Paret-Peintre paints masterpiece on Ventoux as record setter Pogacar stays in control

MALAUCENE, France: Valentin Paret-Peintre kept his cool in a furnace of pressure and heat, delivering a thunderous victory atop the legendary Mont Ventoux to give France its first win in this year’s Tour de France during a breathtaking Stage 16 on Tuesday.

The Soudal-Quick Step rider edged out Ireland’s Ben Healy in a heart-pounding sprint finale on the Giant of Provence, while Tadej Pogacar remained unshakable in yellow, fending off Jonas Vingegaard on the brutal 21.5km ascent averaging 7.5 percent.

Defending champion Pogacar clawed two more seconds from his Danish rival in a final surge to extend his overall lead to 4:15 after setting the record for the climb, riding up in 54 minutes and 41 seconds — one minute 10 seconds faster than the previous best mark set by Spain’s Iban Mayo in 2004.

The Slovenian also beat the fastest time from the Saint-Esteve bend, where the toughest section starts by clocking 44:48. The previous record was held by the late Marco Pantani (46:00).

“I had a bad day in 2021 on the Ventoux, today was the opposite, I had good legs, I enjoyed myself,” Pogacar, chasing a fourth Tour title, said.

“We will try to go for another stage win. He (Vingegaard) attacked a lot of times but I knew that I could follow the wheel.”

Vingegaard suffered a brief crash after the line but said his performance gave him confidence that he was still in contention for a third title.

“How I felt good today gives me motivation, I will keep trying,” he said.

Germany’s Florian Lipowitz held firm in third, 9:03 adrift of Pogacar, pulling further ahead of fourth-placed Briton Oscar Onley, who lags another 2:01 behind.

But the day belonged to Paret-Peintre. “I honestly didn’t believe it,” he said. “I thought Pogacar