Pogacar wins final mountain stage, cements overall lead
Pogacar continued the most dominant run in recent Tour memory, by climbing the post-race stage four times: as stage winner, as best young rider, as best climber and as the runaway overall leader
Overall leader Tadej Pogacar again proved his dominance on the Tour de France as he won a second consecutive mountain stage in the Pyrenees on Thursday and said “it’s a game for me.”
On a short final mountain stage of 130km Pogacar out-ran his two closest rivals, Jonas Vingegaard and Richard Carapaz, just as he did on the previous day’s mountaintop finale.
The 2020 champion continued the most dominant run in recent Tour memory, by climbing the post-race stage four times; as stage winner, as best young rider, as best climber and as the runaway overall leader.
But by the time an Ineos quartet were leading the remnants of the pack up the final climb of this Tour de France, the focus was on the possible challenges to the leader on the road.
“It was full gas racing today, Ineos were pressing from deep,” the leader said of what was likely Carapaz’s last chance to unseat him.
With 3km let Pogacar, Vingegaard and Carapaz were let to cross swords in a pulsating uphill batle to a finish line above the clouds at the ski resort of Luz Ardiden with hundreds of thousands of fans along the roadside and Cycling-loving French president Emmanuel Macron in the director’s car at the head of the action. The struggle was quickly setled. Pogacar raced ahead with ease over the last kilometre and slowed down to take a look over his shoulder as he crossed the line for his third stage win on this edition.
“I felt good and I’m really happy with the win. It’s a game for me, I’m enjoying playing it,” said the 22-year-old who has dominated in the mountains and on the all important time-trials, just as Spaniard Alberto Contador and Briton Chris Froome did in their time.
POGACAR ENJOYING NEW ERA: But Pogacar was adamant he was not on the cusp of greatness.
“This is not the Pogacar era, but for sure a new generation is here,” he said.
“It’s important to have fun and enjoy what you are doing, some you win some you lose but always have fun, my coach says” Pogacar said smiling and looking relaxed.
“Tomorrow I aim to enjoy every minute of the flat run,” he said of Friday’s stage.
He did admit worries about the final challenge, a 30km time-trial. “You can lose six minutes over 30km like that,” he said.
Pogacar pulverised the opposition on the first time-trial which he won on stage five.
Pogacar leads the Dane Vingegaard by almost six minutes with Carapaz right on the Jumbo man’s tail in third with three stages let, a flat run Friday, the time-trial and Sunday’s parade into Paris.
Vingegaard is on paper a beter time-trialist than Carapaz, but with only a few seconds between the pair it is too early to call a top three.
On Wednesday , Pogacar emerged above the clouds atop the Pyrenean Col du Portet to extend his overall lead and win stage 17 ater an epic struggle with his two closest pursuers, Vingegaard and Carapaz.
Ecuadorian Carapaz launched a blistering atack 1.5km from the 2,200m summit finish, but was agonisingly reeled in by the defending champion Pogacar, for whom this was an iconic career moment, winning a tough stage with the overall leader’s yellow jersey already on his back.
Ater pulverising the field on the stage 5 time-trial the Slovenian took his second victory on this Tour to extend his lead over the surprising Dane Vingegaard to 5min 39sec.
The discreet Carapaz climbed to third overall four seconds back, ater Rigoberto Uran was dropped on the final hillside. The Colombian slipped to fourth at 7min 17sec.
“It was the most difficult stage of the Tour, and I dedicate this win to my team who worked so hard for me here,” said Pogacar.
“This Tour isn’t over until the last lap of the Champs-elysees,” he said when asked if he believed the defence of his title was now sealed.
On the French national holiday of Bastille Day, there were almost as many Slovenian flags on the final climb as French one’s and a healthy smatering of Basque berets were being sported in the huge crowds that lined the slopes.
French fans had plenty to smile about as FDJ’S home hope David Gaudu came fourth at a finish line above the clouds in this remote bear-inhabited corner of France.