This year’s Tour de France feels like it could have, and probably should have, come to a close after the final mountain stage (Stage 18) on Thursday, with all but the green jersey classification signed, sealed and delivered to Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates). Alas, the race sluggishly rolls on towards Paris, and Stage 20 saw the final competitive stage for the GC riders. A 30.8km flat time-trial saw very little change in the general classification – in fact, there was only one insignificant change in the whole of the Top 20. Second and third place on GC were secured by Jonas Vingegaard and Richard Carapaz, respectively.
However, it did see Wout van Aert storm to an emphatic stage victory, his second of this year’s Tour. That’s three Tour stages and a second step on the podium in Paris for a team that is going into Paris with just 4 riders left.
"Nice."#TDF2021 pic.twitter.com/dFtNz3W7Sv
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 17, 2021
They could've saved us all a bunch of time by making that TT 5km long. Mollema beating Henao for 20th place was the only GC change in the top 20 lol #TDF2021
— Daniel Ostanek (@LVCKV) July 17, 2021
Last day of term
The 2021 Tour de France has had a very strange feel to it. Week 1 was all action, each stage had a heightened intensity and everything was all to play for. That was until Pog took total control of the GC on Stage 8, and well, since then, each stage has felt like a war of attrition just to reach the end. Week 3, and in particular today’s stage, has (for me at least) felt like a hard slog, as though we’re school children (or teachers!) desperate to reach that last day of term, and I think the collective giddiness/boredom/over-exhaustion of the #couchpeloton showed…
Nobody ever show us this again… [this image is going to haunt me – ed]
Meet Tadoz Poglic, ultimate Slovenian cyclist. 🇸🇮 #letour pic.twitter.com/i40JVuQjj0
— Holly Blades (@lifeofholly) July 17, 2021
I wonder which Slovenian rap superstar @TamauPogi is listening too right now… pic.twitter.com/Ll6PS12LN4
— Will Newton (@InsidePeloton96) July 17, 2021
Importantly everyone's helmets look straight. (Sorry Rog) #CouchPeloton
— Belinda (@reallyspoketome) July 17, 2021
Useless fact of the day. #TDF2021
Currently, the entire Top 5 includes red flags with a white cross.
— Benji Naesen (@BenjiNaesen) July 17, 2021
The Guillaume Martin Ultras pic.twitter.com/q53pjLE7eq
— Daniel Friebe (@friebos) July 17, 2021
The Van Poppels are next to eachother on GC and just finished the time trial in the same time.
— Tilda (@matildaprice_) July 17, 2021
End of an Era
Sadly during today’s stage, three (well, two and a half) riders were announced this would be their last Tour de France.
Starting with the half, Thomas De Gendt *alluded* to the fact this might be his final year at Le Tour and suggested it may be time to hand the reins to someone else.
"Next year someone else can try the Tour in my place."#couchpeloton #sbstdf #TDF2021 https://t.co/wHfKmxoH0k
— CyclingCentral (@CyclingCentral) July 17, 2021
Secondly, Philippe Gilbert, who recently helped rescue a Tour de France spectator who had fallen into a ravine during the race, announced that this would definitely be his final Grand Boucle. He is planning on retiring from the sport at the end of 2022. A tough day for Lotto Soudal fans!
Nope. Too many great guys saying this today. Too many feels.#CouchPeloton #Tdf2021 https://t.co/ItArgdq8JR
— Jamie Naragon (@TdF4077) July 17, 2021
And finally, the Gorilla, Andre Greipel. One of the most prolific sprinters of the last twelve years, who has previously won 11 individual stages of the Tour de France, announced he would be retiring at the end of the 2021 season. All the best wishes for your next ventures, Andre!
158 professional wins, including a run of 12 Grand Tours which included a stage victory for 22 Grand Tour stage wins!
What a legend!
#sbstdf #couchpeloton #TDF2021 https://t.co/TwnME2LeXq
— CyclingCentral (@CyclingCentral) July 17, 2021
Me too
— VeloVoices (@VeloVoices) July 17, 2021
I hope they let Andre and Philippe ride in first on the Champs
— VeloVoices (@VeloVoices) July 17, 2021
It seems a few people might like to see Greipel take one final win on the Champs Elysees…
Shifting my sentimental victory on the Champs allegiance from Cavendish to Greipel.#TDF2021 #CouchPeloton
— Belinda (@reallyspoketome) July 17, 2021
Andre’s announcement was done with the same grace and humility as he has displayed in his cycling career. Truly one of the sport’s class acts.
What a way to go. @AndreGreipel has lit up a hell of a lot of races over the years.
Would make me super happy to see him win on the Champs tomorrow. https://t.co/VQydfkweW8— Journal Velo (@JournalVelo) July 17, 2021
What a legend! @andregreipel #beer pic.twitter.com/WjWkcyv8a8
— Peredur ap Gwynedd (@Perryguitar666) July 17, 2021
Super Combatif Franck Bonnamour
Franck Bonnamour was awarded this year’s Super Combatif award, which goes to the rider who has been the most attacking, who’s been in the most breakaways … the rider who has been, quite simply, super combative.
Bonnamour couldn’t be more deserving and will ride to Paris with the red numbers on his jersey!
Well deserved overall tour most combative for Bonnamour. He spent 22 hours in breakaways, 5 more then the next rider (Alaphilipe-17 hours) #couchpeloton pic.twitter.com/Inchv3DzKv
— Ria H (Feed Zone Specialist) (@RiaHopkins13) July 17, 2021
I absolutely approve this message https://t.co/hBWDiGzWww
— SuzeCY (@festinagirl) July 17, 2021
Those Jumbo guys …
Jonas Vingegaard
The 24-year-old Danish cyclist has ridden his first ever Tour de France, brought on the team to be Primoz Roglic’s lieutenant in the mountains. Imagine the shock of finding himself as leader-elect for Jumbo-Visma after a battered and bruised Roglic left the race.
Vingegaard’s display in the Stage 20 time trial (third on the stage and gaining 27 seconds on Pog) not only cemented his second place on the overall GC, but made us wistful for what could have been, had the time gaps been smaller after Week 1. There is an exciting future for this exciting racer!
Vingegaard: "I visited the Tour de France and I didn't even get this lousy T-shirt." #tdf2021 (or a tan, apparently)
— ednl 🇪🇺 (@ednl) July 17, 2021
Jonas Vingegaard is Slovenian in my head and no one can tell me otherwise.
— Luke (@LukeTheCycliste) July 17, 2021
Vingegaard showing us all that even the flattest TT's suit him well.
First in the UAE and now TT. What a champion he's gonna be🇩🇰💪
— Rasmus Nowak Brandt (@Brandtenburg94) July 17, 2021
Vingegaard? More like VingeGod #Dauphiné pic.twitter.com/IbE7QEG1q8
— Dan Deakins (@DanDeakins) June 2, 2021
Jonas Vingegaard 2nd at the Tour de France in his first attempt. That's exceptional. And he was drafted in as a late replacement for Tom Dumoulin. #TDF2021
— Dan Deakins (@DanDeakins) July 17, 2021
You’ve got to wonder how far Vingegaard could go with a team built around him. Jumbo Visma with the best kind of dilemma for next year. And van Aert still hasn’t targeted a jersey yet.
— Orla Chennaoui (@SportsOrla) July 17, 2021
Riders to finish on the Tour de France overall podium this century at their debut in the race:
2002 – Raimondas Rumsas
2013 – Nairo Quintana
2020 – Tadej Pogacar
2021 – Jonas Vingegaard— CafeRoubaix (@CafeRoubaix) July 17, 2021
Wout van Aert
The rider who can seemingly do it all.
- Wins the Queen stage, which included two (yes, two!) ascents of Mont Ventoux …
- …the day after coming second on a sprint stage to Mark Cavendish.
- Blows the competition out of the water in the Stage 20 time trial.
A phenomenal rider, it’s a privilege to be a cycling fan in the Wout van Aert era of bike racing.
Blimey. WVA looks like he's in beast mode just walking. #CouchPeloton #TDF2021 pic.twitter.com/qKYWqbp0BU
— Belinda (@reallyspoketome) July 17, 2021
Not for the first time, van Aert is warming things up a little here. 25 sec up at the second check with 10km to go. #tdf2021
— Michael Hutchinson (@Doctor_Hutch) July 17, 2021
WOW van Aert blazing! #CouchPeloton #Tdf2021 pic.twitter.com/8I1Rxmnm86
— Jamie Naragon (@TdF4077) July 17, 2021
I really couldn’t say it any better…
Damn, Wout.
— daniel mcmahon (@cyclingreporter) July 17, 2021
WVA omg
— William Fotheringham (@willfoth) July 17, 2021
Geez, Wout.
— CyclingTips (@cyclingtips) July 17, 2021
The combine jersey from back in the day was made for guys like WVA
— Ger Campbell (@gerardcam) July 17, 2021
Wout Van Aert becomes the first Belgian rider in 36 years to win a Tour de France individual time trial.
— CafeRoubaix (@CafeRoubaix) July 17, 2021
Pogacar and on to Paris
Tadej Pogacar went into the TT with a buffer of 5:45, so bar crash or incident the yellow jersey was safe. Very unusual for him, either struggled with the heat or playing it safe, he looked less than comfortable in his effort and he ended the day in eighth place, 57 seconds back from WvA.
Boy howdy Pog doesn’t like the warm weather does he?
— Danya Wellington (@danyadoi) July 17, 2021
Looks like Pogacar is riding a bit conservatively today. Better to get home safe and not win the stage then crash on a corner and lose a hatful of time. #TDF2021
— Sadhbh O'Shea (@SadhbhOS) July 17, 2021
It warmed the heart to see Allan Peiper, Pog’s coach, who had recently been undergoing treatment for cancer and was unable to be in France, watching his protege secure yellow for the second year running.
Allan Peiper watching Pog … pic.twitter.com/xjJQFhKUd0
— daniel mcmahon (@cyclingreporter) July 17, 2021
With the yellow jersey wrapped up, the peloton press on to Paris tomorrow – will Cavendish break the Merckx record? Will Greipel sign off his career in style? Will van Aert win a mountain, time trial AND the Champs stage? I can’t wait to find out!
The last word emoji
🇫🇷 #TDF2021
🥵🥵🥵 pic.twitter.com/23y7aRELEO
— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) July 17, 2021
Results
Stage 20 Top 5
1 Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) 35:53:34
2 Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-QuickStep) +0:21:19
3 Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) +0:32:23
4 Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ) +0:38
5 Stefan Bisseger (EF Education Nippo) +0:44:59
General Classification Top 10
1 Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 80:16:59
2 Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) +5:20
3 Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) +7:03
4 Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroën Team) +10:02
5 Wilco Kelderman (Bora-Hansgrohe) +10:13
6 Enric Mas (Movistar Team) +11:43
7 Alexey Lutsenko (Astana-Premier Tech) +12:23
8 Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) +15:33
9 Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) +16:04
10 Rigoberto Uran (EF Education-Nippo) +18:34
All the jerseys
Leaders jersey: Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)
Points jersey: Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-Quick Step)
KOM jersey: Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)
Best young rider jersey : Tadej Pogacar (Bahrain Victorious)
For full stage review, go to cyclingnews