Jonas Vingegaard's performance on the stage 16 individual time-trial at the 2023 Tour de France may well go down in history as one of the greatest rides in the history of cycling's most illustrious race. The Jumbo-Visma now holds a massive advantage in the fight for Yellow but it's not a done deal yet insists Robbie McEwen.
"Look at stage 17, another alpine stage over the highest point in this Tour, 2300m above sea level," said the Australian, former twelve-time Tour de France stage winner as part of Eurosport's coverage of the race on The Breakaway. "That is a stage where things could completely explode on the slopes of the Col de la Loze. And they did the last time the race went up there."
"It's definitely advantage Jonas Vingegaard," he declares although despite Tadej Pogacar now being 1:48 down on his great rival at the top of the general classification, McEwen refuses to rule him out. "With that mountain stage to come, and a tricky stage in the Vosges mountains towards the end of the race, this is not over."
The Aussie's Breakaway companion and fellow Eurosport analyst Daniel Lloyd also agreed. "Pogacar has won this race twice. He's not going to settle for second place without a fight," he says. "This time 12 months ago, the time gap between Pogacar and Vingegaard was bigger than it is at the end of today's stage. And we saw how much fight Pogacar put into it through to the end last year."
"He'll do exactly the same tomorrow (stage 17)," concludes Lloyd. "If it doesn't work tomorrow he'll do exactly the same on Stage 20 on the last mountain day. So this race is not over but it's certainly looking in favour of Jonas Vingegaard."
Pogačar 2nd in time trial as big mountains loom. #TDF2023 💬 @TamauPogi : “I didn’t feel the best in the second part but I still went pretty solid. I hope for tomorrow and next stages to have good legs again.“ Full report: uaeteamemirates.com/pogacar-2nd-ti… #UAETeamEmirates #WeAreUAE
