Published July 23, 2022 11:08AM
Tour de France: Aleksandr Vlasov moves up to fifth overall after stage 20 time trial
Bora-Hansgrohe man is big GC mover, leapfrogging Quintana and Meintjes to achieve his ‘minimum’ pre-race aim after rollercoaster three weeks.
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - JUNE 29: Aleksander Vlasov of Russia and Team Bora - Hansgrohe during the Team Presentation of the 109th Tour de France 2022 at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen City / #TDF2022 / on June 29, 2022 in Copenhagen, Denmark. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images,)
Aleksandr Vlasov capped a resurgent last week at the Tour de France with a strong stage 20 time trial to move up from seventh to fifth overall in the Tour de France, 16:37 down on leader Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma).
The Bora-Hansgrohe captain started the 40.7km test between Lacapelle-Marival and Rocamadour only 27 seconds behind sixth-placed Louis Meintjes (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) and 35 seconds down on Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic) in fifth.
He was up on the pair at every time split, ultimately finishing in 18th place, 2:46 down on stage winner Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma). Meanwhile, Quintana was 4:08 behind the Belgian, with Meintjes falling to eighth overall 5:48 down, as Romain Bardet (Team DSM) narrowly moved ahead of him.
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“Today, I’d say I was quite good. It wasn’t a great result, but good feelings,” Vlasov told journalists at the finish. “I’m happy with how it went. I moved up a few places.”
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It’s been a come-from-behind race for the Russian, riding his first Tour de France. He crashed on stage 6, subsequently suffering muscle pain. “Before the crash I felt perfect and was up there to go with the best, but after the crash it is a lot harder for me,” he subsequently said.
“I didn’t want that [crash] to happen,” Vlasov said, reflecting on his Tour after the finish of stage 20. “But it was a good experience and I already know what to expect next year. And I’m also happy because I’m still improving, recovering and then finding a bit of form.”
Asked about his crash and whether he could have finished on the podium, he responded: “I can’t say, but I hope so. That was the aim, top five as a minimum, the top three as the maximum.”
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Vlasov also praised Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates): “They’re on a whole other level compared to the others, ten steps ahead.”
The 26-year-old has been one of the most consistent stage racers of the 2022 season, winning the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and Tour de Romandie. He also won a stage at the Tour de Suisse and was leading when he was forced to leave after a COVID-19 positive.
Providing Vlasov finishes the race in Paris, this result backs up his fourth place finish at the 2021 Giro d’Italia, which remains his grand tour best.
Meanwhile, it’s a positive conclusion to the race for Bora-Hansgrohe too. They have had some near misses to rue, as German rider Lennard Kämna came within 100 meters of a stage win on Super Planche des Belles Filles and within 11 seconds of the yellow jersey on stage 10.