Five passes, including three first category, and passages at 17% in the final climb. The organizers of the Tour de France have concocted a particularly challenging route for the riders in the Alps, between Les Gets and Saint-Gervaisat the foot of Mont Blanc. This 15th stage of the Grande Boucle, Sunday July 16, above all represents a new opportunity for Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar, still neck and neck, to try to make a difference at the head of the race. Follow and comment on the race on franceinfo.
Two runners alone in the world. Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard have been on another planet since the start of the Grande Boucle, well helped by their teams. The other contenders for the general classification are relegated to oblivion (the 3rd, Carlos Rodriguez, points at more than 4 minutes, David Gaudu, 10th, at 13 minutes). The race pattern on the expected stages is almost always the same: the two steamrollers get into place, the skimming is done from behind and the two burly battle it out for seconds. For the moment, advantage to the Dane, but only 10 seconds ahead.
The French riders in the hard. Romain Bardet gave up, David Gaudu clings to a top 10 with no hope of a podium, Guillaume Martin and especially Thibaut Pinot went out the window, the balance sheet of the Habs after two weeks of racing is not brilliant. There remains the victory of Victor Lafay in the Basque Country, during the 2nd stage. A second Tricolor who would raise his arms to Saint-Gervais would have the best effect.