Pogacar Dominates as Vingegaard Vows to Fight On
The third week of the Tour de France sees Jonas Vingegaard in a challenging position, trailing behind his rival Tadej Pogacar by 3 minutes and 9 seconds. Despite the significant gap, the double defending champion remains undeterred. Vingegaard acknowledged Pogacar's current superiority but expressed determination to close the gap in the final stages. "Yesterday, I climbed like never before. You have to accept when someone is better, and Tadej is better currently," he stated during a press conference on the second rest day. He remains hopeful that the third week will bring a turnaround.
Pogacar's Pyrenean Mastery
Tadej Pogacar's performance in the Pyrenees has been nothing short of spectacular. After winning the 14th stage at Pla d'Adet, he repeated his success on the queen stage between Loudenvielle and Plateau de Beille. The Slovenian cyclist managed to outpace Vingegaard, finishing 1 minute and 13 seconds ahead of his rival. Pogacar's dominance has earned him both the yellow jersey and a lead in the mountains classification with 77 points. "I have now won a lot in the Pyrenees. In a way, they like me, and I like them too," Pogacar remarked.
Vingegaard's attempt to counter Pogacar's dominance was evident as his team, Visma Lease a Bike, controlled the breakaway. However, despite the support from his teammates, Vingegaard could not match Pogacar's pace in the final ascent. "Pogacar showed how strong he was. I can't be disappointed; today was probably one of my greatest performances," Vingegaard admitted.
The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team also made a notable effort with Jay Hindley leading the breakaway, although he couldn't keep up with Pogacar and Vingegaard. Richard Carapaz, too, showed resilience by joining the breakaway and closing a significant gap during the climb to Col d'Agnes.
As the Tour de France enters its final week, all eyes are on Pogacar and Vingegaard. Pogacar's decisive attack at Plateau de Beille has given him a substantial lead, but Vingegaard remains hopeful for a comeback. The upcoming stages in the Alps will be crucial for both cyclists as they vie for the ultimate victory.
