The debates of the Tour de France: The most beautiful of Cavendish on the Tour, Pogacar-Vingegaard and the Puy de Dôme

What is the most beautiful of Cavendish on the Tour?

Laurent Vergne

Hard to choose a flower in the middle of a bouquet of 34 roses, but the most striking in my eyes, because it concretizes the peak of its domination, it is its victory on the Champs-Elysées in 2009.

Mark Cavendish was then absolutely untouchable. This success, the first on the famous Parisian avenue (he was going to win four in a row to become the record holder, no one having won more than twice on the Champs) completed his triumph during this 2009 edition: six victories of stage. His record.

The Cav ‘was so strong, he was going so fast that on the line, he is close to making a break. Not a solo victory, but not far! An impression reinforced by the famous traveling camera on the side, which makes it possible to fully measure the supersonic speed of the Briton. If television sometimes tended to abuse the process in the following years (not necessarily an idea for a tight sprint), for this great premiere of Cavendish, it was perfect.

Christopher Gaudot

Let me set the scene. Tour de France 2016, at the end of the long finish straight, Utah Beach and the Landing beaches. Favorites ? Alexander Kristoff, André Greipel or Peter Sagan. Mark Cavendish began a second chapter of his career by joining Dimension Data. A sprinter will wear the yellow jersey, that’s for sure. Two years earlier, the same situation had seen Marcel Kittel win the first stage while Mark Cavendish crashed in the final.

It is this memory that accompanied me when I saw Mark Cavendish raise his arms in front of me on July 2, 2016. No one, apart from him perhaps, imagined him winning this stage after a 2015 Tour marked by the domination of André Greipel (four victories) and his arrival in a more modest structure after three seasons with Quick Step.

In its characteristic style, the “Man of Man” was only taken out of its box at the very last moment. His flair had pushed him to jump into the wheel of a Peter Sagan who had bet on a long sprint. And there, the magic had worked since Cavendish had imposed himself with a bike lead over Marcel Kittel, Sagan, and André Greipel. The return of the great Cavendish and an intense emotion.

The heat, arbiter of the Vingegaard-Pogacar duel?

Jean-Baptiste Duluc

It was hot at Ventoux when Vingegaard had left him somewhat behind in 2021. Same at Granon last year. In this duel at the top, the Dane is clearly favored by the current weather conditions. It is not certain that they last or that they allow the defending champion to keep his crown but they are a significant advantage for Vingegaard. Physically therefore, also mentally, given the liabilities of their confrontations. This is why I also see the Dane from the Jumbo-Visma taking the lead on Sunday. And since we announce more than 30° in the Alps….

Christopher Gaudot

I will not contradict Jean-Baptiste: Jonas Vingegaard was more comfortable than his rival Tadej Pogacar in overwhelming heat. However, I would qualify by saying that more than the temperature, it was the strategy of the Jumbo-Visma that made it bend to the Granon last year. The rest of the Tour was also hot and Hautacam apart, the winner of the 2020 and 2021 editions had matched his rival.

Can the mountain give birth to a mouse?

Laurent Vergne

To be honest, it would be a big disappointment. Certainly, the expectation is high after 35 years of absence from the Puy de Dôme. The great uncertainty that surrounds the final slope, which will be a discovery for all even if some carried out a reconnaissance at the beginning of June, will perhaps dampen some enthusiasm. But for the strong men of this Sunday, it will be impossible to resist the temptation to take advantage of at least the last four kilometers, absolutely monstrous.

To name a few, Vingegaard and Pogacar are too offensive in spirit to remain wait-and-see. It’s not their style. Everything is therefore in place for a great fight to take place on the slopes of the Auvergne volcano. Afterwards, this does not mean that the arrival at Puy de Dôme will mark a turning point in the Tour and even less the justice of the peace. Perhaps the best (the two best, above all) will neutralize each other and that in terms of impact on the general classification, this 9th stage will be more or less anecdotal. But that this rise is retracted, no.

Jean-Baptiste Duluc

Honestly, I don’t see how, unless I have inflated expectations. Do not expect movements from afar, or even a 10-minute gap between the leaders. The stage will be played out in the final climb, it will be a side race in the Puy de Dôme, but the Auvergne climb is more than enough on its own. Especially since the “construction” of the climb is ideal for watching a good fight.

With 5km at 7% first before 4km of flat then 4km at 11%, the Puy-de-Dôme is ideal to attend a race of wear first, to reduce the peloton on the infernal pace of the front team members let the leaders wage war on its spiral slopes.

The percentages are never a guarantee of difference but I can’t imagine the favorites not attacking in the final ascent. Vingegaard has every interest in it, finding percentages where he had put Pogacar in difficulty in Marie-Blanque. The Slovenian will want to continue to grab time on the Dane after Cauterets. And all the other climbers have to make time for Hindley in the race for the podium. So why would they wait any longer? No, on Sunday we will have a great fight on the slopes of Puy-de-Dôme. And gorgeous images.