Pogacar’s Dominant Performance in Tour de France Stage 10
Pogacar’s Dominant Performance
Tadej Pogacar secured his third stage victory in the Tour de France, winning Stage 10 into Le Lioran in the Massif Central. This solo effort further extended his overall lead in the race. Pogacar now holds a lead of more than three and a half minutes over his rival, Jonas Vingegaard, who lost additional time to other contenders for the podium.
The stage featured seven categorized climbs, including the first-category Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol and Col de Pertus in the final hour of racing. Pogacar launched a decisive attack on the penultimate climb, a move that has become characteristic of his racing style. His team, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, effectively controlled the stage, even when a large group of riders, including previous stage winner Mathieu van der Poel, broke away early on.
Pogacar’s break occurred just under 1,000 yards from the summit of the Col de Pertus. Vingegaard was unable to match his pace, and Pogacar quickly closed the gap on Richard Carapaz, eventually passing him just over 200 yards before the summit. At the finish line, Pogacar was 32 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel, marking his 24th career stage victory and his third on Bastille Day. Vingegaard finished 44 seconds behind Pogacar, resulting in a lead of 3 minutes, 36 seconds for Pogacar after 10 stages.
Reactions and Challenges
Despite his triumph, Pogacar’s victory was met with some boos from roadside spectators. Addressing this, Pogacar stated, “I have haters and haters gonna hate. To all the booers who are there, they just give more boost to my teammates. They put wood on the fire.” He later clarified that he believes “cycling fans are the greatest between all sports” and that “99% of people are cheering,” drawing inspiration from tennis star Novak Djokovic in handling doubters.
While Pogacar continues to perform strongly, Vingegaard faced difficulties on the stage. Vingegaard attributed his struggles to the nature of the short climbs. He recently revealed to Danish television on the Tour’s first rest day that he considered leaving the sport in 2025 due to the demanding nature of professional cycling, citing the constant focus on weight and training as taking a toll on his body and mind.
Vingegaard’s wife, Trine Hansen, also commented on the challenging lifestyle, noting the extensive travel from February until the season’s end. His team, Visma Lease-a-bike, initially downplayed his comments. However, Vingegaard mentioned that changes were made, and the team acknowledged his unhappiness from the previous year. Despite winning Paris-Nice and the Giro d’Italia earlier this year, Vingegaard now faces the dual challenge of Pogacar and a strong Evenepoel.
Looking Ahead
Pogacar’s teammate, Isaac del Toro, lost ground in the fight for a podium spot, with Olympic champion Evenepoel moving into third place overall. Pogacar’s current lead is the largest he has held at this point in the race. He expressed gratitude for the moment, stating, “We just need to be grateful for this moment to be riding in the biggest race of the world.”
The upcoming 11th stage, running from Vichy to Nevers, is expected to offer the main contenders a chance to regroup, while sprinters will look to capitalize on what are becoming scarcer opportunities for stage wins.
Read Also
Source: theguardian.com
