Armstrong proud of Jorgenson's attitude towards Pogacar: "He doesn't let anyone walk over him"
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Follow us on GoogleLance Armstrong isn't convinced that Tadej Pogacar is actually struggling. The American analyzed the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France, in which Pogacar smashed the record time on Mont Ventoux, in the podcast The Move alongside his good friend and former teammate, George Hincapie. The tension between his compatriot Matteo Jorgenson and Pogacar was also discussed.
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First, let's look at Pogi's record time, which broke Iban Mayo's 2004 Mont Ventoux time by more than a minute. Armstrong watched with his mouth open, knowing that there was a headwind and that Mayo set his time in 2004 in a time trial. The fact that Pogacar followed Visma | Lease a Bike's wheels for almost the entire climb meant little to Armstrong. “I'd rather ride up Mont Ventoux in a time trial than in a stage like this with some drafting.”
Pogacar and Vingegaard's top times told the Texan that in the third week, we no longer need to talk about Pogacar possibly having a cold or other physical complaints. “He's in perfect health,” Armstrong exclaimed, referring to the record time on Mont Ventoux. The fact that the yellow jersey wearer grimaced at Vingegaard's first attack and, apart from one attack and a sprint at the top, kept himself in contention for the stage win was put into perspective.
Read more below the photo.
Tadej Pogacar
Armstrong sees tension between Pogacar and Jorgenson
So far, Pogacar has everything under control, together with his teammates from UAE. Of course, Armstrong had an opinion about the tension that arose between Pogacar and Visma rider Jorgenson. In stage 15, the American was personally brought back by the leader in the GC, even though Jorgenson was no longer a threat to the yellow jersey at that point. Rumors circulated that the Visma climber had been put on the UAE's blacklist.
Armstrong laughs at the feud between Pogacar and Jorgenson, which he says is undeniable. “It's normal that when you put 200 athletes in a room, there are going to be personalities that clash. You never know when or why, but somewhere along the way, this tension arose,” he said. Armstrong is pleased that Jorgenson continues to speak out despite this. “Matteo doesn't seem like someone who lets people walk over him, and I like that. He doesn't take it when people talk badly about him.”
Read more below the photo.
Primoz Roglic
Hincapie tips Roglic for Tour de France podium
Although Jorgenson seems to have no chance of winning a stage in this Tour de France, Hincapie made one more appeal to Pogacar and UAE to change that with the slogan “Free Matteo.” “Just let him go with the breakaway, please!” Jorgenson was in excellent shape in the first ten days, but dropped back in the Pyrenees. After sixteen days, he is twentieth in the GC, already more than 57 minutes behind Pogacar.
One rider who is still doing very well is Primoz Roglic. The Slovenian from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe had a mediocre first week, but is growing in the Tour. He climbed Mont Ventoux to fifth place in the GC and, according to Hincapie, there is more to come. “Roglic was stronger than Lipowitz,” he said of Red Bull teammate and number three Florian Lipowitz. “With the stages in the bizarre Alps still to come, I’m going for Roglic on the podium. He doesn’t have the pressure, and that helps him a lot.”
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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