Jonas Vingegaard

Don't miss out on the latest CyclingTips updates. ... Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) stormed to a historic stage victory atop the hors-category Col du Granon ...

Pogačar finished seventh in the end, and now sits third overall 2:22 down. After having the numbers at the foot of the climb, Vingegaard was suddenly the only podium contender without teammates and some of the hardest ramps to come, giving rise to speculation as to the success of Jumbo-Visma’s extraordinary plan. The Dane took over the race lead by a significant margin as Pogačar succumbed to a rare and punishing defeat.

Jonas Vingegaard finished off a relentless display from Jumbo-Visma in the Alps to wrestle the yellow jersey off Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates).

But there was only one true king of the mountain on Wednesday, with Jonas Vingegaard delivering what could well have been the knock-out blow to Tadej Pogacar’s bid for an historic hat-trick of Tour wins. Rafal Majka managed to fight back to put himself in the service of his leader, but when Vingegaard lay down the gauntlet on the Granon, the Polish climber was incapable of closing the gap. Of course, a second place is a nice result on the GC – but I tried this last year and now I want to go for the victory, and that’s what I did today. We thought that was in my favour and in the favour of Primoz [Roglic]. I took a lot of time today but I would never have done that without my teammates – I really had to thank my teammates. Luckily it succeeded and I have the yellow jersey – so I’m going to keep on fighting for yellow and Paris.” “We made a plan from the start of the day.

Vingegaard wins epic battle of the favourites taking overall lead in dramatic Alpine showdown.

Quintana closed to 1-25 on his teammate, and the contenders were closing in too. The group of overall contenders were 4-50 further back on the approach to the final climb. Primož Roglič, Tadej Pogačar, Christophe Laporte, Jonas Vingegaard and Geraint Thomas were now clear and 6-36 behind the leading group as they flew towards the Col du Galibier. With Wout Van Aert still up the road, Jumbo-Visma were firmly in the driving seat as the race neared its first Hors Categorie climb of the 2022 Tour de France. 58 kilometres to go and Vingegaard would explode in a huge attack drawing Pogačar with him. Gescke was pushing on with Van Aert and Barguil and the pace proved to be too much for the Dutchman. Sensing that Roglič was beginning to tire, Pogačar would attack himself, distancing his fellow Slovenian, Kuss and Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers). Pogačar was clearly trying to isolate Vingegaard and he would attack again. Roglič would try again as they summited the Télégraphe although the race leader was set on not allowing Roglič out of his sight. Matteo Cattaneo (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) was putting in a huge effort to try and bridge across to the front and would eventually make it. For the first time in his career, Pogačar was under serious pressure and would soon be seriously isolated on the Col du Galibier. Roglič and Vingegaard would continue to work Pogačar over with Thomas watching on. The breakaway were swapping turns on the front and working efficiently as they continued the climb and were bound for the giant Col du Galibier. In a dramatic move on the summit of the Col du Telegraphe, Primož Roglič attacked forcing Tadej Pogačar to follow as Roglič pulled Jonas Vingegaard with him. By the time the race reached the final climb, the phenomenal efforts of Wout Van Aert had brought Roglič back to the group of contenders. The moment Christian Prudhomme dropped the flag, both Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) were straight on the attack.

Jumbo-Visma's Jonas Vingegaard says he "has no back pain at all" despite a report in Le Parisien ahead of Stage 11 of the Tour de France claiming he does.

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Jonas Vingegaard has won the first big mountain stage of the Tour de France to claim the yellow jersey from Tadej Pogacar.

“We thought it would go in my favor and in the favor of Primoz,” he said. “On the Galibier, over the top, he was very strong,” Vingegaard said. “I took a lot of time today, and I would have never done it without my teammates. With his teammate Primoz Roglic, Vingegaard relentlessly attacked Pogacar in the thin air. Vingegaard was first at the summit, 59 seconds ahead of Nairo Quintana, with Romain Bardet in third place, 1:10 behind. And I succeeded, and now I have the yellow jersey to keep on fighting all the way to Paris.”

There was a twist in the Alps as Slovenia's Pogacar seeks another Tour de France title.

By the foot of the Galibier, Pogacar was left isolated alongside Vingegaard and Roglic with only Thomas able to keep up from the main group of favourites. But when Vingegaard attacked once again Pogacar had no answer as one by one rivals rode away. “Tactically they did a really good job. We made it a super hard race.” “It’s hard for me to put words on this. “I think it’s really incredible,” he said.

Jonas Vingegaard won the first big mountain stage of the Tour de France to claim the yellow jersey from two-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar, ...

"We thought it would go in my favor and in the favor of Primoz," Vingegaard said. "I want a revenge," Pogacar said. "On the Galibier, over the top, he was very strong," Vingegaard said. With his teammate Primoz Roglic, Vingegaard relentlessly attacked Pogacar in the thin air. Vingegaard was first at the summit, 59 seconds ahead of Nairo Quintana, with Romain Bardet in third place, 1:10 behind. "This time I wanted victory.

Tadej Pogacar's Tour de France campaign exploded dramatically on the brutal slopes of the Col du Granon.

It was a climb so hard that Vingegaard did his recce by car, rather than by bike and where the predicted narrative of the Tour, that Pogacar was a level above his rivals and assured of victory, was blown apart. But for Vingegaard it was vindication of the attacking riding that has characterised his Tour de France career so far. I didn’t know if he was suffering, but they told me on the radio that it was steeper at five kilometres to go, and I was thinking: ‘Either they make it hard, or I try to attack.’ So that’s what I did.” “He really went deep so we could challenge Tadej. It shows the mentality of the team.” But on the terrible slopes of the Col du Granon, it was the Dutch team’s turn to inflict pain. I think the harder it is, the bigger the gaps will be at the end, and I think that was in my advantage.”

A daring attack near the end of a punishing stage put a Danish rider in the yellow jersey, left Tadej Pogacar in his wake and upended the standings.

But he had to be humbled by his own performance and wondering how he could possibly catch Vingegaard in the days ahead. And then on the last climb I was thinking, ‘If I don’t try, I’m not going to win.’” On the day’s earlier climbs of the Col du Télégraphe and the Col du Galibier, Pogacar and Vingegaard traded attacks, with neither managing to get away for long. Pogacar, the two-time defending Tour de France champion, still has time to claim a three-peat. And Pogacar, who had controlled the race since it started on July 1, surprisingly did not — or could not — respond. And at the bottom of the final climb of the finishing Col du Granon, just about all the key riders were massed together.

Tadej Pogačar counters after Jumbo-Visma attacks on the approach to the Galibier in a preview of GC fireworks in the French Alps.

Vingegaard and Roglič then uncorked a series of attacks and counter-attacks to force Pogačar to chase it down each time. Jonas Vingegaard and Primož Roglič momentarily isolated Tadej Pogačar on the approach to the Col du Galibier and unleashed a series of searing attacks with about 60km to go. Jumbo-Visma’s Christophe Laporte fell out of an early breakaway and then helped pace Vingegaard and Roglič out of the GC group after coming over the Col du Télégraphe.

Jonas Vingegaard won the first big mountain stage of the Tour de France to claim the yellow jersey from two-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar, ...

"We thought it would go in my favor and in the favor of Primoz," Vingegaard said. "I want a revenge," Pogacar said. "On the Galibier, over the top, he was very strong," Vingegaard said. With his teammate Primoz Roglic, Vingegaard relentlessly attacked Pogacar in the thin air. Vingegaard was first at the summit, 59 seconds ahead of Nairo Quintana, with Romain Bardet in third place, 1:10 behind. "This time I wanted victory.

On stage 11, that race exploded. On the Telegraphe and the Galibier and the Col du Granon the two top GC favourites of the race – defending champion Tadej ...

Recomposing himself in front of the cameras, he tried to articulate what it all meant. “I have to thank all of them – I would never have done it without my teammates … I think it shows the mentality of the team.” The duo glided upward in a class of their own, locked in a groove through the tunnel of noise. By the top of the Galibier, having responded to eight attacks from the Jumbo-Visma duo, Pogačar was towing Vingegaard to the summit. Jersey open, slumped and in visible discomfort, the Slovenian watched the race ride away from him in a way that he hasn’t had to for years. With a gentle smile and tears in his eyes, he took a moment to take it all in, took a deep breath, steadied himself for the race to come.