Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) has bounced back in spectacular fashion at the Tour de France, dropping Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and moving himself right back into contention. After being distanced by the Dane yesterday, Pogačar completely turned the tables on the final climb today and is now breathing down Vingegaard's neck in the general classification.
Pogačar won the stage today after Vingegaard over-estimated himself, pressing on with his team with 50km to go and trying to go over the top of the Col du Tourmalet solo, but proving unable to drop Pogačar despite far superior team support.
Vingegaard looked over-confident on the remainder of the stage and allowed Pogačar sit on him for a very long time when the two of them eventually pulled clear of everyone else on the final climb to Cauterets-Cambasque.
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We just over 2km to go to the line, Pogačar attacked and Vingegaard had no answer, a complete reversal on what happened just 24 hours ago on Col du Marie Blanque. Both of them put significant time into race leader Jai Hindley (Bora-hansgrohe), who was dropped on the Tourmalet, the penultimate climb. That meant Vingegaard went into yellow after finishing 2nd on the stage today, some 24 seconds down on Pogačar.
Young Norwegian rider Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) put in a great ride - having been in the early breakaway - to finish solo in 3rd. The 2021 Tour de l'Avenir winner was some 1:22 down.
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However, the day definitely belonged to Pogačar. Having started today's stage some 53 seconds down on Vingegaard, Pogačar is now just 25 seconds behind him in the overall, with Hindley 3rd at 1:34. Pogačar also has a confidence-boosting win after yesterday's disappointment, has landed a major blow to the confidence of his rival and now has the momentum behind him.
More to come.
