Pogacar wins Stage 7 to extend lead to 35 secs
LA PLANCHE DES BELLES FILLES, France — From the moment Tadej Pogacar heard the Tour de France would return to the summit of La Planche des Belles Filles this year, he wanted to win there again.
The Slovenian pulled if off on Friday in a nail-biting finish on the steep gravel slope of the mountain where he took the yellow jersey for the first time in 2020.
Victory in the first summit finish of this year’s Tour extended his lead after taking over the yellow jersey on Thursday.
“It was in my mind already a really, really long time, maybe since the route was already (revealed). It was a big, big goal to win today,” Pogacar said.
Pogacar caught, first, Lennard Kämna, who came agonizingly close to a breakaway win, and then Jonas Vingegaard with one last sprint at the top of La Planche des Belles Filles, a ski resort in the Vosges mountains of eastern France, near the German border. Pogacar had his family watching on and had extra motivation to win to mark the launch of his own cancer research foundation on Friday.
“It was really, really difficult, especially in the end, the last part. When Jonas attacked, he was so strong,” Pogacar said. “I had to push to the finish line.”
Friday
7th Stage
A 176.3-km (109-mile) Tomblaine—la
Super Plance des Belles Filles
1. Tadej Pogacar, Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates, 3:58:41.
2. Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark, Jumbovisma, same time.
3. Primoz Roglic, Slovenia, Jumbo-visma, :12 behind.
4. Lennard Kamna, German, Bora-hansgrohe, :14.
5. Geraint Thomas, Great
Grenadiers, same time.
6. David Gaudu, France, Groupama-fdj, :19.
7. Enric Mas, Spain, Moviestar Team, :21.
8. Romain Bardet, France, Team DSM, same time.
9. Adam Yates, Great Britain, Ineos Grenadiers, :29.
10. Sepp Kuss, United States, Jumbo-visma, :41.
Britain, Ineos
Also
19. Neilson Powless, United States, Education-easypost, 1:23 behind.
36. Brandon Mcnulty, United States, UAE Team Emirates, 3:19.
53. Kevin Vermaerke, United States, Team DSM, 6:20.
66. Matteo Jorgenson,
Movistar Team, 7:38.
74. Joe Dombrowski, United States, Astana-qazaqstan, 7:50.
125. Quinn Simmons, United States, Trek
United
EF
States,
He started the 176-kilometer (109-mile) stage with a four-second lead over Neilson Powless and ended it with a 35-second advantage over Vingegaard. “A little bit is always good, but
Marco Bertorello
Segafredo, 13:44.
Overall Standings
1. Tadej Pogacar, Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates, 42:43:14.
2. Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark, Jumbovisma, :35 behind.
3. Geraint Thomas, Great
Grenadiers, 1:10.
4. Adam Yates, Great Britain, Ineos Grenadiers, 1:18.
5. David Gaudu, France, Groupama-fdj, 1:31.
6. Romain
1:32.
7. Thomas Pidcock, Great
Grenadiers, 1:35.
8. Neilson Powless, United States, EF Education-easypost, 1:37.
9. Enric Mas, Spain, Moviestar Team, 1:43.
10. Daniel Martinez, Colombia, Ineos Grenadiers, 1:55.
Bardet,
Britain, Ineos
France, Team DSM,
Britain, Ineos
Also
30. Brandon Mcnulty, United States, UAE Team Emirates, 6:28 behind.
40. Sepp Kuss, United States, Jumbo-visma, 12:50.
64. Matteo Jorgenson,
Movistar Team, 15:30.
138. Joe Dombrowski, United States, Astana-qazaqstan, 34:57.
153. Quinn Simmons, United States, Trek Segafredo, 40:29.
157. Kevin Vermaerke,
Team DSM, 43:06.
United
United
States,
States, still, we know in cycling no gap is enough,” was the verdict of Pogacar, who praised Danish rider Vingegaard as “probably the best climber in the world” at the moment.