Emotion to the end: Van Aert wins the time trial in Rocamadour with a scare from Vingegaard included

• Classifications This is the Tour

Until the last day, a Tour of emotions.

Of hearts in a fist, of images to remember.

That of

in yellow will remain, the long-awaited hug with his wife and with his girl, with whom he spoke every day on the phone after the effort, at the Rocamadour finish line.

But also that of a curve with just over two kilometers to go, with his first Tour already in his pocket, when everything could have gone to waste.

Luck is also part of success.

The Dane saved her by the hair, like that mechanical failure in the descent of Spandelles.

There he saw the danger and raised his foot, because he was flying, disputing the stage against none other than his teammate

.

[Narration and rankings]

The Belgian was the final winner, for the fun of the Jumbo Visma, six stages already, the yellow, the green and the polka dot.

A choral display for the history books.

Van Aert awaited his leader at the finish line, happiness for all.

It was also a beautiful time trial, as even

were in the running for the win.

Van Aert's brutal final stretch and Vingegaard's scare ended up deciding.

It is the seventh time that he has won (he has been second in another five, including the prologue in Copenhagen and two World Championships) in his career the great protagonist of this Tour, who on Sunday, to round off, will also seek to raise his arms in the Campos Elysees against the best sprinters, like last year.

It was the first time in his life that Jonas faced a time trial of more than 40 kilometers - the longest of his career so far is the 2019 Danish Championship (39.8 kilometers) and he finished 22nd -, and he showed that it is not only a devastating climber.

Perfect aerodynamics, power despite his light physique, he was marking the best time until the end.

Yellow gives wings, they say.

Although nothing had to be played, because the miracle of La Planche des Belles Filles was impossible this time except for mishap.

That day the legend of Pogacar began, when he

, like

in 1989

, much to local chagrin.

Vingegaard, in Rocamadour.ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULATAFP

But the lace of Hautacam was too much for the Slovenian, the 3:26 with which he started from Lacapelle-Marival a world for the more than 40 kilometers to Rocamadour, despite the hardness of the route, the rough asphalt and the two final heights that make the exhausted legs of cyclists burn after more than 3,000 kilometers in three weeks.

It soon became apparent that he was even far from contending for victory.

He finished 27 seconds behind Van Aert and discounted eight more with a Vingegaard who entered completely relaxed.

A year ago at Saint Emilion Vingegaard was better than his nemesis.

But that day, with the Tour sentenced, Pogi, who this Saturday, a while before leaving, had traveled the route of his teammate

in his team car , without losing any detail of the unprecedented finish, nothing was at stake.

The battle that the future holds, in all fields, will be brutal.

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