Tour of France | Matej Mohoric or the praise of suffering

(Poligny, France) A month after the death of Gino Mäder, Matej Mohoric, winner at Poligny on Friday in the Tour de France, has drawn deep within himself to pay tribute to him and justify a life of sacrifice and suffering.

In tears at the finish, in tears on the podium, the Slovenian was still in tears when his compatriot Tadej Pogacar fell into his arms after crossing the line at Poligny a quarter of an hour late, warm in the peloton of the yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard.

It was with rare emotion that Mohoric welcomed his third victory in the Grande Boucle, two years after his double in the 2021 edition.

Because he ripped it off with guts and a bit of mischief when he threw his bike over the line to beat Kasper Asgreen at the photo finish.

Because it comes a month after the death of Gino Mäder, his teammate at Bahrain, who fell into a ravine on the Tour de Suisse. “She’s for him,” stammered the Slovenian after having already signed his team’s third success on this Tour after those of Pello Bilbao and Wout Poels.

But also because it is the Tour de France, quite simply, “the toughest race in the world” where “raising your arms changes your life” and where there are “every day 150 aiming for victory” and as many to “deserve it”.

Barely got off the bike, the 28-year-old Slovenian launched into a vibrant tribute to the peloton by finding his usual flow of submachine guns, despite a few sobs and a lot of emotion.

“You are sacrificing your life”

“This win means so much to me. It’s so hard and cruel to be a professional racer. You suffer a lot, you sacrifice your life, your family just to be ready to come here. And there, after a few days, you realize that everyone is incredibly strong, that it’s hard just to keep the wheel of the guy in front. »

Then come the doubts that assail even a runner as strong as him, winner of a Monument (Milan-SanRemo) and cheating death on the descents he learned to tame young in the Slovenian mountains.

“Sometimes you feel like you don’t belong at this table because the level is so high. But afterwards, you see the management getting high for you, the mechanics working late into the night. It helps you get going in the morning. This victory is also for them. »

The Slovenian then recounted his difficult day on Wednesday in the terrifying Col de la Loze which he climbed like a dead man on borrowed time, “completely emptied”.

“And then I looked at the riders next to me and they were in just as much pain. So we hang on. »

Last hurdle for Vingegaard

And when “everyone is exhausted”, he continued, “it’s the mind that makes the difference”.

Like Friday, when he drew very deep to take the wheel of Kasper Asgreen when the Dane accelerated in the Ivory Coast, about thirty kilometers from the finish.

“I suffered martyrdom, but I knew it was the right move, Kasper was so strong, stronger than me,” assured Mohoric.

But at the finish, it was he who crossed the line as the winner after beating the Dane, winner the day before in Bourg-en-Bresse, by such a small margin that he had to wait at the photo finish to confirm its result.

“In important moments, I manage to keep a cool head,” he said.

The peloton, with the yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard, arrived almost 14 minutes late, riding at a senator’s pace, because no rider dangerous for the general classification had slipped into the breakaway.

For the Dane, who still has a 7:35 lead over Pogacar, there is now one last obstacle to overcome, on Saturday during a six-pass stage in the Vosges, to seal his triumph and celebrate it for the second year in a row on Sunday on the Champs Élysées.

Hugo Houle finishes the stage at 16^e rank

Moreover, for the third time since the start of the 2023 edition of the Tour de France, Quebecer Hugo Houle has carved out a place for himself in the top 20. The 32-year-old athlete from Sainte-Perpétue completed the race at 16^e rank, one minute 43 seconds behind the winner.

Last Sunday, during the 15^e stage, Houle had achieved his best performance of the Tour this year with a 13^e place. He was also ranked 20^e rank of the third stage, July 3.

Following his performance on Friday, Houle is now the best of the three Canadians overall.

The rider of the Israel – Premier Tech team has gained eight positions and is at 39^e row, at 2:29 a.m.: 34 seconds from Vingegaard.

Ottawa’s Michael Woods, also a color holder for Israel — Premier Tech, is now ranked 45^ea four-place slide, at 2:34:04 a.m. Guillaume Boivin, the last member of the Canadian trio at Israel – Premier Tech, remained at 121^e rank.

Boivin completed Friday’s stage at 93^e rank while Woods ranked 121^e.

With the Associated Press