There was only ten seconds difference between Jonas Vingegaard and his rival, Tadej Pogacar. At the end of the time trial, on Tuesday July 18, the Dane largely consolidated his first place by beating the Slovenian by 1 minute and 48 seconds.
A stratospheric test. It had been nine years since there had been such a gap between the first two runners. Arrived third, Wout Van Aert, his teammate of the Jumbo-Visma team, says it himself: “I am the first of normal people.”
This coup surprised more than one and if some speak of an extra-terrestrial, others wonder if there is no doping. With an average of 44km/hour, Jonas Vingegaard widened the gap in just 22km, taking four seconds every kilometer over his opponent. “The happiest day of [sa] life on a bike,” he saidwithout himself being able to explain his feat: “I’m just trying to do my best. I’m very happy with my performance!”
The shadow of doping again on the Tour?
Faced with these impressive results, doubts arise. Faced with possible accusations, Jumbo-Visma responds aerodynamics, nutrition, state-of-the-art equipment and above all preparation of this time trial to the nearest millimeter for four months.
Dominating the Tour de France in this way always attracts suspicion and Jonas Vingegaard is no exception. If he provides his answers, he does not necessarily convince and questions of possible doping will now escort him to Paris.
This Wednesday, July 19, this seventeenth stage is the last in the Alps, with four climbs, including the terrible Col de la Loze, and its 28km climb at 6%, over a course of 165.7 km in the department of Haute-Savoie.