{"id":190147,"date":"2022-07-21T12:53:20","date_gmt":"2022-07-21T12:53:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=190147"},"modified":"2022-07-21T12:53:20","modified_gmt":"2022-07-21T12:53:20","slug":"van-aert-clinches-skoda-green-jersey-with-4-stages-to-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2022\/07\/21\/van-aert-clinches-skoda-green-jersey-with-4-stages-to-go\/","title":{"rendered":"Van Aert Clinches \u0160koda Green Jersey with 4 Stages To Go"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Wout van Aert took 17 points from the intermediate sprint of Wednesday\u2019s stage 17 of the Tour de France, he secured his victory in the \u0160koda Green Jersey competition. With four stages remaining in the race, there are not enough points available in the remaining stages for anyone to catch him. As it currently stands, the 27-year-old Jumbo-Visma rider has 416 points. That\u2019s more than twice that of his nearest rival, two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Poga\u010dar (UAE Team Emirates), who has 202. The Alpecin-Deceuninck sprinter Jasper Philipsen lies third, with 196 points.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Van Aert must now merely finish the race to claim his green jersey on the podium in Paris on Sunday. Of course, that does not mean that he will now take it easy, simply making sure to finish each remaining stage within the prescribed time limit without taking any chances. I don\u2019t think he is capable of taking it easy in a race. In fact, van Aert has probably been the busiest rider in this Tour, active in most of the breakaways while collecting points and also helping his team leader Jonas Vingegaard<\/a> in his battle with Poga\u010dar in the race for the yellow jersey.<\/p>\n

If there were a jersey or some other award for Most Valuable Cyclist in the peloton, I believe van Aert would be a favourite to claim it. Not only has he been successful in sprints but he has been very active in the mountains as well, taking numerous turns at the head of the peloton going up a climb. In addition, several times during the race he single-handedly rescued teammates \u2013 including Vingegaard \u2013 from positions that would have seen them lose valuable time, leading them back into contention at breakneck speed.<\/p>\n

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\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 #TDF2022<\/a> <\/p>\n

Wout is giving his all to be in the breakaway \ud83d\udca8 https:\/\/t.co\/GODMgaauH0<\/a><\/p>\n

— Team Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) July 21, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n