Vingegaard takes overall lead as Pogacar falters

SERRE CHEVALIER (France) • The first mountain stage of the most prestigious cycling race in the world "is the gateway to the Tour de France", 2012 champion Bradley Wiggins said on commentary yesterday.

"This is where the race really starts now, the first real climbs, the long ones," the Briton added. It was stage 11 yesterday - the first of three gruelling mountain stages - where two-time defending Tour champion Tadej Pogacar cracked.

The Slovenian had been in control of the yellow jersey since stage six and although there are still 10 stages left, including the final ceremonial ride to the Champs-Elysees in Paris, his title defence is now in tatters barring a similar collapse from his rivals.

Jonas Vingegaard, who has been in the mix from the start of the Tour, wrested control of the general classification (GC) category as the Dane shot to the top of the rankings with his first career stage win.

With only five UAE Team Emirates teammates left in the Tour because of Covid-19 withdrawals, there were fears Pogacar would not have enough protection. Ahead of stage 11, he admitted it was a big concern, but his worst fears were realised yesterday.

Last year's Tour runner-up, Vingegaard, made his move 4.9km from the line and Pogacar, who had been relentlessly attacked by Jumbo-Visma riders all day long, was helpless as his race imploded.

Vingegaard never looked back on his way to his win on top of the Col du Granon, a punishing 11.3-km climb at an average gradient of 9.2 per cent. The Jumbo-Visma co-leader finished in 4hr 18min 2sec, while Pogacar could only come in seventh, trailing by 2min 51sec.

That meant he slipped to third on the GC table, 2min 22sec behind the new overall leader.

A thrilled Vingegaard said: "A second place is a nice result in the GC and that's what I did last year... now at least I want to try and go for the (Tour) victory and that's what I did today, and luckily, it succeeded today and I now I have the yellow jersey. Now I'll keep on fighting for the yellow for Paris."

REUTERS

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TOUR DE FRANCE

Stage 12: Singtel TV Ch 116, 6.55pm