22nd July – Stage 16: Montpellier – Mont Ventoux
There was no easing into the final week of the Tour de France. Stage 16 immediately served up a mountain showdown with a summit finish on one of the most iconic climbs in cycling history: Mont Ventoux. The day began in Montpellier, where most of the peloton had spent their well-earned rest day. The opening 140 kilometres unfolded on flat terrain, setting the stage for a lot of attacks in the peloton. Team Picnic PostNL was also active, and eventually Pavel Bittner managed to get away with a large group of 34 riders. The breakaway was given plenty of freedom today, and stage winner Paret-Peintre made the most of it. Meanwhile, the battle between the GC riders erupted behind, turning the stage into a fight on two fronts.
Team Picnic PostNL rode attentively all day, staying near the front of the peloton to protect Oscar Onley. As the bunch reached the lower slopes of Mont Ventoux, the yellow jersey group quickly thinned out to just ten riders, with Onley holding his ground among the best. When Vingegaard launched his attack, that select group split further. Onley found himself in a chase group with Lipowitz and Roglič, but just before the summit, the pace proved a touch too high for the young Scot. He crossed the line in 14th place, just behind a mix of breakaway riders and GC contenders, after giving his all on the legendary final climb. As a result, Team Picnic PostNL and Onley remain in 4th place overall.
After the stage, Team Picnic PostNL coach Matt Winston said: “It was a really good day. The guys did a fantastic job looking after Oscar, making sure he hit the climb well-hydrated and cool. Oscar put in a strong performance on the Ventoux, and I think we can be proud of both his effort and the team’s work overall. We’re still in a good position in the GC, with plenty left to fight for in this final week.”