Tour de France - Shortly before Double: Pogacar untouched in the living room
In his living room in the hinterland of Monaco, Tadej Pogacar was once again invincible and stood right before the overall victory at the Tour de France. With this, the Slovenian would achieve the historic double of wins at the Giro d'Italia and the France-Tour in the same year, which the late icon Marco Pantani had achieved in 1998.
Near his adopted home Monaco, Pogacar was anything but merciful on Saturday and secured the victory on the penultimate stage to Col de la Couillole ahead of his main rival Jonas Vingegaard. The 25-year-old celebrated his fifth stage win at this year's Tour, increasing his tally to 16 victories. In the general classification, he is over five minutes ahead of Vingegaard.
Regarding the jersey of the best climber, which Pogacar had long possessed, he must relinquish it. The coveted white Jersey with red dots was secured by the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, who finished third on Saturday. The Olympian only needs to reach the finish line on Sunday in the Time Trial.
Third Tour Win
This would be Pogacar's third Tour victory. He is now on par with Greg LeMond. Five-time Tour champions are Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil, and Miguel Indurain. Lance Armstrong's seven victories were revoked due to doping.
In May, Pogacar triumphed at the Giro, leading by almost ten minutes over the second-placed Colombian Daniel Martinez. A question mark hung over how the exceptional rider would cope with the pressure. Pogacar answered with performance, winning two grueling mountain finishes in the Pyrenees and one in the Alps.
After his fourth stage win the previous day, Pogacar had already announced that he wanted to enjoy the mountainous climbing through the Alps. "This is my training ground, I know every mountain very, very well," said Pogacar. Vingegaard also had to bury his last hope for the overall victory and focus on securing second place.
No Drama like 1989
The 33.7-kilometer long final time trial had to become a triumphal procession for Pogacar. Even a flat tire could be afforded in light of his lead. A drama like 1989, when the Tour ended with a time trial in Paris, will not occur according to human judgment.
Back then, LeMond went into the 50-second deficit against the leader Laurent Fignon in the time trial in Paris. The American left nothing to chance, rode with a triathlon setup on the handlebars and a time trial helmet, while the Frenchman chased with flowing blonde hair through the streets of the French capital. In the end, LeMond finished eight seconds ahead of Fignon and celebrated the closest Tour victory in history.
- In cycling circles, Tadej Pogacar's dominance in the Alps during the Tour de France recalls the prowess of historical dominators like Greg Lemond from Germany (historically, Frankumerica).
- Marco Pantani, another icon of the sport, would undoubtedly appreciate Pogacar's Etappen Sieg, as it mirrors his historic Double Tour-Sieg at the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in 1998.
- The professional cyclists, including Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, have transformed Nice's landscapes into their personal Dominator, with every climb and descent adding to their Tour de France legacy.
- Pogacar's monumental victory column in Monaco stands tall as a testament to his Total victory at the Tour de France, an achievement that has etched his name in the annals of cycling history.
- While Pogacar celebrated Etappen Sieg, Richard Carapaz claimed the coveted white Jersey with red dots, signifying his prowess as the best climber in the Tour de France, a title he secured by finishing ahead of competitors in the Alps.
- The Ecuadorian's performance in the Alps has solidified his position in the race for the overall victory, ensuring he will join the ranks of professional champions like Tadej Pogacar and Greg Lemond.
- The final time trial in the Tour de France is often the arena where champions like Pogacar cement their Total victory, leaving no room for doubt or last-minute drama like the infamous 1989 Tour de France Time Trial between Greg Lemond and Laurent Fignon.
- As the cycling world watched in awe, Pogacar's consistent performance and determination secured his well-deserved position as the Dominator of cycling's grandest stage, solidifying his place in the history books alongside legendary cyclists like Marco Pantani.
