If not now, then never again. The fight for the championship at the Tour de France culminates. Today, the peloton is completing the last mountain stage, which will give a strong indication of the ambitions of the competitors in the fight for the championship in the overall standings.
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The yellow jersey will be defended by the still sovereign Tadej Pogačar and if the opponents want to get closer to him, they have the last chance. They will also be checked by the ancestor of the Pyrenees peaks – the majestic Tourmalet.
Circuit of death
If the Tour is characterized by one of the hills, then it is him. This year, it appears in the itinerary of the most famous races for the 88th time. It was first included in the program by the organizers in 1910, and it was the most difficult track the Old Lady had ever experienced.
The tenth stage included seven challenging climbs, four of which reached the Peyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet and Aubisque mountain peaks. The galleys, which journalists called the “circle of death”, measured a total of up to 326 km.
“You are murderers! How can one do such a thing to a person? ”Shouted the later winner of the Octave Lapize stage after the Tourmalet, with bloody eyes and a furious expression on his face, walking on his own, pushing the bike in front of him.
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His anger can be understood. A route with similar parameters should also be a problem for current stars, who can rely on modern cycling technology.
One hundred years ago, racers rode in one gear without a derailleur, surrounded by spare tires. Service cars with mechanics? They had never dreamed of such a thing.
The Tourmalet remains a scarecrow. Peter Velits also has experience with the legendary mountain. His memories of the drastic climb are strong, but apparently not the most beautiful.
“For me, it was clearly the most difficult and at the same time the most unpopular test on the whole Tour. Tourmalet is 30 kilometers of constant work, “recalls the former Slovak cyclist.
Missing attacks
Today, riders will go through the so-called western route. The first third of the hill is relatively undemanding, but then the slope does not fall below eight percent. After the descent to Luz-Saint-Sauveur, the last hill of TdF 2021 – Luz-Ardiden awaits the peloton.
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The road to the ski resort measures 13.3 km (slope 7.4%). The fourth and fifth kilometers are especially sharp, which can be a suitable place for strong people interested in attacks.
However, they are still missing. Experts and fans alike complain that the dominant Pogačar and the reluctance of rivals to attack his lead make Tour boredom. Isolated attacks were made by Ben O’Connor or Guillaume Martin, but the others stay behind.
“It is a pity that Roglič had to resign due to injuries. The others either do not have Pogachar, or just ride, do not attack and wait for his hesitation. No wonder spectators complain about boring races, “says 2012 Tour Champion Bradley Wiggins.
After today’s stage, only three inspections remain on the program. Tomorrow it will be mostly flat and a mass run of the peloton is expected.
On Saturday, there is a time trial on the program, where opponents can take the lead down, but it is impossible to erase the five-minute loss. Pogačar would have to fail to ride against the chronometer in a similar style as last year Roglič.
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“All teams are tactical. For some, the goal is a stage triumph, for others a place on the Paris podium. If they take a risk in one stage, it can be avenged in the next.
That’s why the battle for the overall championship may seem lifeless to some, “says Merijn Zeeman, Jumbo’s Visma sports director.
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