Getting the shot: Teamwork!

Getting the shot: Teamwork!

James Startt explains how he got his top shot from stage 11 of the 2022 Tour de France

Photos: James Startt Tour de France Words: James Startt

Wow, what a stage! In my 30-odd years covering the Tour de France, I can’t remember such a dramatic stage in the fight for the yellow jersey. Until today Tadej Pogačar seemed simply unbeatable. As my colleague Ed Pickering mentioned in his recent feature: "you are unbeatable until you are beaten."

As Ed also said, the only way to beat the yellow jersey was for a team to risk everything, to be willing to lose it all, to win. And that is just what happened.

I was well up the road when I heard the race radio announcing that Jonas Vingegaard and Primož Roglič had gone on the attack already on the Col de la Télégraphe, the first major climb of this already brutal stage from Albertville to the summit of the Col de Granon. Not since Marco Pantani attacked Jan Ullrich on the Col du Galibier in the 1998 Tour could I remember a major challenger going on the attack so early. 

Obviously the situation was different as this was a team going on the attack and not just a single rider, but still the move was spectacular. Over the Télégraphe, down into Valloire and up the opening kilometres of the Galibier, Roglič and Vingegaard traded punches while Pogačar defended his yellow jersey and even countered. 

Finally nearing the summit of the Galibier, Roglič faded. The designated team Jumbo-Visma leader at the start of the Tour knew his own chances were over. But the team had succeeded in isolating Pogačar. The situation only got worse for Pogačar as they raced down the valley towards Briançon as Roglič, Sepp Kuss, Steven Kruijswijk caught back to the lead group. 

By numbers only, Pogačar was in trouble. 

At the foot of the Granon, Roglič returned to the front, if only for a minute. His day and his Tour was done. 

The rest, you have read many times over by now as Vingegaard went on the attack and Pogačar folded. 

For much of the final climb, I focused on capturing the action. But when Roglič crossed the line with his teammate Kuss, the two lines, the two couldn’t have been happier.

The Tour after all, is an individual sport contested by teams. No individual is stronger than their team! As Roglič and Kuss crossed the line, they couldn’t have been happier. Roglič had clearly lost the Tour, but his teammate may well have won the Tour. 

Camera : Nikon D5

Lens : Nikon 70mm-200mm (set at 135mm)

Shutter speed : 1/1600th 

Aperture : F 5

ISO 640

Photos: James Startt Tour de France Words: James Startt

READ MORE

Strength, faith and resilience: Egan Bernal is back at the Giro d’Italia

Strength, faith and resilience: Egan Bernal is back at the Giro d’Italia

The Colombian rider’s performance on the first summit finish has announced him as a serious general classification contender once more, three years on from the...

Leggi di più
A tale of two tactics: The first summit finish of the Giro brings more questions than answers about pink jersey battle

A tale of two tactics: The first summit finish of the Giro brings more questions than answers about pink jersey battle

Red Bull pace all day only for Primož Roglič to be out of position and lose time to Juan Ayuso

Leggi di più
Giro d'Italia 2025 stage eight preview: An up and down day in Le Marche

Giro d'Italia 2025 stage eight preview: An up and down day in Le Marche

A tricky Tirreno-Adriatico style stage offers an opportunity for a breakaway to take victory

Leggi di più
Neutralisations, protests and lopsided lead-outs - It's bedlam at the Giro d'Italia

Neutralisations, protests and lopsided lead-outs - It's bedlam at the Giro d'Italia

Inside the craziest day of the race so far on a rain-soaked stage six around Naples

Leggi di più
How does the loss of Jai Hindley affect Primož Roglič's Giro d'Italia bid?

How does the loss of Jai Hindley affect Primož Roglič's Giro d'Italia bid?

Red Bull rider crashes out of the Giro d’Italia on stage six

Leggi di più
Peloton at the 2024 Giro d'Italia

Giro d'Italia 2025 stage seven preview: The first summit finish

The first of two proper mountain top finishes in this Giro will be the first serious test of the general classification contenders

Leggi di più

READ RIDE REPEAT

JOIN ROULEUR TODAY

Get closer to the sport than ever before.

Enjoy a digital subscription to Rouleur for just £4 per month and get access to our award-winning magazines.

SUBSCRIBE