Tour de France Stage 15: Jonas Vindegaard Crashes; Pogačar Retains Yellow Despite Loss
Tour de France stage 15 was very eventful. Jonas Vindegaard, the second-place rider in the race, crashed and abandoned the race about 12 miles from the finish. Tadeg Pogacar came in second in the stage, but maintained the leader’s yellow jersey.
The eventful stage saw a large, 24-rider breakaway that included several great riders, including a friend of the break in three of the last four stages, Tom Pidcock. With the abandonment of Vindegaard, it is now all but assured that Pogacar will win the Tour. Who else do you think will be on the podium?
Tour de France Stage 15 Summary
Stage 15 of the Tour de France featured a ginormous ending climb and some big news. Jonas Vindegaard, in second place overall in the tour, crashed about 12 miles from the finish. He was loaded into a medical car with his arm in a sling.
Tadej Pogacar, the overall leader in the tour, was second in the stage but maintained his overall lead. With his main rival now out of the tour, he will almost certainly win. However, a new rival emerged. Remco Evenepoel won the stage. He is now second overall in the standings, 5 full minutes back.
Before the crash and the eventual Evenepoel stage win, this stage of the tour featured a dangerous breakaway. The group of the break included Tom Pidcock, 3 Visma Riders in Carapants, Armaral, Mateo Jorgeson, the Joregenson twins, Paratentra, Enir Rubio. This was a very strong breakaway; there was no way it was going to be allowed to stay away.
The final climb of the day was 11 kilometers at a 9% grade. The final standings of the stage were Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates XRG), his teammate Isaac del Toro six seconds back, the young French sensation was fourth, Paul Seixas 58 seconds back, and Florian Lipowitz was fifth in the same time.
The overall standings change somewhat with Vindegaard out. Pogacar retained his overall lead. Remco Evenepoel is now second, 5 minutes back; Isaac del Toro is third. Paul Seixas is fourth, and Florian Lipowuts, like the stage, is fifth overall.
Videgaard Crash Mars Exciting Day
Remco Evenepoel pulled away from a group of three riders with just 400 meters left in the race. However, he is now in second place overall, with Jonas Vindegaard crashing and being forced to abandon the tour. This injury marred an otherwise exciting day, inculcated a large and talented breakaway, and a beyond categorization climb. The race featured a mountain top finish at a ski station.
It is a little amazing to think that these men, who may be the best athletes in the world, are making these huge climbs on these stages. The tour is entering its third week, and before today had not even climbed half the vertical meters on the course. But this celebration of the greatness of cycling. Vindegaard has a broken collarbone. His season is likely over.
So, the Tour will climb the famous Alp d’Huez twice without Vindegaard. That is a shame because he is Pogacar’s main rival, who said he was looking forward to the longer climbs scheduled on this tour. Alp d’Huez has those famous switchbacks, so it is very scenic. Now it will happen without a great cyclist.
Conclusion
After this great mountain top finish, and the three mountain climb stage of yesterday, tomorrow is a rest day in the tour. This is the second rest day on this tour. It will give the riders a chance to recon the stage 16 individual time trial. That stage is a slight opportunity for rivals to put some time into the lead of Poacar, though he is a pretty good time trialer, and the yellow jersey itself contains some power. It is worth noting that Remco Evenepoel is probably the best time trialist in the world.
