There are about ten kilometers left before the finish of the Amstel Gold Race on April 16th. Party 28 km from the goal, Tadej Pogacar is alone in the lead. But, behind, his main pursuer Ben Healy returns little by little, until pointing at about twenty seconds. In application of the regulations, the race director’s car then overtook the Slovenian to leave the field open to the Irishman from EF Education-EasyPost.
Normally, once Pogacar has been passed, the car must take off. She does not: over a distance of 300 to 400 meters, she remains just in front of the double winner of the Tour de France who takes advantage of her suction. She started far ahead before braking in a bend and once again placing herself just ahead of the leader of the UEA Emirates for a few hectometres. “The car was really close, notes Pogacar. It’s really not a good situation. These are things that happen and should not happen. But it didn’t last long. ” Weird ? Non-regulatory in any case.
A little physical explanation. According to “L’Équipe”, 12 km from the finish, Healy is 27 seconds behind Pogacar. His delay melted to 22 seconds two kilometers further. He is clearly coming back when the management car has to take the lead. 9 km from the finish, Pogacar is 23 seconds ahead then 29 seconds two kilometers further. He clearly takes control.
“I estimate its total time saving between ten and twenty seconds”
Does the suction of the vehicle have something to do with it? A little, no doubt, but not only because: 1. Pogacar, the best runner in the world, then sees the threat of the Irishman and decides to give a good boost. 2. Healy tires in the final and gives up.
The fact remains that suction still plays a key role according to Dutchman Bert Blocken, professor of construction physics at the University of Louvain and specialist in aerodynamics: “Vehicles influence racing, he explains. Riding in the draft 2 meters behind a car reduces air resistance by 65% and can save 36 seconds per kilometer. »
Questioned by the Belgian media knack.behe resumed : ” Handsome didn’t stay that long that close to the car. However, it had a big impact. In the final, Pogacar was able to drive very close behind the car and a motorcycle (of a press photographer) for at least two minutes, with a distance varying between ten and forty meters. I estimate its total time saving between ten and twenty seconds. Tadej Pogacar won the Amstel 38 seconds ahead of Healy.
What role did the car play? It probably did not influence the final result. Too strong, Pogacar would probably have won. ” Handsome probably would have won in the sprint. That’s not the point. But that denigrates the race, fulminates Jonathan Vaughters the boss of the Irishman. We see vehicles influencing race results all the time. Sometimes in our favour, sometimes against us. It gets really tiring. »
