Nothing seems to be able to prevent Vingegaard from hanging on to his prize list at the age of 25 and from his second participation in the most prestigious stage race on the calendar.

On Saturday, he finished again ahead of his biggest rival, Tadej Pogacar, in the Rocamadour time trial and he has a 3 min 34 sec lead in the general classification over the Slovenian, before the final stage.

Rather than the fight for the general classification, frozen, it is a last contest between sprinters which should animate the 21st stage, a loop west of the capital followed by the traditional circuit of the Champs-Élysées.

Tour de France 2022: profile 21st stage Vincent LEFAI AFP

Since 2005, the Grande Boucle has systematically ended with a massive sprint, perhaps the most prestigious in the world, on the famous Parisian avenue.

Final bouquet for van Aert?

The Belgian Wout van Aert, winner of the stage last year, could double the bet and ideally conclude this Tour de France, during which he burst the screen with his versatility, winning the 4th stage alone in turn. , the 8th in the sprint and the 20th in the form of a time trial.

To his victories, we must also add the yellow jersey, which he wore four days in a row, his coup de force in the ascent to Hautacam, where he dropped Pogacar, and a panache at all times.

From there to consider a destiny of leader of a team?

In the meantime, the Belgian has been designated the super-combative of the Tour on Saturday and will win, barring any incident, the green jersey.

Belgian Wout Van Aert celebrates his victory during the time trial between Lacapelle-Marival and Rocamadour, 20th and penultimate stage of the Tour de France cyclist, on July 23, 2022 Anne-Christine POUJOULAT AFP

Before the sprint, the 21st stage will be run, as is customary, at a less frantic pace than usual, and will even look like a parade for the Jumbo-Visma team, which should drink a glass of champagne before the peloton let Vingegaard enter the Champs-Élysées first.

Dominating Vingegaard and Jumbo

This honor will crown the supremacy of the Dane, 2nd in the 2021 Tour, and his team throughout the race.

From this edition of the Tour de France, we will remember his superiority in the Col du Granon (eleventh stage), at the top of which he won and delighted the yellow jersey in Pogacar, never to let go, before confirmation in Hautacam (18th stage).

Better in the Alps and in the Pyrenees, Vingegaard only had a moment of doubt in the cobblestones of the fifth stage.

"I had a chain problem, I panicked, I changed bikes several times, a lot of stress, admitted the Dane on Saturday. It's the only time it didn't happen according to the plan. Everything else went really well."

His probable final victory also rewards the Jumbo formation, imperial throughout the race despite several retirements (Primoz Roglic, Steven Kruijswijk, Nathan Van Hooydonck), and victorious six times.

The Dutch collective managed to bend Pogacar, double winner in title, who will undoubtedly experience the first real failure of his young career.

Behind the Dane and the Slovenian, the Welshman Geraint Thomas (Ineos) should complete the podium for the third time after his coronation in 2018 and his second place the following year.

But that the gap between the two prodigies and the rest of the peloton seemed large throughout the Tour...

"The two in front, Pogacar and Vingegaard, are from another generation, they are incredible," summed up Thomas, who is more than eight minutes behind Vingegaard overall.

For the French, the results are mixed: it was not until the 19th stage on Friday that a Habs, Christophe Laporte (Jumbo), won, but David Gaudu (Groupama) confirmed his progress by taking fourth place.

However, far behind Vingegaard.

The Dane, also wearing the polka dot jersey, will be the second runner from his country to appear on the winners' list of the race, 26 years after the controversial Bjarne Riis.

© 2022 AFP