Visma-Lease a Bike used their combined strength and efficient tactics to maintain their position against Tadej Pogaฤar and other overall rivals during the gravel stage 9 of the Tour de France near Troyes. The Dutch team, known for their dominance in Grand Tour racing, has opted for a different strategy in 2024: defence over attack. Pogaฤar remains their biggest threat.
Jonas Vingegaard, after suffering serious injuries in the Itzulia Basque Country crash in early April, has only been training for six weeks. Visma-Lease a Bike’s plan is to limit Vingegaard’s time losses to Pogaฤar, hoping Vingegaard will peak in the final week of the Tour in the high mountains.
Pogaฤar’s aggressive approach
After winning the Giro d’Italia, Pogaฤar is adopting an aggressive strategy, trying to gain time on his GC rivals whenever possible, perhaps before the fatigue of racing two Grand Tours catches up with him. This approach has created an epic battle.
Vingegaard lost 50 seconds on the stage over the Galibier to Valloire and then 25 seconds in the Cote d’Or time trial. Currently, Vingegaard is 1:15 behind Pogaฤar in the GC standings. Remco Evenepoel sits between them, 33 seconds behind Pogaฤar, with Primoลพ Rogliฤ fourth at 1:36.
Gravel stage dynamics
On the gravel roads, Pogaฤar tried to surge away several times. With 77km to go, he joined Evenepoel, with Vingegaard on his wheel. However, the Dane refused to collaborate, and the trio eventually eased up, returning to the GC group.
Pogaฤar then made a huge effort and double attack on the Daudes gravel sector with 21km to go. Vingegaard struggled and was slightly distanced as Christophe Laporte tried to follow Pogaฤar, only to blow up. Fortunately, Matteo Jorgenson emerged and dragged Vingegaard up to Pogaฤar’s wheel. Evenepoel and Rogliฤ were dropped, marking a significant moment in the GC battle. However, Vingegaard and Jorgenson chose not to work with Pogaฤar, likely following team orders. With Visma-Lease a Bike riders in the group, there was no need to risk going with Pogaฤar, only to be distanced near the finish.
Team strategy and reactions
โIt wasnโt that stressful because we had the strongest team for this stage,โ Jorgenson reasoned. โWe were on the front of every single gravel sector, and we had confidence that we could get ourselves out of any problem.โ
Jorgenson praised his team leader for staying calm after swapping bikes with Jan Tratnik mid-stage and for racing logically all the way to the finish. โHe was doing incredible for the situation. He did an incredible job, Iโm proud of him,โ Jorgenson said. โHe was riding with a different position, different bars and a different reach. It was impressive. Heโs just so light too; heโs not suited to gravel but he did it.โ
Senior directeur sportif Merijn Zeeman also highlighted Jorgenson’s performance. โMatteo did some fantastic work for Jonas, and weโre so happy to have him in the team,โ Zeeman said. โWhen Pogaฤar attacked, he played for a moment and then closed the gap. That was superb. Pogaฤar was incredible, and we need the whole team to control him and slow him down.โ
Main photo credit: ASO – Billy Ceusters