Roglic blows up to let in pal Pogacar
TADEJ POGACAR stands to claim a stunning overall victory in the Tour de France after his friend and fellow Slovenian Primoz Roglic cracked in a dramatic time trial on La Planche des Belles Filles.
Roglic began the day with a 57-second advantage in the yellow jersey he has worn for 11 days, but it all went wrong for the pre-tour favourite in the 36.2km time trial which ripped up expectations before today’s traditional procession into Paris.
In one of the most dramatic finales to a Tour since Greg Lemond snatched yellow off the shoulders of Laurent Fignon in Paris in 1989, Pogacar won the stage in a time of 55mins 55 secs to claim the yellow jersey as well as the King of the Mountain’s polka dots and the best young rider’s white.
Roglic shipped almost two minutes on the day which completed a remarkable three weeks for Pogacar, making his Tour debut and riding only his second Grand Tour after third place in the Vuelta a Espana – won by Roglic – last year.
“I think I’m dreaming,” Pogacar said before his interview was interrupted by Roglic, who came in to embrace the new race leader.
“I really don’t know what to say, it’s unbelievable. I don’t know when I will get this.
“I’m really proud of the team, they did such a big effort all the way to get the yellow jersey on the final day, it was just a dream.
“My dream was always just to be in the Tour de France, and now I’m here and I’ve just won before tomorrow the last stage, it’s unbelievable.”
Britain’s Adam Yates
(above) slipped back on the penultimate day but hung on to a top-10 spot, sitting ninth overall.