It was not the almost 3 minutes of the Granon, but Vingegaard’s coup of authority at the Marie Blanque opens new expectations and to some extent surprising (so soon) in this 2023 Tour. The way in which Pogacar bowed his head and resigned himself, the The way he let his rival go was a sign of utter helplessness for the double champion. Among the two favourites, one has reached the top, as was seen in the Dauphiné, and the other, short of preparation, will have to resist and hope that the third week is more propitious for him… if it is not already too late. The Tour does not forgive.
The balance of the first great day in the Pyrenees has cleared up doubts: the real number one is Vingegaard. But the surprise box of the Grande Boucle discovered another of his secrets, the identity of the third man, an Australian, Jai Hindley, who was allowed to be part of the great escape of the day. A gift that he could not pass up. Hindley, a resident of Girona in competition, lost the 2020 Giro in the final time trial and won last year’s with an exhibition at La Marmolada. He is an excellent climber and this, with the profile of this Tour, is a detail that no one should underestimate. The son of an English amateur ex-cyclist from Manchester, Hindley was in France to see his compatriot Cadel Evans win in 2011. He was 15 years old and took advantage of the trip to climb for the first time some mythical ports such as Tourmalet, which today, at 27 , he will enjoy the yellow jersey. Hindley makes his Tour debut –another detail that should also be considered– although he has already passed his training in four Giros and two Vueltas. He is no longer that rookie who in his first professional race had to admit with shame that he could not carry water to his leaders because he had put on a jersey so tight that he did not admit even a bottle in his back pockets.
