Pogačar 2nd in time trial as big mountains loom

Stage 16 of the Tour de France was the long awaited ITT on 22,4 km from Passy to Comblou with a hilly course and two short but steep climbs.

The race against the clock broke the close margin which was kept until today between Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), with the Danish rider putting in a superb performance, winning the stage in 32’36”, 1’38” less than the UAE Team Emirates’ rider.

Now in the GC, Vingegaard holds an advantage of 1’48” on Pogačar.
The current podium is completed by Adam Yates, who was 7th in the time trial (+3’12”) and on GC has a gap of 8’52” to the yellow jersey.

Pogacar: “I didn’t feel the best in the second part but I still went pretty solid. It’s a big gap now and of course I was hoping for the gap to be less and I was hoping even to be in yellow today, but this is how it went. I gave it all. I hope for tomorrow and next stages to have good legs again and keep on fighting with the team to do our best. The next stages will be very hard and anything can happen.”

Stage 17, 165,7 km from Saint Gervais Mont Blanc to Courchevel, with two 1st category climbs in the first half of the course (Col de Saises and Cormet Dr Roselend), one 2nd category Kom after 100 km km the stage and the Col de Loze (HC climb) with summit at 6 km to the arrival.

Stage 16 results
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) 32’36”
2. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) +1’38”
3. Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) +2’51”

General classification after stage 16
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) 63:06’53”
2. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) +1’48”
3. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) +8’52”