Vingegaard and Pogačar however are working to get there with Carlos Rodriguez and Tom Pidcock – whereas signing Remco Evenepoel is distant however, if possible, a extra rapid risk.
A Tour de France podium could be a major comfort prize and motivation for Ineos Grenadiers as they attempt to begin a brand new Grand Tour management cycle with Rodríguez and Pidcock.
“If you happen to have a look at current race kind, then Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard are head and shoulders above everybody else. The best way they went up the climbs proves it. There now appears to be a race for the rostrum, like there was final yr after we gained that battle with Geraint Thomas.” Ineos Grenadiers workforce supervisor Rod Ellingworth advised Cyclingnews.
“We have been the dominant workforce and it is a good feeling and we would like it once more. Nevertheless it’s a distinct biking in the intervening time and we’re constructing for the longer term. I am enthusiastic about our future. I additionally just like the problem and so we’ll hold pushing to turn out to be aggressive with Pogačar and Vingegaard sooner or later.”
“We have had some nice success within the Tour and we would like a few of it once more. We have to maintain combating. We do not hand over, we hold combating.
On stage 6 to Cauterets-Combasque, Rodríguez completed sixth and moved up 4 locations to fifth total. Pidcock was 33 seconds behind however moved as much as ninth total at 4:43.
Egan Bernal misplaced nearly 10 minutes however that frees him from any GC ideas, so he can maybe goal phases, work on his Grand Tour kind after which beat his greatest for the Vuelta a España.
“For the younger guys like Carlos and Tom, it is about struggling, studying and attempting to progress. They cannot fail often because they be taught one thing on daily basis,” Ellingworth urged.
“Tom will keep on GC and Carlos is true up there. The plan is that they push themselves and discover their Grand Tour limits. I do not suppose they’ve but. We have been assured of a high ten in the event that they go for GC all race but it surely seems prefer it could possibly be higher.”
Bernal is able to sacrifice his private ambitions for Rodríguez and hugged him after they arrived on the workforce bus.
“I really like him quite a bit and I will attempt to give my life for him and for my teammates,” Bernal mentioned of Rodríguez with affection.
“I feel that everybody right here has in some unspecified time in the future helped me to win races, so the least I can do is to present my 100% to attempt to do my greatest for the workforce.
“With the rostrum within the Tour, something can occur, proper? Carlitos may also help us quite a bit to make a very good total. He is getting higher and higher, I can see that.
“He is a really younger rider however he is tremendous skilled and really mature. He deserves to do properly on the Tour, he is proven that by being up there with one of the best.”
The race for the Tour de France podium
The Pogačar versus Vingegaard battle might produce a Tour de France for the ages however the battle for the ultimate spot will probably be fascinating to observe.
How Ineos Grenadiers’ GC contenders will fare over the subsequent 15 phases stay to be seen however there has already been vital motion within the riders surrounding them inside the highest 10 total.
Jai Hindley misplaced the yellow jersey after simply someday and slipped to 3rd at 1:34, with 20 or so riders all lined up under him within the common classification and hungry and impressive to make the ultimate podium in Paris.
It will additionally show Hindley’s credentials after his 2022 Giro d’Italia victory and stage win in Laruns.
Simon Yates leads Jayco-Alula’s hopes in fourth place – climbing up three spots. His brother Adam in sixth might additionally rise excessive in GC as he helps Pogača. Sepp Kuss has already proven he’s excess of an excellent domestique.
David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) would spark a present of French nationwide satisfaction if he can enhance on his fourth place from final yr,
The likes of Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious), Romain Bardet (Workforce DSM-Firmenich), Ben O’Connor (AG2R-Citroën) and Louis Meintjes (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) can’t dominated out or forgotten.
We noticed the battle for the rostrum crystalise for the primary time on the lengthy haul up the Col du Tourmalet throughout stage 6.
Hindley shortly dropped again to the chase group when Vingegaard and Pogačar distanced him. Different riders raced intelligently within the group, interested by the rostrum rivals subsequent to them relatively than attempting to chase the Pogačar-Vingegaard specific practice.
The chasing group swelled to twenty or so riders on the ultimate part of the Col du Tourmalet and on the quick descent, with riders from the early breakaway and UAE Workforce Emirates and Jumbo-Visma domestiques sitting on for a journey to the end.
The race throughout the race – for third total and each place within the high ten – started in earnest on the steep part of the climb to the Cauterets-Cambasque end, the place Rodríguez was robust and received away with Hindley and Simon Yates.
They held the hole regular to Pogačar and Vingegaard as they fought their battle up the climb. The chasers completed 2:39 down however distanced lots of their high ten rivals – a small victory of types.
Simon Yates moved as much as fourth place in GC at 3:14, and Rodríguez rose 4 locations to fifth at 3:30. Everybody else is unfold throughout simply eight minutes all the way down to Felix Gall (AG2R-Citroën) in twentieth at 8:19.
A podium in Paris with Pogačar and Vingegaard could be a major achievement for most of the riders within the chase group and who is aware of if the 2 will stumble ultimately within the subsequent two weeks as they battle it out.
There may be nonetheless all the pieces, or no less than a lot, to race for.
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