Jonas Vingegaard won this Thursday in stage 18 of the Tour de France disputed between Lourdes and Hautacam, of 143 kilometres, in which the Dane is still the leader and almost sentenced the race and Nairo Quintana is still in the ‘top’ five of the test.
The day began with the news of the retirement of Chris Froome, Damiano Carusso and Imanol Erviti, who all tested positive for covid-19.
(Four-time winner of the Tour de France, victim of covid-19)
(Tadej Pogacar: violent crash on stage 18 of the Tour, video)
Although during the first hour of the race they tried to present leaks, the main men in the general classification did not let the cyclists leave.
many battles
Only the intention of escaping paid off when they entered the last 10 kilometers of the day and Daniel Martínez and Rigoberto Urán went there in it, in a lot in which there are 30 runners, among them, Van Aert, Tony Gallopin, Giulio Ciccone, Alberto Bettiol, Michael Woods, Dylan Tenus, Gorka Izagirre, Maximilian Schachmann, Bob Jungels, Luke Rowe, among others.
Louis Meintjes attacked, slipped out of the main group and even jeopardized Nairo Quintana’s fourth place, so the Colombian had to put his team to work.
Ciccone was first through the Aubisque and launched into the descent with the rest of the escapees. Abehind, the group was calm, unhurried, commanded by the Jumbo Visma.
Vingegaard caught up with Pogacar, who tried to leave 32 km from the finish line and broke up the group. The first two in the general classification went ahead.
Quintana, Thomas, who went to the front, step by step, seeking to regulate. David Gaudu, who was only four seconds away from the boyacense’s fourth place, stayed.
Pogacar could not let go of his rival, but he tried several times. Those actions caused the group to fall apart completely. Only Sepp Kuss helped Vingegaard, who fought back.
Pogacar strong blow
Van Aert, Pinot and the Colombian Martínez endured at the top, who aspired to win the stage. Nairo and Gaudu, who are fighting for fourth place, tried to get to Pogacar and company.
On the descent, Pogacar fell, but Vingegaard waited for him. The Slovenian did not present serious health problems and resumed the march.
The expectation was on the part of Martínez, who started the final climb alongside Van Aert and Pinot, with 2 minutes left.
Ahead go Van Aert, Pinot and Daniel Martínez. Leading group came at 2 min 25 s and Nairo with Gaudu at 3 min 18 s.
8 km from the finish, Van Aert attacked and Martínez was the only one who followed him, Pinot stayed. Leader at 1 min 03 s, Gaudu released Nairo and comes at 2 min 17 s.
Gaudu came 1 min 50 s behind the leading batch and Nairo came further back, gave up 30 s to the Frenchman and fourth place was lost by the boyacense.
Tour almost defined
Thomas stayed 7 km from the arrival of the trio Pogacar, Kuss and Pogacar, who caught up with Pinot and were 34 s behind the leaders.
Kuss was a locomotive, his pace took Pogacar and Vingegaard to the topcaught up with Van Aert and Martínez 5 km from the finish line.
Nairo was coming 50 s from Gaudu. With 4.4 km to go, Van Aert took Vingegaard and Pogacar paid for the effort, staying.
Thomas suffered a mechanical problem, He changed his bike and Martínez put him in a step. Tour almost sentenced.
Gaudu takes fourth place from Nairo, who gives up more time, but remains fifth overall.
This Friday stage 19, which will take place between Castelnau-Magnoac and Cahors, of 188 kilometres.
(Tour de France 2022: this is the classifications after stage 18)
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