Two motorcycles created controversy and were sanctioned on Saturday in the Tour de France, for having prevented Tadej Pogacar from placing a lightning attack on Jonas Vingegaard in the ascent of the Col de Joux Plane. The team’s photographer, present on one of the motorcycles, breaks the silence.
This is the image of this 14th stage of the Tour de France 2023: the two motorcycles which hinder Tadej Pogacar as he launched an attack on Jonas Vingegaard, 700-800m from the top of the Col de Joux Plane. The Slovenian, who is chasing the yellow jersey, had to give up… and was finally given priority by the Dane for the bonus at the top of the pass.
The photographer of the team present on one of the motorcycles is explained. In his diary, he talks about the dilemma that presented itself to the pilot and admits having “made a mistake” concerning the initial situation: “When I see that Pogacar is starting, I tell my pilot, who replies that he can’t do everything simply not pick up. And when he arrives on us, we find ourselves in a delicate situation. The public is so dense that there is a choice to be made in the moment: break the effort of the runner or line up in the public and hurt people.” Clearly, it was the attack of “Pogi” or the spectators.
“We should not find ourselves in this kind of situation”
“I’m not going to defend the indefensible: we shouldn’t find ourselves in this kind of situation, he continues. I should have asked my driver to take the field faster and earlier. Next time I accelerate and I don’t take the picture, too bad.”
The race marshals imposed sanctions on the two motorcycles: the two vehicles are excluded for the 15th stage of this Sunday.