The expected duel between Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, two big favorites of the Grande Boucle, has already begun. New yellow jersey this Sunday at the end of a thrilling second stage, the Slovenian was not let down by the double outgoing winner, far, very far from disappointing.
Two lessons to remember from this second stage: the Tricolores already continue to impress, Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Emirates) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) are already making a very strong impression.
We are smiling from ear to ear to see Kévin Vauquelin sign the second French victory in this Tour de France, the day after that of Romain Bardet, but it is clear that the two ogres of the Grande Boucle have an appetite. And we can only take our hat off to these two extraordinary runners, who promise to thrill us this edition.
Asserting himself at the end of a huge battle played out up to the San Luca hill, with Jonas Vingegaard, Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel, the Slovenian (25 years old) attacked hard 10 kilometres from the end.
>> Relive this 2nd stage of the grandiose Grande Boucle in our live commentary
Pogacar: “Jonas was directly in my wheel, we can see that he is in great shape”
But there was no break: visibly in good shape and still in the wheel of “Pogi”, Vingegaard took the lead and commanded respect, just three months after his terrible fall at the Tour of the Basque Country at the beginning of April. “I launched a small attack at the top of the last climb. It was a bit to test myself too, not just the others,” confirms Pogacar at the microphone of France 2, admiring a Dane who managed to follow him rather easily. “But Jonas was directly in my wheel, we can see that he is in great shape. It will be interesting during the stages to come.”
Pogacar is at the same time as Remco Evenepoel, Jonas Vingegaard and Richard Carapaz. But it was by the accumulation of the best places that they were decided: from the second stage, the Slovenian took power and recovered his yellow jersey, stolen from Bardet for a handful of seconds. He will wear it for the 22nd time in his career on Tuesday between Piacenza and Turin, but probably did not expect to see the 27-year-old Dane so close in the rearview mirror. “Today, we were able to see where everyone was,” teases a mischievous “Pogi”. “But we are far from being there. It’s not over.” His duel with Vingegaard has only just begun.
Romain Daveau Journalist RMC Sport
