Pogacar delivers strong Pyrenees performance, Vingegaard fights for the lead
Tadej Pogacar takes the next step towards Tour-de-France victory: The Slovenian wins the first Pyrenees stage and gains more seconds of advantage over second place. Jonas Vingegaard is now in second place behind the man in the Yellow Jersey.
Tadej Pogacar launched one of his unrivaled attacks against Jonas Vingegaard on the steep ramp before the first mountain finish of the 111th Tour de France and celebrated a significant victory against his long-time rival. The overall leader in the Yellow Jersey crossed the finish line comfortably ahead of the Danish title defender.
At the finish line in Pla d'Adet in the Pyrenees, Pogacar crossed the finish line 39 seconds ahead of second place Vingegaard. The 25-year-old Pogacar finished the 151.9 km long 14th stage from Pau even 1:10 minutes before Remco Evenepoel. The Belgian finished third. In the general classification, Pogacar now leads with 1:57 minutes over Vingegaard and 2:22 minutes over Evenepoel. The time trial world champion lost his second place.
Pogacar's German teammate Nils Politt kept the pace of the main field high for a long time. However, 4.6 kilometers before the finish, Pogacar attacked Vingegaard. He collected valuable seconds on his rivals, but Vingegaard tried to keep up. However, he couldn't stay on Pogacar's wheel.
Both exceptional riders have already engaged in several duels during this year's Grand Tour. Pogacar overtook Vingegaard by a few seconds on the Col du Galibier. The defending Tour champion remained calm. He countered Pogacar's attacks in the following days and raised the nerves of the man in Yellow with his defensive riding style. Pogacar complained, but Vingegaard defended the tactics of his team. In the ski resort of Le Lioran, the 27-year-old even managed to finish just ahead of Pogacar and win the stage.
Corona at the Tour
The first of two Pyrenean crashes came over the weekend, with both the Tour classic Col du Tourmalet featuring one. The riders had to cover an average gradient of more than seven percent for 19 kilometers. The steep final section on Pla d'Adet contained almost eight percent for more than ten kilometers.
Tom Pidcock was saved from the mishap. However, to the disappointment of the once British Tour stage winner. His Ineos team announced shortly before the start of the race that the 24-year-old would return home due to Corona symptoms. His Ineos team was known for being very cautious. Team members had recently worn masks. Currently, there are no fixed Corona measures at the Tour. Several riders are reportedly infected with Corona on the road.
On Sunday, for the national holiday, a still challenging Pyrenees stage awaits. The King's Stage with a start in Loudenvielle and a finish on the Plateau de Beille is considered the greatest challenge of this year's Grand Tour with its more than 4800 height meters and 197.7 kilometers.
- Despite Jonas Vingegaard's attempts to keep up, Tadej Pogacar managed to maintain a 39-second lead over him in the Pyrenees-Show stage, further strengthening his position in the Yellow Jersey.
- In the general classification, Tadej Pogacar now holds a commanding 1:57-minute lead over Jonas Vingegaard, with Remco Evenepoel trailing behind by 2:22 minutes, after the Slovenian's impressive victory in the 14th stage.
- As Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard continue their intense duel in the Tour-de-France, the presence of coronavirus infections among several riders adds an extra layer of challenge to their sport, requiring caution and adaptability.
