Strong Meeus on the Champs-Elysées, Vingegaard wins his second Grande Boucle – Liberation

The Belgian from Bora-Hansgrohe surprised everyone this Sunday July 23 by winning in Paris during the last stage of this 110th edition. The Danish yellow jersey finishes more than seven minutes ahead of his rival Tadej Pogacar.

The Tour de France 2023 is complete. Started three weeks ago in the Spanish Basque Country, in Bilbao, the Grande Boucle saw Jordi Meeus take the lead over the last finish line, on the Champs-Elysées, this Sunday, July 23. A final won with a gut against four couriers, including the green jersey Jasper Philipsen. At 25, the Belgian from Bora-Hansgrohe won the best victory of his career, the queen stage of the rush.

Between Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines and Paris, the peloton paraded for most of the 115 kilometers of the day, since the fate of the yellow jersey had been sealed for a few days and the showdown imposed by Jonas Vingegaard, first on the time trial of the 16th stage then in the Col de la Loze the next day, having imploded Tadej Pogacar, second in Paris. The Slovenian offered himself a last stunt this Sunday, taking a breakaway.

Ultimate gag, Vingegaard has given in to the tradition of the coupette of champagne, next to his teammates, and one wonders if he will not be slapped on the knuckles by his manager, Richard Plugge, so much does he discourage opposing teams when he sees a beer lying around on the table.

The Dane therefore seizes his second Tour de France, but does not come out without scratches. His remarkable performance, almost too much, raised doubts. Suspicions of doping, an old relationship with cycling, have emerged. “I’m still in full development, he said on Saturday after the finish of the stage, in the long press conference at the end of the Tour. I improve every time. I don’t earn 20% every year, but little by little.” He finished more than seven minutes ahead of Pogacar. We dare not imagine what this could give next year.

In 2024, the Tour will start from Florence, in Tuscany, and will not end on the Champs-Elysées because of the Olympic Games, but on another very flashy avenue, the Promenade des Anglais in Nice.