Chapter 353 - 182: Joining Forces with Vingegaard, Securing a First Career Tour de France Victory

Meanwhile, in the lead group, many teams were down to just their Core Commander, who could barely hang on to the pace set by the UAE Team.

For instance, the Trek Team and the Bahrain Victory Team only had their respective leaders, Ciccone and Bilbao, who were just managing to stay with the front group.

As for the teams with two riders remaining, besides himself and Roglič, there was only the Visma Team with Vingegaard and Jorgenson, the Ineos Grenadiers Team with Bernal and C. Rodríguez, and the Quick Step Team with Evenepoel and Landa.

But the UAE Team, even after Soler had blown himself up pulling at the front, still had an impressive four riders.

Their leader, Pogačar, and his lieutenants: Almeida, Ayuso, and Adam Yates.

And at this moment, they were all at the front of the group, starting to lead their main rider and power toward the summit of Galibier Mountain.

Just one kilometer later, with 4.3 km remaining to the summit, Jorgenson of the Visma Team was the first to be dropped.

This meant that the tables had completely turned from the 2022 Tour de France, where Vingegaard, then with the Jumbo Team, had coordinated with his teammates to repeatedly brutalize Pogačar.

Now, he was all alone, caught in the middle of four UAE Cyclists who were mercilessly working him over.

Then, with 3.7 km to go to the summit, Ayuso moved to the front to take over the pace-setting from Adam Yates, who immediately blew up.

Under Ayuso’s furious pace, on an 8% gradient, Ciccone of the Trek Team finally cracked and was dropped by the rapidly shrinking lead group.

At the same time, after another 400 meters of Ayuso’s pulling, Roglič, who had been tucked in right behind Huang Chong, suddenly drifted to the back of the lead group.

Fortunately, he didn’t fall completely off the back; he wasn’t dropped by the lead group entirely.

"What’s going on? Is Primož having problems?"

Seeing his team leader showing signs of being dropped, Huang Chong, who was glued to Pogačar’s wheel, immediately radioed Aldag.

Aldag replied:

"He probably hasn’t completely cracked. He’s still hanging on. Don’t worry about Primož. Just stay glued to Tadej in front of you!"

Huang Chong couldn’t help but frown when he heard the reply.

He could hear the ruthlessness of a professional team in Aldag’s words.

’One day, if I reach Roglič’s age, even if I still command a high price, once I can’t contend for the overall win anymore, the team will probably drop me just as easily.’

After Ayuso finished his pull, Almeida took over at the front.

With only 2.8 km left to the summit, Huang Chong realized the entire lead group had been whittled down to just nine riders.

They were: Pogačar, Vingegaard, Almeida, Ayuso, himself, Landa, Evenepoel, C. Rodríguez, and Roglič.

As for the other riders, like Bardet from the S1 Stage, they had all been dropped and were nowhere to be seen on the 8% climb.

Huang Chong’s own energy reserves were also beginning to run dry.

Because this group of lieutenants from the UAE Team was incredibly strong; on any other team, they would have the ability of a Core Commander.

To keep up with their relentless pace-making, he had to match their power output, which was no easy feat.

But he had to hang on, because he knew Pogačar was about to launch an attack.

「Galibier Pass.」

At an altitude of 2,628 meters, the snow at the summit had not yet completely melted.

Large streams of meltwater flowed across the road.

With only 1 km left to the summit, a series of tight, short hairpin turns began to appear.

From here to the summit, the average gradient hit its steepest point for the entire climb: 9%.

And as Almeida continued to lead until only 800 meters from the summit, Pogačar finally launched his attack.

Vingegaard immediately jumped on his wheel. Huang Chong and Evenepoel also got out of their saddles, rocking the bike to follow.

But less than a hundred meters later, Evenepoel could no longer hold the pace and was instantly dropped.

Pogačar’s attack, however, was simply too brutal.

He powered through two hairpin bends. With only 400 meters to the summit, on a section with a punishing 10% average gradient, Vingegaard, who was right in front of Huang Chong, could no longer keep up.

Huang Chong saw this happen, but he was powerless. He couldn’t keep up with Pogačar’s all-out attack either, and could only watch as Pogačar rapidly pulled away, opening a gap of nearly 15 meters.

’This was the real gap between me and Pogačar this year.’

’Even though I wore the Yellow Jersey before he did, my individual ability still hasn’t completely caught up to his.’

Ultimately, Pogačar left everyone in his dust, cresting the summit first. He had already opened a seven-second gap on Huang Chong and Vingegaard as he began his solo descent.

As Vingegaard crested the summit, he immediately glanced back at Huang Chong, who was glued to his wheel. Besides the pained gasps from the intense, anaerobic effort, Huang Chong’s face was unreadable.

But Huang Chong knew, ’Once Pogačar gets away on his own during the descent, it’ll be nearly impossible to catch him by myself.’

’In fact, by the time we reach the bottom, the gap will have grown even wider.’

Therefore, he didn’t hesitate and said directly to Vingegaard:

"Jonas, we have to work together if we want any chance of catching Tadej.

You know that if he gets away, he’ll pull ahead by at least half a minute over the remaining 20 kilometers.

I can lead the descent, but on the flat section at the bottom, you have to take your turns in the rotation. Otherwise, if I’m the only one pulling, neither of us stands a chance of catching him!"