Evenepoel secures stage victory
Remco Evenepoel achieved consecutive stage wins in the Tour de France, narrowing Tadej Pogacar’s overall lead. Evenepoel, the Olympic road and time trial champion, secured victory in the stage 16 time trial from Evian to Thonon-les-Bains. This win marks his third career Tour de France time trial victory.
Evenepoel finished 28 seconds ahead of Pogacar, reducing the Slovenian’s advantage to just over four and a half minutes. The Belgian rider, now second overall in the Tour, expressed his satisfaction, stating, “It’s been a while since I’ve been on this level so it feels amazing to be in this good shape in the Tour.” He also acknowledged Pogacar as a “superstar” but emphasized that the race is “not over yet,” with challenging stages still to come.
The victory was particularly significant for Evenepoel as it occurred on a course similar to one in 2024 where he had previously lost to Pogacar in a Tour time trial. Patxi Vila, Head Sports Director for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, described Evenepoel’s performance as “spectacular” and highlighted the extensive preparation that contributed to the win.
Teammate’s crash overshadows triumph
Evenepoel’s success was accompanied by mixed emotions due to the loss of his Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe teammate, Florian Lipowitz. Lipowitz, who finished third in the Tour last year, withdrew from the race after crashing during the time trial. He fell on a tight right-hand bend while exiting a downhill section, was carried away on a stretcher, and later confirmed to have suffered a broken collarbone.
The incident occurred at approximately 19.8 km into the 26.1 km individual time trial. Vila immediately alerted Evenepoel, who started later, to exercise caution on the same corner where Lipowitz had crashed. This marks the second consecutive stage in which a general classification contender has exited the race, following Jonas Vingegaard’s departure on Sunday.
Evenepoel described Lipowitz’s exit as a “very bittersweet pill to swallow,” expressing sadness for his teammate who had made significant sacrifices for the Tour. He noted that Lipowitz, considered one of the best climbers, would be greatly missed in the upcoming stages. The loss of Lipowitz, who was running fifth overall and a potential podium finisher, represents a significant setback for the team’s overall strategy, reducing their two-headed general classification challenge to a single effort.
Doping test controversy continues
Amidst the ongoing race, the debate surrounding the ITA drug testing agency’s nocturnal activities has intensified. This includes 2 am and 5 am visits to Vingegaard and Pogacar, respectively, last Sunday. The decision to test both riders outside the typical 6 am to 11 pm window has drawn criticism, despite being authorized by the Paris prosecutor’s office.
Jonathan Vaughters, manager of the EF Education EasyPost team, commented on the situation, suggesting that obtaining a warrant from a French judge might not be difficult given the sport’s history. However, Vaughters also stated his support for the ITA, viewing the tests as an example of their effective work, while questioning the perceived high bar for judicial warrants in such cases.
Pascal Chanteur, vice-president of the CPA, the professional riders association, also questioned the prosecutor’s actions, implying a lack of understanding of cycling. While the CPA supports night-time testing when sufficient evidence exists, Chanteur suggested that the differing test times for Vingegaard and Pogacar were due to the ITA’s limited resources. The French sports code mandates that testing procedures must ensure proportionality between infringing an athlete’s rights and the objectives of anti-doping efforts. The outcomes of these tests remain undisclosed, leaving a cloud of suspicion over Pogacar as he pursues a potential record-equalling fifth Tour win.
Looking ahead in the race
With Lipowitz out, the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team faces a strategic shift. Vila acknowledged the loss of one of their leaders as a “big blow” and stated that the team would need to adjust their strategy accordingly. Despite the setback, Vila expressed confidence in Evenepoel’s improving form, noting that the team is “getting stronger and stronger” as they approach the final part of the race.
Regarding the competition for third place on the podium, Vila predicted a “good fight” between Paul Seixas and Isaac Del Toro. He observed that while Del Toro might have performed better in the first week, Seixas has been improving, making the current standings very even. Pogacar’s teammate, Isaac del Toro, remains in third place overall, with Seixas now within 20 seconds of a podium position after gaining time on the Mexican rider in the time trial.
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Source: theguardian.com
