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Chris Auld

Tour de France gallery: Vingegaard and Pogacar's two-day battle to Mont Blanc

Pogacar and Vingegaard battling for the 2023 Tour de France

The 2023 Tour de France continues to be a nail-biting battle for the yellow jersey, with Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard fighting for every second and their UAE Team Emirates and Jumbo-Visma doing everything they can to help their team leaders.

Last week the Tour de France peloton raced from the Massif Central to the Jura and then into the high Alps for a holiday weekend of intense racing and a battle for supremacy that remains impossible to predict.

On Saturday Vingegaard arguably came out on top over the feared Col de Joux Plane. The Dane dug deep to control Pogačar on the Alpine climb and then even beat him to the summit to gain three bonus seconds and land a psychological blow.

Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers) took advantage of their rivalry to go clear on the descent to Morzine and win the stage, while Pogačar led home Vingegaard to take second and so pulled back two seconds.

On Sunday Vingegaard and Pogačar clashed again on the mountainous road to Saint-Gervais, again racing for every second.

The breakaway escaped their grasp after a roadside spectator sparked a crash and slowed the peloton, with Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) able to drop Wout Van Aert and win alone.

Vingegaard and Pogačar then went toe to toe again but again the Slovenian could not distance his rival. After swapping several final attacks, they crossed the finish line together.

Following Monday’s second rest day in the Alps, the racing for every second resumes with the only time trial of the 2023 Tour de France on a hilly 22.4km course between Passy and Combloux.

Photographer Chris Auld was in the Alps to capture the racing as Vingegaard and Pogačar clashed. Enjoy his full-width shots in all their glory below.

Stage 14

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Bahrain-Victorious ahead of stage 14

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

An unassuming Wout Poels (Bahrain-Victorious) at the start of stage 14, his performance on stage 15 the next day saw him take his first stage victory at the Tour de France

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Peter Sagan in his typical aero tuck, seemingly enjoying his final Tour de France

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Egan Bernal has suffered through this year’s Tour de France, but his Ineos Grenadiers team has enjoyed notable stage win success, and still has a chance at the podium

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Tom Pidcock attacking on his descent from Ramaz, but his efforts weren’t enough for him to regain touch with the GC favourites group which dropped him on the ascent

(Image credit: Chris Auld)
(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Wout van Aert leading the GC favourites group on the descent from Ramaz

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Mathieu van der Poel leading on the descent, his illness at the Tour has been one reason he hasn’t competed for individual stage wins

(Image credit: Chris Auld)
(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Ineos’ Jonathan Castroviejo and Omar Fraile descending Ramaz

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Pierre Latour found himself out of touch with the stage’s fastest climbers

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Carlos Rodriguez’s stage victory marked a landmark moment in the Spaniard’s career, his move onto the podium, and offered a saving grave for Ineos Grenadiers

(Image credit: Chris Auld)
(Image credit: Chris Auld)
(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Pogacar and Vingegaard’s battle up the Col de Joux Plane was yet another game of cat-and-mouse between the Tour’s two strongest riders, where Vingegaard would finish the stage with a single second gained over the Slovenian

(Image credit: Chris Auld)
(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Jai Hindley had a tougher day on the bike, he went down in the crash that neutralised the early part of the race, “I had quite a bit of pain in my backside” he said after the stage

(Image credit: Chris Auld)
(Image credit: Chris Auld)
(Image credit: Chris Auld)
(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Wout van Aert served as an impressive lieutenant on stage 14, bridging back to the yellow jersey group one kilometre into the Col de Joux Plane

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Pidcock rode over the finish after a hard day which saw him lose his place in the top 10 in the general classification

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Jonas Vingegaard held his grip onto the yellow jersey by a margin of 10 seconds, and he also took the polka dot jersey from Neilson Powless

(Image credit: Chris Auld)
(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Tadej Pogacar remains in the white jersey, and a slim 10 seconds off the race lead

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Stage 15 - GC battle to Mont-Blanc

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Some fans were worn out by the heat and excitement of a fascinating Tour de France

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Others were decked out in Tour de France regalia and ready to witness history

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Simon Yates gives an interview before the start

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Peter Sagan has had a low-key Tour de France

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The Flemish flag in the hands of a Tadej Pogacar fan

Pogačar's fans were out in full force (Image credit: Chris Auld)
Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) leads the breakaway (Image credit: Chris Auld)
(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) in the chasing group

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Race leader Jonas Vingegaard in the bunch

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The pace was frantic in the yellow jersey group

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Mathieu van der Poel couldn't hold on the breakaway

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Tom Pidcock lost ground on the stage

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Fans await the arrival of the Tour de France

Ineos' Jonathan Castroviejo comes to the line (Image credit: Chris Auld)

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(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Fans cheer on the riders

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Flemish and Danish flags on the climb

(Image credit: Chris Auld)
(Image credit: Chris Auld)
(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Jai Hindley suffered and lost time

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Tom Pidcock lost time on stage 15

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Pidcock came in over two minutes behind the race leader

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Julian Alaphilippe soaks in the atmosphere

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Julian Alaphilippe recognizes his fans

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Jonas Vingegaard comes over the top of Pogacar in the final turn

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Vingegaard and Pogacar drive to the line

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The publicity caravan

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Mountains classification leader Neilson Powless

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Mikel Landa and Thibaut Pinot come in fifth and sixth on the stage

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Tadej Pogacar on the podium in front of his fans

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