Impressive of power and ease in the climb to Hautacam, the Slovenian took over the yellow jersey, with a more than comfortable lead on his dolphin.
Alone in the world, Tadej Pogacar knocked out the Tour de France from the first high mountain stage, Thursday in the Pyrenees, winning at the top in Hautacam, to resume the yellow jersey with an already colossal margin (more than three minutes and a half). Under a blazing sun, the Slovenian attacked twelve kilometers from the summit and won with 2’10 ” ahead of Jonas Vingegaard, grimacing in pain, and 2’23 ” on the amazing German Florian Lipowitz.
The Frenchman Kévin Vauquelin impressed by finishing in sixth place, just ahead of Remco Evenepoel, distant from the Col du Soulor but who managed to hang on. In the general classification, the hole is made: Pogacar, which dispossessed of the yellow jersey ben Healy, in perdition from the Soulor, has 3’31 ” ahead of Vingegaard, a dizzying gap, and 4’45 ” on Evenepoel. The match for third place, on the other hand, promises to be exciting with the emergence of young Florian Lipowitz, Oscar Onley and Kévin Vauquelin, who can hope to compete in the podium in Evenepoel.
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Pogacar’s victory constitutes a sacred revenge for the world champion who had definitely lost the tour in 2022 on these same slopes against Vingegaard. Obviously not affected by his fall from the day before in Toulouse, Pogacar, a bandaged left forearm, relied on his UAE teammates at the start of the final ascent, the first outside category of this 112nd edition. Tim Wellens first exploded all the lieutenants of Vingegaard at Visma, yet sacred climbers. Adam Yates took a very brief relay before Jhonatan Narvaez prepares the attack on his sprint leader.
Bruno Armirail, a great fighter
The Pogacar’s offensive then left everyone on the spot, including Vingegaard, even if the Danish sailed for a time at around twenty seconds before also giving in ground, meter after meter. Pogacar quickly swallowed Bruno Armirail, author of a magnificent breakaway on his Pyrenean lands, before rushing towards the summit to win his eighth victory in the Pyrenees, more than any other runner in the history of the Tour. At 26, the Slovenian is already at 20 stage victories in the big loop, his third this year.
There are still two stages in the Pyrenees, a time trial on Friday until the Altiport de Peyragudes, and the one leading to Superbagnères on Saturday with the Tourmalet on the way. In the third week, it will then be necessary to climb the terrible Mont Ventoux, before two stages of the gargantuan mountains to the Col de la Loze and La Plagne. But, after a start of the round as dynamic as they are, the suspense already seems to be extinct in this large loop after this new rider alone of Pogacar.
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