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The final showdown of the Tour 2023! And what a showdown it was. Six climbs, all either category one of two which brought a decision for the King of the Mountains and was a feast for cycling. On top of it, it was also a sort of home coming for Thibaut Pinot who calls the Vosges his home. Fittingly, he rode alone for long stretches.
Tour de France Stage 20 Report
Right from the start, Vincent Campenaerts and Jasper De Buyst set off on their own, opening a gap of 22 seconds. The peloton let them get away for the time being. With 20 kilometres gone, the day’s first climb came, the Ballon d’Alsace with a length of 11 kilometres at 5%. This was all for Giulio Ciccone who bagged the five points at the summit, this way moving closer to winning the polka-dot jersey.
Ciccone is King of the Mountains 2023!
The images were almost repeated as Ciccone was the first at the following summit, the category two Col de la Croix des Moinats. With the next one, he edged closer to wearing in it Paris as once more he came first. He won it at the category three climb Col de la Schlucht. He punched the air in delight and considered his day over. From then on he was no longer at the front of the race.
All the while a group of riders has escaped, among them local boy Thibaut Pinot. Soon, he made off on his own, enjoying the crowd and knowing fully well that there would be no chance for him to win the stage today. He came first at the Petit Ballon, which is 1163m and has an average gradient of 8%.
It looked promising but it did not last. The final climb of the Tour de France 2023, the Col du Platzerwasel: 1193m high, 7,1km and 8,4% was where he lost power and was reeled in by the group of the yellow jersey. From this group, Tadej Pogacar attacked with 13 kilometres to go – Vingegaard immediately jumped onto his wheel.
On top of the summit, only three were left: Pogacar, Vingegaard and Gall. Behind them, just mere seconds were the Yates brothers. They joined this trio soon after and those five would decide the stage among them. First to go for the sprint was Jonas Vingegaard but he was caught with ease.
Simon Yates lanced the sprint for Pogacar who won the stage by a bike length. This was very much to state the Pogacar is not to be written off as it changes little in the general classification.
The Top Five of Stage 20
1. Tadaj Pogacar (UAE EMirates) 3hr 27min 18sec
2. Felix Gall (AG2R-Citreon)
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma)
4. Simon Yates (Jayco-AlUla)
5. Adam Yates (UAE Emirates)
The top five on General Classification
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) 79hr 16min 38sec
2. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates) +7min 29sec
3. Adam Yates (UAE Emirates) +10min 56sec
4. Simon Yates (Jayco-Ulula) +12min 23sec
5. Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) +12min 57sec
This was the last stage ‘proper’ of the Tour de France 2023 as tomorrow’s stage to Paris is a mere celebrational ride for the winner and a last sprint for the fast men. All jerseys are decided, and all mountains have been climbed and descended. There is just one little issue: the sprint in Paris on Sunday. It is the icing on the cake for the man in the green Jersey, Jasper Philipsen. It would give him a handful of stage wins this year and would fully round up this tour for him. However, there are others with similar intentions. Stage 21 will deliver a thrilling finale.
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