Time moves fast at the Tour de France. It took less than four hours for any British hopes of a podium – no one realistically thinks they can overhaul Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard at the top of the GC standings – to go up in flames in the heat of the French summer.
Simon Yates (Jayco-AlUla) had started stage 14 at 2-13 off the podium. Although he had previously lost over a minute due a crash he was riding a solid race and was in touching distance of the podium. “I’m just going to keep doing my best,” he said, refusing to give up hope. “Jai [Hindley, then third] is maybe two minutes in front of me; that’s a big gap to close and we’ve been relatively equal, other than his stage win.
“It’s not like one of us is going to take big chunks out of each other, but it’s hard to move with the way the two strongest teams are riding. There’s not much room for taking advantage of a situation but we’ll see what we can do.”
He added: “When I’ve been good in a Grand Tour I’ve been attacking from afar or taking advantage of a situation and it’s not really the same anymore. That can change with a few hard days back-to- back and a if few of the domestiques are in trouble.”
But by the end of the day he’d tumbled to 3-49 off the final podium spot, then occupied by Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers) after getting distanced when someone in front of him dropped the wheel on the penultimate descent.
This story is from the July 20, 2023 edition of Cycling Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 20, 2023 edition of Cycling Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Is pro racing getting more dangerous?
There are many factors that contribute to the perceived greater risks. One that does not get any attention is the greater importance of UCI points and the need to constantly collect them to avoid relegation.
A Saturday in Hell
It's the most brutal race of the year - 29.2km of the worst cobbles northern France has to offer, over 17 agonising sectors, starting in Denain and finishing in the iconic Roubaix velodrome. For the men, it's referred to as a Sunday in Hell, but for us, hell comes a day early.
Gitane - Tour de l'Avenir
Classic French brand's homage to a revered amateur race
6 WAYS TO THINK YOURSELF FASTER
However flawless your physical preparation, the mind has a tendency to throw a spanner in the works come the big day. James Witts offers six ways to keep the brain onside with the body
MAURICE BURTON'S - SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS
9 life lessons from Britain's first Black cycling champion
PEAKS PRACTICE
The Peak District is home turf for Manchester-based British pro riders and has been the formative terrain of top domestic riders for decades. Adam Becket finds out why it's so effective
Zeb Kyffin: stepping out of the fish bowl
TDT-Unibet's British rider tasted the team's first World-Tour event at the Amstel Gold Race. Adam Becket finds out how the day went
Thomas to go for 'very top step' at Giro
Welshman and Ineos ready for duel with Tadej Pogačar, reports Adam Becket
Brown and Niewiadoma beat Vollering
SD Worx-Protime are far from unbeatable in 2024, as team misses out in Ardennes Classics
Pogačar lays down marker for Giro d'Italia
Liège win signals Slovenian's readiness for clash with Geraint Thomas, reports Adam Becket