The 2023 Tour de France continues to be a nail-biting battle for the yellow jersey, with Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard fighting for every second and their UAE Team Emirates and Jumbo-Visma doing everything they can to help their team leaders.
Last week the Tour de France peloton raced from the Massif Central to the Jura and then into the high Alps for a holiday weekend of intense racing and a battle for supremacy that remains impossible to predict.
On Saturday Vingegaard arguably came out on top over the feared Col de Joux Plane. The Dane dug deep to control Pogačar on the Alpine climb and then even beat him to the summit to gain three bonus seconds and land a psychological blow.
Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers) took advantage of their rivalry to go clear on the descent to Morzine and win the stage, while Pogačar led home Vingegaard to take second and so pulled back two seconds.
On Sunday Vingegaard and Pogačar clashed again on the mountainous road to Saint-Gervais, again racing for every second.
The breakaway escaped their grasp after a roadside spectator sparked a crash and slowed the peloton, with Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) able to drop Wout Van Aert and win alone.
Vingegaard and Pogačar then went toe to toe again but again the Slovenian could not distance his rival. After swapping several final attacks, they crossed the finish line together.
Following Monday’s second rest day in the Alps, the racing for every second resumes with the only time trial of the 2023 Tour de France on a hilly 22.4km course between Passy and Combloux.
Photographer Chris Auld was in the Alps to capture the racing as Vingegaard and Pogačar clashed. Enjoy his full-width shots in all their glory below.
Stage 14
Bahrain-Victorious ahead of stage 14
An unassuming Wout Poels (Bahrain-Victorious) at the start of stage 14, his performance on stage 15 the next day saw him take his first stage victory at the Tour de France
Peter Sagan in his typical aero tuck, seemingly enjoying his final Tour de France
Egan Bernal has suffered through this year’s Tour de France, but his Ineos Grenadiers team has enjoyed notable stage win success, and still has a chance at the podium
Tom Pidcock attacking on his descent from Ramaz, but his efforts weren’t enough for him to regain touch with the GC favourites group which dropped him on the ascent
Wout van Aert leading the GC favourites group on the descent from Ramaz
Mathieu van der Poel leading on the descent, his illness at the Tour has been one reason he hasn’t competed for individual stage wins
Ineos’ Jonathan Castroviejo and Omar Fraile descending Ramaz
Pierre Latour found himself out of touch with the stage’s fastest climbers
Carlos Rodriguez’s stage victory marked a landmark moment in the Spaniard’s career, his move onto the podium, and offered a saving grave for Ineos Grenadiers
Pogacar and Vingegaard’s battle up the Col de Joux Plane was yet another game of cat-and-mouse between the Tour’s two strongest riders, where Vingegaard would finish the stage with a single second gained over the Slovenian
Jai Hindley had a tougher day on the bike, he went down in the crash that neutralised the early part of the race, “I had quite a bit of pain in my backside” he said after the stage
Wout van Aert served as an impressive lieutenant on stage 14, bridging back to the yellow jersey group one kilometre into the Col de Joux Plane
Pidcock rode over the finish after a hard day which saw him lose his place in the top 10 in the general classification
Jonas Vingegaard held his grip onto the yellow jersey by a margin of 10 seconds, and he also took the polka dot jersey from Neilson Powless
Tadej Pogacar remains in the white jersey, and a slim 10 seconds off the race lead
Stage 15 - GC battle to Mont-Blanc
Some fans were worn out by the heat and excitement of a fascinating Tour de France
Others were decked out in Tour de France regalia and ready to witness history
Simon Yates gives an interview before the start
Peter Sagan has had a low-key Tour de France
The Flemish flag in the hands of a Tadej Pogacar fan
Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) in the chasing group
Race leader Jonas Vingegaard in the bunch
The pace was frantic in the yellow jersey group
Mathieu van der Poel couldn't hold on the breakaway
Tom Pidcock lost ground on the stage
Fans await the arrival of the Tour de France
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Fans cheer on the riders
Flemish and Danish flags on the climb
Jai Hindley suffered and lost time
Tom Pidcock lost time on stage 15
Pidcock came in over two minutes behind the race leader
Julian Alaphilippe soaks in the atmosphere
Julian Alaphilippe recognizes his fans
Jonas Vingegaard comes over the top of Pogacar in the final turn
Vingegaard and Pogacar drive to the line
The publicity caravan
Mountains classification leader Neilson Powless
Mikel Landa and Thibaut Pinot come in fifth and sixth on the stage
Tadej Pogacar on the podium in front of his fans
