Chapter 362 - 185: The Second Week of the Tour de France Kicks Off

After the race, when Huang Chong returned to the team bus, the entire staff of the Red Bull Bora Team naturally greeted him with a warm round of applause.

The person standing at the front of the crowd to welcome him was none other than the team’s CEO: Ralph Denke.

For a rookie in his first year on the World Tour to win the general classification Yellow Jersey for the team so early on—and never take it off since—to be honest, it felt like a dream to Denke.

After all, the Red Bull Bora Team had originally planned to challenge for the Tour de France by bringing in Primož Roglič.

But as the race had progressed, he gradually came to a blunt realization: the team’s Core Commander, Roglič, not only had no hope of winning the title, but even a top-three finish in the general classification would be a tough ask.

The first week of racing had already shown that Roglič couldn’t even keep up with Evenepoel, who was also riding his first Tour de France, let alone challenge Pogačar and Vingegaard.

The era of this veteran rider was well and truly over.

Huang Chong, on the other hand, looked like he had a real chance at making the final podium.

The reason was that even though Huang Chong had started this Tour de France in a supporting role, his performance had become increasingly astonishing ever since he’d taken the Yellow Jersey.

This was especially true on the final 5km climb of Galibier Mountain during Stage 4 in the first week.

It was a moment for all the GC contenders to show their strength. When Pogačar attacked in the final 800 meters, Huang Chong stuck right with Vingegaard but ended up dropping his own team leader, Roglič, in the process.

Anyone who watched the race could see from that HC Level climb that Pogačar’s strength on long, steep climbs was still unstoppable.

Vingegaard and Huang Chong were a bit behind him, but the gap wasn’t large.

Roglič and Evenepoel, however, were clearly weaker than the other three.

Therefore, did the Red Bull Bora Team need to make a substantial change to its absolute core leadership for the next two weeks of racing?

This was the question Denke and Aldag had to consider after the first week of the Tour de France.

The second week of the race, after all, was set to be much more difficult than the first.

It consisted of six stages in total: three flat and three mountainous.

The flat stages could of course be disregarded, but the three mountain stages were must-contest battlegrounds for the GC contenders.

Stages 14 and 15, in particular, were true summit finish climbs.

As of the end of Stage 9, Roglič was already 1 minute and 48 seconds behind Huang Chong, who was first in the general classification.

Could he make up that deficit in the high mountain stages of the second week?

Neither Denke, who was currently embracing Huang Chong, nor Aldag, who had just returned to the team bus in the team car, was confident about the answer.

But no matter what, Roglič was, after all, the top superstar they had bought from Vismar for a five-million-euro annual salary!

For him to become a support rider after just one week of the Tour de France, after they had spent a fortune to poach him, would be simply unacceptable to them.

However, before Denke and Aldag could even work out a tactical plan for the second week during the rest day, terrible news came from the team doctor, Charlie.

Their Core Deputy Commander, Aleksandr Vlasov, who had crashed during the Strade Bianche-style Stage 9, had been diagnosed with a fractured ankle and a mild concussion. He would have to withdraw from the race.

When the news broke, everyone’s heart sank, including Huang Chong’s.

Losing such an important Core Deputy Commander on the final day of the first week was undoubtedly a terrible blow.

This year’s Tour de France had seven mountain stages, and they had only completed one of them (Stage 4)—

’The other six haven’t even started, and we’ve already lost a climbing deputy. What terrible luck!’

But they couldn’t complain about something like this.

Injuries were a part of professional road cycling.

What was most incredible was that even after crashing so badly, Vlasov not only insisted on finishing Stage 9 but also ended up 25th in the general classification. It was a truly remarkable achievement.

"Huang, some unfortunate news. Vlasov’s injuries are too severe.

A fractured ankle and a mild concussion. Charlie has confirmed he’s triggered the health protocol.

We have to pull him from the race immediately for hospitalization."

「July 8th, the rest day after the first week of the Tour de France.」

As Huang Chong finished a light team training session, Aldag found him and spoke, his tone somewhat resigned:

"We all deeply regret that our Core Deputy Commander had to withdraw.

Fortunately, our lineup remains competitive.

You and Primož are both still in the top five of the general classification standings, which is the best news we could ask for.

In the upcoming races, I hope you two will cooperate closely on tactics.

Because starting from the second week, a dense block of mountain stages will be coming one after another.

I predict that after Stages 11, 14, and 15, the general classification will see significant changes.

Our rivals are strong!

But we have an advantage, which is that we’re currently the only team with two GC contenders.

You and Primož must make full use of this advantage.

Remember this, Huang: in the upcoming races, if your form on a climb is better than his, then I want you to think of yourself as the team’s sole leader.

I will have Primož, and all the other deputies, execute tactics centered around you!"

At this, before Huang Chong could reply, Aldag added one last thing:

"Of course, besides competing for the overall championship, every extra day you wear that Yellow Jersey is also incredibly important.