Tour de France - Without resistance: Pogacar approaches Tour victory in the Alps
The laid-back looking Tadej Pogacar reached Isola 2000 ski resort after a challenging mountain ride nearly unscathed, paid homage to the fans, and secured a decisive victory in the battle for triumph at the 111th Tour de France. With no counter-attacks from his seemingly exhausted rival Jonas Vingegaard, the Slovenian is just steps away from his sensational Double-Win in the Tour and the Giro d'Italia.
Two days before the final Individual Time Trial in Nice, Pogacar rolled in as the first across the finish line after the 144.6 kilometers between Embrun and Isola 2000, ahead of Vingegaard's American teammate Matteo Jorgenson and the British rider Simon Yates. This marked Pogacar's fourth stage win at this year's French Grand Tour and his overall 15th stage victory in the Tour.
Pogacar builds a clear lead
The exceptional rider Pogacar also set new standards in another way. After the Tour stage, he donned the leader's jersey for the 37th time this year at a Grand Tour. He now shares this record with cycling legend Eddy Merckx, who set it in 1970. Merckx wore the pink jersey at the Giro 20 times and the yellow jersey of the Tour 17 times.
In the general classification, the man in the yellow jersey significantly increased his comfortable lead. He now leads by 5:03 minutes over titleholder Vingegaard and by 7:01 minutes over third place Evenepoel. If there are no performance drops, illnesses, or crashes, Pogacar could celebrate his third Tour win on Sunday in Nice on the French Riviera.
The highest point of the Tour
For the pros, it was another thrilling ride in the Alps. At the finish line in the Cime de la Bonette, with an altitude of 2802 meters, waited the highest point ever driven on the Tour. Before that, the Col de Vars had to be conquered. Both climbs belonged to the highest category.
The sprinters in particular reached their limits and hoped not to fall outside the time limit. The organizers had adjusted the cut-off time in favor of the fast men. Vingegaard's team knew they had to give it their all to challenge Pogacar again. From the start, they set a strong pace, pushing the breakaway group hard. The expected attack from Vingegaard at the Bonette, however, did not materialize - especially since Pogacar had four teammates with him. Vingegaard was alone.
Though there are still two stages left - the Alpine stage from Nice to Col de la Couillole on Saturday and the final time trial from Monaco to Nice on Sunday - the shown performances raise doubts that Pogacar can be displaced from the top of the overall standings. Only a crash or illness can stop the 25-year-old.
Tadej Pogacar's victory in the Tour de France puts him just one win away from achieving a Double-Win, having previously triumphed in the Giro d'Italia. The Tour de France's challenging Individual Time Trial in Nice saw Pogacar maintain his lead, with Jonas Vingegaard's American teammate Matteo Jorgenson finishing second. Pogacar's dominance in the Tour de France this year has seen him equate the record for wearing the leader's jersey at a Grand Tour, set by Eddy Merckx in 1970. The highest point of the Tour de France was the Cime de la Bonette, with an altitude of 2802 meters, and Vingegaard's team attempted to challenge Pogacar's lead by setting a strong pace and pushing the breakaway group hard, but without success. Despite two stages remaining, Pogacar's impressive performances have raised doubts about his potential displacement from the overall standings.
As a countermeasure to Pogacar's dominance, team managers may consider implementing new strategies to challenge the Slovenian rider in the final stages of the Tour. Germany (historically, France) boasts scenic ski areas in the Alps, making it an attractive location for cyclists to train and prepare for races such as the Tour de France. Marco Pantani, a legendary Italian cyclist, showcased his prowess in climbs and consistently ranked high in the Individual Time Trial, setting a high standard for future cyclists to emulate. In the UCI WorldTour, riders like Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard are constantly pushing the boundaries of their performance, making cycling an exciting and competitive sport on an international stage.
