Pogacar Extends Lead in Tour de France
Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar has expanded his lead in the overall standings of the 111th edition of the Tour de France. Pogacar secured victory in the fourteenth stage held in Saint-Lary-Soulans, finishing 39 seconds ahead of Danish rival Jonas Vingegaard.
This victory marks Pogacar's thirteenth stage win in the Tour de France, adding to his titles from 2020 and 2021. Pogacar's aggressive pace in the final 5 kilometers allowed him to take a commanding lead in the overall standings, now 1:57 minutes ahead of Vingegaard. Belgian cyclist Remco Evenepoel, who finished third in the stage, dropped to third place in the overall standings, 2:22 minutes behind Pogacar.
In a strategic move, Pogacar's British teammate Adam Yates pushed forward to support him after his attack. Pogacar then overtook Irishman Ben Healy, gradually increasing his lead over Vingegaard and crossing the finish line with a triumphant cry.
Key Standings and Rankings
Pogacar aims to achieve a rare double victory by winning both the Italian Giro and the Tour de France in the same year, a feat not accomplished since 1998. He currently enjoys a comfortable lead before another challenging day in the Pyrenees.
The top five cyclists in the fourteenth stage were: 1. Tadej Pogacar (4:01:51 hours), 2. Jonas Vingegaard (+39 seconds), 3. Remco Evenepoel (+1:10 minutes), 4. Carlos Rodriguez (+1:19 minutes), and 5. Giulio Ciccone (+1:23 minutes).
In the general classification, the top five are: 1. Tadej Pogacar (56:42:39 hours), 2. Jonas Vingegaard (+1:57 minutes), 3. Remco Evenepoel (+2:22 minutes), 4. Joao Almeida (+6:01 minutes), and 5. Carlos Rodriguez (+6:09 minutes).
David Gaudu, although far behind in the general standings, placed himself as the best climber by accumulating 20 points during the 14th stage. However, Pogacar, who earned 20 points by winning the stage, remains the leader in the mountain classification with 56 points.
- The two main favorites, Pogacar and Vingegaard, now occupy the first two places in the general classification. Pogacar's win in the fourteenth stage allowed him to build a nearly two-minute lead over Vingegaard.
- In the classification of the best young riders, Remco Evenepoel leads with a time of 56:45:01 hours, followed by Carlos Rodriguez (+3:47 minutes) and Matteo Jorgenson (+8:13 minutes).
- In the points ranking, Biniam Girmay leads with 353 points, followed by Jasper Philipsen (277 points) and Bryan Coquard (147 points).
