Jonas Vingegaard or Tadej Pogacar?
The fight for the yellow jersey seems to come down to this duel between the 25-year-old Dane and the 23-year-old Slovenian.
If the Welshman Geraint Thomas remains in ambush in third place, the final victory seems destined for one of these two riders who dazzle the Tour de France 2022.
Two men, two characters, two different profiles.
Vingegaard, focused and stubborn, did more than resist the double defending champion: he pushed him into error last Wednesday in the alpine stage of the Col du Granon to steal the yellow jersey from him.
Today, he was 2 min 22 ahead of his current runner-up.
"The gap seems significant but the time is quite long," warned the wearer of the yellow jersey.
"If an opportunity arises, I'm likely to attack Tadej. It all depends on the legs. If I feel good..."
The match promises to be open as the Tour de France attacks the third week and the Pyrenees.
• The Pyrenees succeed in Pogacar
After the Ariège appetizer swallowed Tuesday in Foix, the survivors of the Tour attack two hard mountain stages which end in arrivals at the top, in a replica of the alpine program.
On Wednesday, a route with no downtime in the last 76 kilometers (four climbs) leads to the Peyragudes altiport after a grueling eight-kilometre climb.
On Thursday, the organizers are innovating by going through the unique Spandelles pass, after Aubisque, to reach the Hautacam station.
"We want this last mountain stage to mark the Tour", announces race director Thierry Gouvenou about this relentless sequence, a first category pass framed by two climbs classified at the highest, out of category.
Can Tadej Pogacar take the opportunity to catch up?
It's possible.
The mountain range in the south of France does well for the Slovenian.
For his first Tour, he won his first stage in Laruns.
In 2021, he had not even left crumbs for his opponents, winning the victories at the Col du Portet in Luz-Ardiden, disgusting his dolphins Carapaz and... Jonas Vingegaard.
However, the current yellow jersey can be reassured.
"Pogie" never took him more than five seconds per stage in the Pyrenees.
Having the advantage of having to defend, he should be able to calmly manage his lead.
• Both teams are now tied
Finished the Tadej Pogacar in numerical inferiority, the black Sunday lived on the road to Carcassonne by the Jumbo-Visma restored the balance between the two main contenders for the final victory.
With five teammates to support them, the Dane and the Slovenian are tied numerically.
If on the side of Pogacar, it was the Covid which was responsible for removing two supports from him – Vegard Stake Laengen and George Bennett – it was the falls that got the better of two teammates in the yellow jersey: Primoz Roglic, never recovered of his fall in the cobblestone stage, and Steven Kruijswijk, who tasted the bitumen on the 15th stage.
Admittedly, Jonas Vingegaard is far from helpless.
He can count on the green jersey Wout Van Aert, able to do the work of several teammates on his own.
"If necessary, he will ride for three as he knows how to do so well", assures his sporting director Grischa Niermann.
The general manager of UAE Team Emirates, Mauro Gianetti, does not say anything else.
He says he dreams of signing the green jersey: "There is a rider I would like to add to my team, it's Wout Van Aert", he said.
"It will unfortunately remain a dream [...] Jumbo-Visma will never let such a rider go."
• Who will take the lead in the individual time trial?
As is customary in recent years, a time trial will represent the last opportunity for the riders in the general classification to reverse the situation.
"This hilly course on which we are always engaged", in the opinion of local David Moncoutié, ends with two climbs to reach Rocamadour.
On these 40 km, will Tadej repeat the shot of the clock of the Planche des Belles filles, when he had stolen the yellow jersey from Primoz Roglic on the 20th stage?
Nothing is less sure.
"Pogie" is, of course, a better rider than his opponent: out of seven professional time trial clashes, he has won five successes - compared to two for the Dane.
During the Tour de France 2021, the first time in Laval had turned to the advantage of Pogacar, when the second between Libourne and Saint-Émilion had seen Vingegaard ahead of him.
To resume 2 min 22 on a chrono seems disproportionate.
It was also what we were already saying in 2020, before Pogacar distanced Roglic by 1 min 56 …
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