Pogačar looked vulnerable on stage 14, but his rivals let the Tour's best gamble pass

Pogačar looked vulnerable on stage 14, but his rivals let the Tour's best gamble pass

Jonas Vingegaard exposed rare signs of discomfort on the Col du Haag, but protecting second place took priority over the attack that might have tested the yellow jersey.

By Tim Bonville-Ginn · · 5 min read

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) won stage 14 of the Tour de France on Saturday, but the result conceals an unusual spell on the Col du Haag when the yellow jersey looked vulnerable enough to attack.

Pogačar appeared pale and restless on the bike. He repeatedly shifted between sitting and standing, moved more than usual and grimaced as Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) drove the reduced favourites’ group up the Tour’s first ascent of the Col du Haag.

The signs were enough for a gamble. The issue is that the riders from second to seventh are tightly packed and the slightest mis-step could prove costly and end their chance of a podium spot.

Results

Jul 18

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Tadej Pogačar
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG4:00:07
🥈
Isaac del Toro Romero
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+0:38
🥉
Paul Seixas
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+0:38
4
Jonas Vingegaard Hansen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:44
5
Remco Evenepoel
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+0:48
6
Juan Ayuso Pesquera
LIDL-TREK+0:50
7
Florian Lipowitz
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+0:50
8
Richard Antonio Carapaz Montenegro
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+1:18
9
Tobias Halland Johannessen
UNO-X MOBILITY+1:40
10
Mattias Skjelmose Jennow Jensen
LIDL-TREK+1:40
11
Lenny Sydney Martinez
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+1:41
12
Ilan van Wilder
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+3:30
13
Yannis Voisard
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+3:30
14
Egan Arley Bernal Gomez
NETCOMPANY INEOS+3:30
15
Derek Gee
LIDL-TREK+3:30
16
Adam Richard Yates
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+3:30
17
Sepp Kuss
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+3:30
18
Thomas Pidcock
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+3:34
19
Jordan Jegat
TOTALENERGIES+5:27
20
Davide Piganzoli
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+5:27
21
Einer Augusto Rubio Reyes
MOVISTAR TEAM+5:27
22
Nicolas Prodhomme
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+9:51
23
Jai Hindley
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+10:15
24
Quinn Simmons
LIDL-TREK+11:47
25
Valentin Paret Peintre
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+12:01
26
Ben Alexander O'Connor
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+13:05
27
Matthew Riccitello
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+13:05
28
Mauro Schmid
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+13:05
29
Tiesj Benoot
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+13:05
30
Maxim van Gils
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+17:05
31
Brandon Mcnulty
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+17:07
32
Mattia Cattaneo
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+17:34
33
Carlos Verona Quintanilla
LIDL-TREK+17:34
34
Matteo Jorgenson
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+17:34
35
Tobias Svendsen Foss
NETCOMPANY INEOS+17:34
36
Xandro Meurisse
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+18:53
37
Felix Grossschartner
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+19:46
38
Anders Halland Johannessen
UNO-X MOBILITY+20:06
39
Ben Healy
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+21:13
40
Thymen Arensman
NETCOMPANY INEOS+21:13
41
Lennert van Eetvelt
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+23:21
42
Bruno Armirail
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+23:21
43
Aurélien Paret Peintre
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+23:21
44
Louis Vervaeke
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+23:21
45
Tim Wellens
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+23:49
46
Alexandre Delettre
TOTALENERGIES+23:49
47
Antonio Tiberi
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+26:29
48
Damiano Caruso
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+26:29
49
Jan Tratnik
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+26:29
50
Michael Storer
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+26:29
51
Marc Hirschi
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+26:29
52
Michael Valgren
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+26:29
53
Sean Quinn
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+26:29
54
Anders Skaarseth
UNO-X MOBILITY+26:29
55
Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia
XDS ASTANA TEAM+26:29
56
Kévin Vauquelin
NETCOMPANY INEOS+26:29
57
Quinten Hermans
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+27:38
58
Jonas Abrahamsen
UNO-X MOBILITY+29:24
59
Quentin Pacher
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+29:24
60
Felix Engelhardt
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+29:24
61
Georg Steinhauser
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+29:24
62
Raul Garcia Pierna
MOVISTAR TEAM+29:24
63
Javier Romo Oliver
MOVISTAR TEAM+29:24
64
Guillaume Martin Guyonnet
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+29:24
65
Emiel Verstrynge
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+29:24
66
Romain Gregoire
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+29:24
67
Clément Braz Afonso
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+29:24
68
Lars Craps
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+30:36
69
Vlad van Mechelen
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+30:36
70
Michael James Matthews
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+31:15
71
Clément Russo
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+31:15
72
Nils Politt
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+31:18
73
Brent van Moer
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+32:38
74
Jasper Stuyven
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+32:38
75
Liam Slock
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+32:38
76
Sebastian Berwick
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+32:38
77
Matej Mohoric
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+34:03
78
Simone Velasco
XDS ASTANA TEAM+34:03
79
Xabier Mikel Azparren Irurzun
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+34:37
80
Damien Craig Howson
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+34:37
81
Abel Balderstone Roumens
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+34:37
82
Marco Frigo
NSN CYCLING TEAM+34:37
83
Thibault Guernalec
TOTALENERGIES+34:37
84
Robert Stannard
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+34:37
85
Nico Denz
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+34:37
86
Michal Kwiatkowski
NETCOMPANY INEOS+34:37
87
Alex Aranburu Deva
COFIDIS+34:37
88
Filippo Ganna
NETCOMPANY INEOS+34:37
89
Nelson Oliveira
MOVISTAR TEAM+34:37
90
Victor Campenaerts
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+34:37
91
Kasper Asgreen
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+34:37
92
Alex Baudin
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+34:37
93
Max Walker
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+34:37
94
Ion Izaguirre Insausti
COFIDIS+34:37
95
Dylan van Baarle
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+34:37
96
Lucas Plapp
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+34:37
97
Nicolya Vinokurov
XDS ASTANA TEAM+35:23
98
Toms Skujins
LIDL-TREK+35:23
99
Alfred Brockwell Wright
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+35:23
100
Mathias Vacek
LIDL-TREK+35:23
101
Julian Alaphilippe
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+35:25
102
Mads Pedersen
LIDL-TREK+35:27
103
Tim van Dijke
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+35:30
104
Marco Haller
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+35:43
105
Edoardo Affini
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+35:43
106
Tim Marsman
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+35:43
107
Pavel Bittner
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+35:43
108
Lorenzo Germani
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+35:43
109
Michel Heßmann
MOVISTAR TEAM+35:43
110
Georg Zimmermann
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+35:43
111
Mathis le Berre
TOTALENERGIES+35:43
112
Rick Pluimers
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+35:43
113
Per Strand Hagenes
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+35:43
114
Nicolas Breuillard
TOTALENERGIES+35:43
115
Aaron Murray Gate
XDS ASTANA TEAM+35:43
116
Robbe Dhondt
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+35:43
117
Jose Felix Parra Cuerda
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+35:43
118
Mathieu van der Poel
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+35:43
119
Niklas Märkl
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+35:43
120
Frank van den Broek
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+35:43
121
Pablo Castrillo Zapater
MOVISTAR TEAM+35:43
122
Jefferson Alveiro Cepeda Hernandez
MOVISTAR TEAM+35:43
123
Florian Vermeersch
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+35:43
124
Luke Durbridge
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+35:43
125
Jonas Rickaert
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+35:43
126
Warren Barguil
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+35:43
127
Joshua Michael Tarling
NETCOMPANY INEOS+36:49
128
Baptiste Veistroffer
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+36:49
129
Pascal Ackermann
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+36:53
130
Max Kanter
XDS ASTANA TEAM+36:56
131
Davide Ballerini
XDS ASTANA TEAM+36:56
132
Harold Alfonso Tejada Canacue
XDS ASTANA TEAM+36:56
133
Joel Nicolau Beltran
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+37:02
134
Stefano Oldani
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+37:02
135
Dorian Godon
NETCOMPANY INEOS+37:02
136
Huub Artz
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+37:02
137
Phil Bauhaus
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+37:02
138
Julius van den Berg
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+37:02
139
John Degenkolb
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+37:02
140
Magnus Nielsen
UNO-X MOBILITY+37:02
141
Mike Teunissen
XDS ASTANA TEAM+37:02
142
Pascal Eenkhoorn
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+37:02
143
Jasper Philipsen
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+37:02
144
Krists Neilands
NSN CYCLING TEAM+37:02
145
Silvan Dillier
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+37:02
146
Matis Louvel
NSN CYCLING TEAM+37:47
147
Thomas Jake Stewart
NSN CYCLING TEAM+37:47
148
Anthony Turgis
TOTALENERGIES+37:51
149
Søren Wærenskjold
UNO-X MOBILITY+37:51
150
Alex Kirsch
COFIDIS+37:51
151
Kamil Gradek
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+37:51
152
Olav Kooij
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+37:51
153
Daan Hoole
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+37:51
154
Tim Merlier
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+37:51
155
Jenthe Biermans
COFIDIS+37:51
156
Milan Fretin
COFIDIS+37:51
157
Piet Allegaert
COFIDIS+37:51
158
Edward Planckaert
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+37:51
159
Biniam Girmay
NSN CYCLING TEAM+37:51
160
Jakub Otruba
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+37:51
161
Hugo Page
COFIDIS+37:51
162
Lewis Askey
NSN CYCLING TEAM+37:51
163
Benjamin Thomas
COFIDIS+37:51
164
Tom van Asbroeck
NSN CYCLING TEAM+37:51
165
George Bennett
NSN CYCLING TEAM+37:51
166
Joris Delbove
TOTALENERGIES+37:51
167
Ewen Costiou
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+37:51
168
Cees Bol
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+37:51
169
Matteo Vercher
TOTALENERGIES+37:57

Vingegaard looked like he would be in the right place to take it to Pogačar after he was paced by Sepp Kuss on the earlier slopes taking over from Nicolas Prodhomme (Decathlon-CMA CGM). However, Vingegaard had a different objective: those who sit behind him on GC. He was focused on Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) who started the day just 30 seconds down on the Dane. Vingegaard tried to use the gradients at high tempo to dislodge Evenepoel rather than using them to attack Pogačar with the sharp accelerations we know he's capable of.

Vingegaard’s tempo needed one more test

The Col du Haag was unusually well-suited to a high-risk move. Its 11.2km irregular ascent averaged 7.3%, included ramps reaching 15% and crested only 5.9km from the finish. An attack on one of its steepest sections offered a chance to create separation before the flatter run to Le Markstein.

The changing gradient also complicated that opportunity. Vingegaard could apply pressure where the road pitched upwards, while Pogačar’s greater total power became more valuable when it flattened or descended. Vingegaard therefore needed to attack hard enough to establish a useful gap, knowing that a failed move could leave him exposed to the riders behind.

But another acceleration was needed at one point. If the objective was to challenge for yellow rather than defend second, the sight of Pogačar shifting around and grimacing demanded one direct test.

It is a shame that Vingegaard didn't try an all-or-nothing move here – I’d argue it was the most vulnerable he has appeared in this Tour. But it's equally possible that Vingegaard was riding at threshold the whole climb, and so had nowhere to go beyond that. In that case, perhaps some different tactics were needed. But the Dane shouldn't be looking at protecting second. He has won every Grand Tour and has already taken one this year. He has no reason to just accept second. He should be trying to challenge, even though he is almost four minutes down.

Responsibility cannot simply be transferred to the rest of the contenders. Evenepoel was dropped before the decisive phase, while Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) were later riding to contain their losses. Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) recovered to finish third and take the white jersey, but his strong ride did not prove he could have attacked Pogačar and held him off after the summit. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who finished second, was also racing alongside his team leader.

Pogačar eventually recognised that everybody else was near the limit. He attacked about 1.5km before the summit, quickly opened a gap and extended it on the faster approach to the finish. He won his 25th Tour stage and increased his advantage over Vingegaard from 3:36 to 4:30.

It was clear in the final moments of the Col du Haag that Vingegaard had used up all his energy and had nothing left after initially holding Pogačar well, it then ballooned out to 38 seconds on Del Toro and Seixas and 44 seconds on Vingegaard who only managed to take a measly four seconds on Evenepoel by the finish.

Pogačar was guarded in a post-race interview published on the Tour’s official website: "I knew Isaac (del Toro) was not at his very best so I was waiting for the last 2 kilometres to see if there was movement, but Decathlon CMA CGM set a really hard pace on the climb," he said.

"Guys dropped one by one. I felt good. So I thought I would try in the final 2km. I knew that section really well. And the crowds give you an additional boost to go to the top. I felt good so I took the opportunity.

"It’s a really perfect day. We marked this stage since the beginning. It’s an incredible area for cycling and I already had great memories from here. We take another one as a team.

"Tomorrow is a bit more difficult. It will be a hard day for us but we will be ready to fight and see what happens. There will be lots of options tomorrow."

However, we have learnt over the years that Pogačar and team never ever admit he is suffering until after the race is done. Plenty of news emerged about the World Champion suffering all the way to Paris in last year's race.

Tuesday’s 26.1km time trial gives Vingegaard a sound reason to protect his narrow advantage over Evenepoel. Yet conserving second place and trying to win the Tour require different calculations. On the Col du Haag, the conservative choice was defensible. Beating Pogačar may require taking the gamble anyway.

Cover image credit: A.S.O./Charly López

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Tim Bonville-Ginn headshot

Tim Bonville-Ginn

Pro cycling contributor

Tim Bonville-Ginn is a freelance writer who has worked in cycling for well over a decade with his articles being featured across publications such as Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Cyclist, Rouleur, Eurosport, Road cc, Domestique, and more.

As well as writing, Tim has worked as a social media and press manager for professional teams Human Powered Health, Global 6, and Saint Piran across Europe as well as commentating on races such as the African Continental Championships, Tour de Feminin and multiple rounds of the British road and circuit series for Golazo and Monument Cycling.

Expertise:Racing