The China Mail - Evenepoel wins Tour stage, Vingegaard crashes out after night-time control

Evenepoel edged out the reigning champion at the end of the tough 11km-long climb to the finish. Pogacar's UAE Emirates-XRG team-mate Isaac Del Toro was third, six seconds back.

"It's amazing. I'm literally trembling from emotion," Evenepoel said at the finish of the 183.9km stage from Champagnole to Plateau de Solaison after his first Tour road-stage victory following two time-trial successes.

"It's been a hell of a day. A pretty hard start, I was actually feeling really bad in the beginning, but I really got better and better during the day.

"You have to understand how I'm racing with the best rider ever (Pogacar), and he has been doing a hell of a climb to try to win the stage with Isaac (Del Toro)."

The main drama of the day came when two-time former winner Vingegaard crashed out, breaking his collarbone, for which he will require surgery.

The 29-year-old Dane went down hard on a bend as his Visma-Lease a Bike team were setting a fierce pace to chase down the day's breakaway.

Both he and Pogacar were amongst a number of riders woken in the night by anti-doping controllers from the International Testing Agency (ITA).

Vingegaard was woken at 2:00 am while Pogacar was tested three hours later.

Pogacar said that the disruption to their sleep could have contributed to Vingegaard's crash.

"It ruined his sleep. It got me thinking that it could also be a small percentage why he crashed because he probably didn't sleep well today," said the 27-year-old Slovenian, adding that it could have affected his concentration.

He described the night-time testing as "inhuman", while Evenepoel blasted it as "disrespectful".

- 'I'm really sad' -

"The ITA is conscious that night-time testing may be disruptive to riders' rest and recovery," the ITA said in a statement.

"However, the ITA, on behalf of the UCI (International Cycling Union), has the responsibility to ensure the effectiveness of the cycling anti-doping programme and the integrity of cycling races."

Visibly in pain, Vingegaard was helped into a medical vehicle with his arm in a sling and taken for an X-ray.

"Jonas sustained a fractured collarbone and multiple abrasions," Visma said in a statement.

"Due to the severity of the collarbone fracture, surgical intervention has been recommended and will be performed in the coming days."

Giro d'Italia champion Vingegaard had never before failed to finish a Grand Tour.

In his five previous participations at the Tour, he won twice and finished second in the other three.

He had started the day in second.

With Vingegaard now out of the race, Pogacar increased his lead in the overall standings to five minutes.

"I'm really, really disappointed and really sad for him that he goes home," Pogacar said of his arch rival.

The pair have won the last six editions of the Tour between them, finishing first and second in the last five.

"The Tour will not be the same without him."

- Evenepoel in the driving seat -

Belgian Evenepoel, a former winner of the Vuelta a Espana, moved up to second overall with his stage win.

He is the world and Olympic time-trial champion and is expected to win Tuesday's individual race against the clock, which would set him up well to potentially improve on his previous best overall finish of third in 2024.

Del Toro climbed from seventh to third, almost a minute behind Evenepoel, and also snared the best young rider's white jersey from the shoulders of Paul Seixas by 25 seconds.

The teenage French prodigy finished fourth, nearly a minute behind the winner, with German Florian Lipowitz, now fifth overall, on his wheel.

It was a bad day for Spaniard Juan Ayuso, who lost the white jersey to Seixas on Saturday and shed another minute to the Frenchman and almost two minutes to Del Toro as he dropped to sixth overall.

Earlier, around two dozen riders got away midway through the stage after a ferocious battle to establish a breakaway.

But by the final 11km climb to the finish line, US champion Quinn Simmons was out alone in front.

His lead did not last long before he was caught and passed by Pogacar, who had Evenepoel and Del Toro in his wheel having dropped the other overall contenders.

Pogacar tried to set up his team-mate Del Toro for the win, but Evenepoel proved too strong.

Z.Ma--ThChM