Infernal was the fifth stage of the Tour de France, the one that took the caravan from Lille to Arenberg, after 157 kilometres, with victory for Simon Clarke, leadership for Wout va Aert, Nairo Quintana, Daniel Martínez and Rigoberto Urán in the lot, a Tadeg Pogacar that got the best returns and a Primoz Roglic that lost time.
The day had everything and here are the main conclusions of what happened in an epic fraction.
(Nairo Quintana and the sablazo directed at his critics in the Tour de France)
(Luis Díaz could suffer Jurgen Klopp’s ‘unfair’ move)
Pogacar bared his teeth
Tadej Pogacar was the one who took advantage of the disorder that arose. Alone, without the help of his teammates, he took the lead in the last 20 kilometers, stretched the lot and tried to get more differences from his rivals.
He came to have Roglic more than 2 minutes 30 seconds away, and the others to a long minute, but in the end he only gave them 13 seconds, although the moral blow was hard.
And it was because he showed that he is smart to run, that he is lucky not to fall, to be in the place he is and because the Slovenian is the strongest, without a doubt, at the moment of the Tour.
He distanced his rivals, they are not far away, but it is an interesting difference for what is to come. He already got rid of Roglic and now he will face other battles, but he is ready to defend himself and attack.
Van Aert, the monster
Wout van Aert started as the race leader and after thousands of drawn situations he defended that condition, when 30 kilometers from the finish line everything was lost.
The Belgian runner fell 90 kilometers from the finish, stopped, resumed his pace, but almost returned to the ground after avoiding a companion car in the best possible way.
Van Aert was key in the Jumbo Visma. Jonas Vingegaard lost the wheel of the group and forgot his leadership status, he stayed, took the lead and when everything was lost he managed to connect with the group of Adam Yates, Nairo, Urán and others.
It is the great figure of the day, without a doubt. Van Aert not only saved the Tour for Vingegaard, but his action to connect benefited the Ineos cyclists, Martínez, Yates and Thomas, who did not respond, but went to the wheel.
He was to blame for Pogacar not getting more time, he showed that although he is the leader, pus his work in the squad is gregarious, to help his team leaders and the Jumbo Visma is still in the race to win the Tour for him.
Roglic and Jumbo, bad
They got up with the left foot. The Jumbo Visma runners did not have a happy ending in this fraction. Yes, they kept the lead with van Aert, but they made mistakes that could cost them the title.
Vingegaard’s action, in which the Dane loses the lottery wheel, was insane. They gave him a bicycle that did not suit him, then the car arrived and they gave him another machine, he kept going, but he was losing important time.
Then Roglic fell, he took a long time to get up, After a short test, he returned to the bicycle, but his strong rivals were already taking time.
Van Aert, ahead, put a step, the idea was to take Vingegaard, but that same pace hurt a Roglic who was trying to minimize losses, but they had to play a card and they decided for the Dane, something that is paid to them.
Jumbo Visma did not lose the Tour this Wednesday thanks to Van Aert, that tremendous runner, who defended the lead, led Vingegaard to save the day, but could do nothing to help Roglic who now has to work for his teammate.
nairo the best
Although they all arrived in the leading batch, Nairo Quintana showed that he defends himself on pavé, just as it happened in the stages of previous Tour de France in which the cobblestones were presented.
His work this Wednesday was no exception. He was one of the few who was at Pogacar’s side when the Slovenian launched the attack. Well located, the boyacense was aware of the movements, he took shelter and never lost the wheel.
On the contrary, when Pogacar attacked he stayed, but he surpassed the others, the Yates, Urán, Martínez, Thomas and so on, but in the end the action of the Jumbo Visma led their rivals to connect.
Nairo looks good, smart, experienced cyclist and at least saved one difficult day in the competition.
Urán and Martínez were saved, they got it cheap. They lost the wheel, they couldn’t connect and if it wasn’t for Van Aert they would be talking about another story.
Daniel maintains the options of fighting for the podium, as well as Yates and Thomas, on a good day for them, because they did not work, they did not show their faces and they continue with options to fight for the general victory.
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(Nairo, Daniel Martínez and Urán survived the hellish pavé stage)
Lisandro Rengifo
Editor of THE TIME
@lisandroabel
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