Pogačar takes back more time on Vingegaard on Tour de France summit finish

Perhaps more was expected in the GC battle on Friday’s Tour de France summit finish, but Tadej Pogačar did manage to shave off more of Jonas Vingegaard’s lead. The Dane now leads the Slovenian by nine seconds. Michal Kwiatkowski emerged out of the day’s breakaway to win his second career Tour stage. Escapee Hugo Houle was the top Canadian in 32nd.

The Course

Friday’s Bastille Day route was a strange one. The first 80 km were flat before a long, uncategorized lump. After a roll through the valley, it was time for the mighty Grand Colombier, an HC beast of 17.8 km at 7 percent, its final 3.4 km at 9.2 percent.

Grand Colombier on #BastilleDay!#TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/XII9E1THAF

— Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) July 14, 2023

If you expected a big breakaway on Bastille Day, you got it. Hugo Houle was in on the 19-strong move, one that was kept on a short leash. By the time it reached the big lump, the escape group was 2:19 ahead of the peloton.

The Houle move reached the peak of the lump two riders lighter and with a slightly larger gap. By the time it reached the foot of Grand Colombier, the break was 4:00 ahead of the UAE-Emirates-powered peloton. Was it enough?

Grand Colombier

Frenchman Quentin Pacher dashed away from his breakmates. At first he held off a chase of nine riders. UAE-Emirates continued to dictate the pace of the peloton.

James Shaw, Maxim Van Gil and Harold Tejeda found Pacher out front with 13 km remaining. They still held a considerable gap over the yellow jersey group as they snaked their way up the climb. Pacher fell away. Kwiatkowski joined in and then went solo.

Kwiatkowski soon rolled up a half-minute gap over Shaw and company. In the favourites group, Thibaut Pinot was the first to be dropped as UAE-Emirates carried on with its business.

Adam Yates attacked and Vingegaard’s lieutenant Sepp Kuss closed him down. Jai Hindley, Simon Yates, Tom Pidcock and Carlos Rodriguez were still accounted for. This thinned-out group picked off the riders who had been in the breakaway.

Just after the Pole raised his hands in victory, Pogačar attacked, pulled out a small gap and flew past a few fugitives to take the last of the bonus seconds.

Saturday shoehorns a Cat. 3, three Cat. 1s and an HC climb into 152 km. The stage has another HC final ascent, this one cresting 18 km before the finish line.

2023 Tour de France Stage 13
1) Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland/Ineos) 3:17:33
2) Maxim Van Gils (Belgium/Lotto-Dstny) +0:47
3) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) +0:50
32) Hugo Houle (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) +5:32

2023 Tour de France GC
1) Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark/Jumbo-Visma) 53:48:50
2) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) +0:09
3) Jai Hindley (Australia/Bora-Hansgrohe) +2:51
4) Carlos Rodriguez (Spain/Ineos) +4:48
5) Adam Yates (Great Britain/UAE-Emirates) +5:03