On a day when French radio described Harry Kane as the “Raymond Pulido of world football” – who had eight podium finishes at the Tour de France but never won – Tadej Pogacar does not have to face the usual rest days this time around, with questions about his credibility wearing the leader’s yellow jersey.
Tough questions were strategically ignored during the Giro d’Italia winner’s online press conference, where the 25-year-old Emirates team boss spent more time waxing lyrical about chocolate brownies than Answer questions about record-breaking climbing times.
“Don’t tell my nutritionist,” Pogacar said of his off-day ride, “but we stopped at a bakery and I had one of the best brownies I’ve ever had in my life. “
Browne is unlikely to be the secret to his success, and after two summits in the Pyrenees on Saturday at Pla d’Adet and a day later at Plateau de Beille, the Slovenian now looks almost impossible to compete with at his best. Close rival Jonas Vingegaard, from Visma rental bike company. Pogacar has dominated all the mountain stages of the Tour so far and currently leads by more than three minutes.
“I think we all witnessed one of the best performances in the history of climbing,” he said of his victory on the Plateau of Beye. “When I check my [power] The numbers after that, they were really crazy, they were the highest numbers I’ve ever had in my career.
Pogacar admitted, however, that Vengergaard and his team had done their best to buy time. “They finally showed the ball and hit it hard. Hats off to them.
Pogacar dominated pro cycling in 2024, winning one-day classics, short stage races and the Giro d’Italia in May. As he sought to complete the Giro d’Italia, the rest of his peers, including Vingarde, languished behind him.
“Cycling is constantly evolving,” Pogacar said. “Six years ago, when I came to this team, it was completely different. If I compare this year to my first year, it was almost amateur. I thought everything was professional then, but we Progress is rapid.
Pogakar, who has donned the yellow jersey since stage four and has won three mountain stages, is on course to break the Tour de France’s stratospheric performance record. The pace set by the Slovenian and his team would have been difficult for the little mortals in the main car. French veteran Romain Bardet, first yellow jersey The 2024 race winner, now an hour and 42 minutes behind the leader, said: “The top two or three riders are in another universe and the level is unbelievable.”
Pogacar said growing competition between his team and Vingegaard’s Visma bike rental team is driving innovation. “Each team is pushing each other through technique, nutrition, training plans and altitude camps. We push each other to reach new limits.
Like others, Pogacar sees technological advances as a key reason for the increase in speed. “Bikes are so much faster now, especially the tires. They’re the biggest difference to where we were six or ten years ago. Wheels, aerodynamics, frames – how much better bikes are now than they were five years ago.” It’s surprising how different it is.
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With three summit races left and a final time trial from Monaco to Nice, Vengergaard still has plenty of opportunities to make up for lost time. “I won’t give up,” Danes said. “I’ve won the Tour twice, but I’m not here to finish second.”
“They are choosing a stage [to attack]”, Pogacar said of the Isola 2000 stage and the Col de la Couillole stage. “I don’t think they will choose both Friday and Saturday. I think they will focus on one race, but we will try to be ourselves game. Jonas said he wasn’t going to give up, and I think that was right.
Six days and counting. For those tired and tired riders out there, the final stage of the Tour de France next Sunday in Nice is just around the corner. For most, including Pogacar and Vingarde, the battle is now as much psychological as physical as they face a brutal final week in the southern French Alps.
