The Col de la Loze brought spectacle to the Tour de France. For the first time, the favorites had to compete against each other. All the action was squeezed into a few miles. Roglic did good business, but so did Lopez.
It was a unique experience on a fantastic climb, with a fair outcome, according to the riders of the seventeenth stage in the Tour de France. On the Col de la Loze, the Tour de France fell into a fold (tje). A report of concentrated action over seven kilometers (with a run-up).
Until the finish:
15 kilometers
Cycling this Tour is in a predictable fold, especially due to the force majeure of Jumbo-Visma. A yellow-black figure of eight decides at the front what happens and who is allowed to drive away. The pace is such that an attack from the competitors is not possible. That is why it is a welcome sight that after 155 kilometers in the queen stage of the Tour Wout Poels is in the lead for his leader Landa. Not only because his broken rib has recovered well, but also because at least one team is trying to drive their own tactics.
7 kilometers
Suddenly the road ends, in the middle of the ski village of Méribel. But to the right is a small road, a cycle path. That’s where the seven dreaded miles of the never-before-cycled climb begin. Flat meters alternate with walls of a few hundred meters at 20 to 24 percent. Carapaz is still ahead, Damiano Caruso is in the lead in the peloton. Tom Dumoulin is right behind it. He enjoys the climb. He is allowed to do “such a thing” in the Tour. Not every day, one is enough.
4.1 kilometers
A small group drives through the Slovenian bend. Or so it seems, because flags are flying everywhere. Roglic feels strengthened by it, it gives him “something extra”. But he doesn’t have time to think about it. Suddenly there is a gear, from De la Cruz, team mate of Pogacar. Dumoulin has to pass, just like Landa, Urán and Yates.
3.8 kilometers
Six men remain. This mountain is fair. It’s not about following, or about driving in a slipstream. Whoever has good legs wins. Roglic still has Sepp Kuss with him. Richie Porte, Enric Mas and Miguel Angel Lopez are also there. And Pogacar, who looks back.
3.5 kilometers
An attack from Miguel Angel Lopez. “Superman” is his nickname. Pogacar catches up with him. The attack costs Porte and Mas the connection.
2.8 kilometers
Sepp Kuss is the first of the group to overtake Carapaz and suddenly drives away. Roglic sends away. Consciously, because that way he has an overview. Let others catch up with his teammate. Lopez is the only one who can connect at the front and even drive away. More and more it will be a hand-to-hand fight, for the first time this Tour de France.
2.3 kilometers
Roglic places his first real attack of this Tour. He knows the climb by heart, has been there several times on the recon. That way he knows exactly where to attack. But there weren’t that many people on the reconnaissance. He does put Pogacar a few meters behind. The latter gives a move with his hand to a spectator wearing a green wig. “You get out”.
2.1 kilometers
It may be hand to hand on this “unique” climb (according to Sepp Kuss), but Roglic has a +1 in the same Kuss. Every meter counts, so every meter of help is welcome, says Roglic. That is why Kuss has waited for his leader, he can still ride a few hundred meters in front. Pogacar hangs for ten seconds. When Kuss sends out three hundred meters further, Roglic climbs further with his hands at the bottom of the bracket.
1.1 kilometers
Everyone can see each other in the last kilometer. Almost touch, but it is so steep it lasts forty meters for seconds. Leader Lopez is in his element, so high in the Alps. He lives at 2500 meters, so the 2300 meters at the top is normal for him. He feels that the Tour is changing. Riders get tired, leaving room to attack. Behind him, Roglic and Pogacar continue to play with seconds. Five, ten, seven. They are evenly matched.
300 meters
The meter that indicates the gradient continues to increase and further. 17 percent, 18 percent. After an hour of climbing it is the tough final part. Pogacar thinks to link up with Roglic, but has to zigzag upwards. He sees his fellow countryman slowly driving away again.
-1 meter
Lopez wins, and he still has strength to cheer. Roglic retains the lead. He runs fifteen seconds on Pogacar, plus a two second bonus. All in all, it is a minimal difference. The difference in the standings is now 57 seconds. Lopez comes at 1 minute 26. Dumoulin is tenth, at more than two minutes. Like Roglic, he is very satisfied, although “57 seconds is not enough to be sure”. Roglic also wants more. “It is never enough. But I won something here and I am glad that this climb is behind us. ”
Also read:
Sports director about the course of Jumbo-Visma: “Maybe not attractive, but it works”
Grischa Niermann is sports director of Jumbo-Visma, the strongest team in the Tour de France. The team dominates at the top of the peloton. “We are certainly different from Ineos”.
