tour de france 2024: stage 19
by Rémy Rossi
A new Lease on life?
Today marked the third-to-last stage of this year’s Tour as time was running out for Jonas Vingegaard to attempt to push Pogačar from his throne. The UAE team leader already had a significant advantage coming into Stage 19 but we’ve learned to never say never when these two giants clash, especially in the high mountains that have historically favored the Dane. Team Visma Lease-A-Bike appeared to be on the offensive from the start, positioning Matteo Jorgenson and Wilco Kelderman in the day’s main break as crucial satelite riders in case Vingegaard can escape up the road. It was a well-executed strategy— and potentially one of his last opportunities to eat into Pogačar’s advantage— but Vingegaard couldn’t close the deal. He went onto the radio later in the stage reporting that he simply didn’t have the legs to make the plan work. This subsequently freed up an in-form Jorgenson to go for the stage win.
First loser, a second time
With team permission and even more permissive legs on the day, Matteo Jorgenson stuck with an elite but ever-dwindling breakaway bunch including previous stage winner Richard Carapaz and a very fit Simon Yates. Jorgenson launched on the final climb to Isola 2000 and dropped his fellow escapees, making a convincing move for the victory with Pogačar nearly two minutes back and only a few kilometers to go.
Pogačar, however, as we know by now is capable of near-miracles. But he wouldn’t be blessing anybody other than himself today. He swept up the stragglers of the breakaway littered across the last climb as he hunted down Jorgenson. It didn’t seem so much as an active hunt but rather Pogačar simply riding at his otherwordly pace. The result was the same, though, and was slowly encroaching on the American’s lead which seemed so infallible lead moment ago.
With an agonizingly short 2 kilometers remaining on the day (less even!), Pogačar passed Jorgenson. Whoosh. I’m not sure you could hear the Slovenian washing over Jorgenson but you feel the thud of Matteo’s heart dropping. Fuck, not again. Fuck, Fuck. Shit.
Tragically, this wasn’t the first time Jorgenson had suffered a fate similar to this one. At last year’s Tour de France, Michael Woods snuck by him with a perfectly timed and paced ascent of the Puy de Dôme to end Stage 9 and claim victory. Jorgenson was mere kilometers from taking his maiden Tour stage win. Today, there was heartbreak again. And it’s got to hurt.
A hand to hold
It wasn’t all heartache on the day, though. Pogačar provided us with a stellar fourth stage victory in this 3-week epic and firmly staked his claim on the yellow jersey. It almost takes the pressure off of podium contenders Vingegaard and Evenepoel— Pogačar is simply in another league and there’s deinitely no stopping him now. The 2nd and 3rd placed GC riders seemed to accept their fate while united through a common enemy. They crossed the finished line and extended their slender wrists out to each other, shaking hands and congratulating the fact that they had survived.
A warm gesture of comraderie and brotherly love stands out while this generation’s Cannibal is making minced meat out of the entire peloton. Even amid bitter rivalries and fierce competition, cycling at its best is still quite a class act.
Hands
Touchin' hands
Reachin' out
Touching me, touchin' youuuuu.
Touchin' hands
Reachin' out
Touching me, touchin' youuuuu.
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