Don’t look now. Just when you thought this Tour de France might be over, that Jonas Vingegaard had all the answers, the momentum turns again. Vingegaard, who has looked impregnable since taking the yellow jersey from Tadej Pogacar in the Alps on Wednesday, lost two key teammates to injuries on Sunday in a development that could have “huge” consequences for this race, the deputy team boss of Ineos Grenadiers said. Rod Ellingworth.
First Primoz Roglic, the three-time Vuelta a Espana champion, left just before the start of stage 15. Jumbo-Visma said the Slovenian had failed to overcome the injuries sustained in his crash on the cobbled stage in week one . But the timing seemed odd.
Roglic may have been in pain, but he seemed to ride well enough and played a key role on the podium to the Col du Granon where Jumbo successfully overtook Pogacar. Surely he could have stumbled on, if only to see if he could lend a hand in the Pyrenees? The rumor in the paddock was that the 31-year-old wanted to put down tools to prepare for another blast at the Vuelta next month, and Jumbo felt they had enough in reserve without him.
If that is the case, the Dutch team will bitterly regret their decision. A hellish stage from Rodez to Carcassonne, with temperatures up to 40C, turned out to be a disaster for Jumbo. First, Steven Kruijswijk, a former Tour podium finisher and a key mountaineer for Vingegaard, crashed with 65km to go and was unable to continue due to a suspected broken collarbone.
Then Vingegaard himself fell, along with another Jumbo rider, Tiesj Benoot. Both were able to get back on their bikes, with Vingegaard later shrugging what he described as a bit of “road rash”. But it’s often the second day after a crash when a rider really knows if he’s injured or not; depending on how much the body stiffens, or whether their sleep is affected.