POGACAR TRIUMPHS ON BASTILLE DAY IN TOUR DE FRANCE
Tadej Pogacar showcased his dominance at the Tour de France by winning the mountainous 10th stage on Bastille Day, further solidifying his lead in the overall standings. The Slovenian cyclist celebrated his victory and the national holiday with an outstanding performance, leaving his competitors in his wake.
Pogacar Extends Lead over Vingegaard
This victory marks Pogacar’s third stage win in the 2023 Tour and the third consecutive time he has triumphed on France’s national holiday. Following this win, he has extended his lead over rival Jonas Vingegaard to a remarkable three minutes and thirty-six seconds, the largest gap he has ever held at this point in the race.
A Milestone Victory
With this stage victory, Pogacar reached a significant milestone, achieving his 24th stage win at the Tour. This triumph brings him within one win of the esteemed French cyclist Andre Leducq, who clinched the title in the 1930s. Despite receiving some negative reactions from spectators, Pogacar remained upbeat about his performance.
Reflecting on the Victory
“Today was an incredible day. The team did a super good job,” stated the 27-year-old champion. He further explained that they had targeted this stage from long ago, reminiscing about the last time he lost to Vingegaard in a sprint two years prior. “I didn’t know I was going to win until the last kilometre. And then I remember it’s Bastille Day and I try to honour the yellow jersey,” he added, expressing gratitude to the fans who turned out despite the booing.
A Tactical Attack
Pogacar launched a decisive attack 15.5 kilometers from the end of the 166.6-kilometer stage, swiftly establishing a lead that would prove insurmountable for his competitors. While Pogacar raced ahead, the fight behind him was for podium positions.
Runner-Up and Further Challenges
Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel claimed second place, finishing 32 seconds after Pogacar, while French teenager Paul Seixas narrowly edged out Florian Lipowitz for third, finishing just two seconds later. On the other hand, Vingegaard struggled on the steep final ascent, finishing seventh overall and solidifying his position further back in the rankings.
The Day’s Breakaway
The day’s initial breakaway formed after about 50 kilometers, with Mads Pedersen’s Lidl-Trek team setting a furious pace for the intermediate sprint, allowing him to strengthen his hold in the green sprinter’s jersey competition. A 31-man group attempted to escape, but it was eventually Javier Romo who broke away solo for a significant stretch before being reeled in by Pogacar’s UAE Emirates-XRG team.
Final Climb and Victory Secured
As the race approached the challenging Puy Mary climb, Richard Carapaz made his move, creating a gap of over a minute on the descent to the steep climb of Col de Pertus. However, Pogacar accelerated just over a kilometre from the summit, overtaking Carapaz with ease and establishing a crucial lead that he maintained all the way to the finish.
Conclusion and Looking Ahead
By the time he reached the foot of the descent, Pogacar had extended his lead to about 16 seconds, eventually crossing the finish line ahead of his closest challengers, signaling his continued strength and strategic prowess in the ongoing competition.
