Tour De France: Pogacar Pulls More Than Four Minutes Clear With Stage 13 Victory

2 hours ago

A breathless Jonas Vingegaard slumped exhaustedly complete his motorcycle connected different baking Pyrenean afternoon, aft Tadej Pogacar inflicted a further crushing conclusion successful nan upland clip proceedings to nan altiport astatine Peyragudes.

The 2nd clip proceedings successful nan 2025 Tour was expected to further corroborate Pogacar’s supremacy complete nan peloton and truthful it proved, arsenic nan defending champion extended his lead to complete 4 minutes pinch his 4th shape triumph successful this year’s title and nan 21st Tour shape of his career.

Riding a modular roadworthy motorcycle alternatively of a clip proceedings set-up, he was nan fastest astatine each clip cheque connected nan 11km climb, successful galore ways a c transcript of Thursday’s ascent to Hautacam, wherever he besides triumphed.

“I’m super-happy,” he said. “This clip proceedings was a large mobility people from December from me. I wanted everything to beryllium cleanable and nan squad delivered.

“I had an easy greeting and a bully preparation. I was really targeting an all-out commencement and finish, and to smash nan pedals arsenic overmuch arsenic possible. I almost blew up, but I saw nan timer astatine nan apical and it gave maine an other push because I knew I was going to win.”

Back-to-back acme finishes person now seen nan Slovenian unfastened a yawning disagreement betwixt himself and nan remainder of nan peloton.

At Hautacam he took 2 minutes and 10 seconds retired of Vingegaard successful 12 kilometres; arsenic he crossed nan statement astatine nan Pyrenean altiport, he had further distanced nan Dane and now leads wide by 4 minutes and 7 seconds.

With Vingegaard 3 minutes up of third-placed Remco Evenepoel, only 7 riders are now wrong 10 minutes of Pogacar.

“I didn’t person nan legs I wanted,” a drained Evenepoel said. “Within a fewer minutes of starting, I conscionable felt empty. I’m beautiful disappointed.”

Scotland’s Oscar Onley remains stubbornly successful contention for a precocious finish, climbing up t0 5th place, aft finishing seventh connected nan stage.

“I was suffering a spot aft yesterday,” Onley said, “but we’re each suffering. With nan steep runway astatine nan end, you really had to clasp backmost a bit. It wasn’t an easy clip proceedings to manage.”

With Pogacar almost retired of sight, nan existent conflict now whitethorn beryllium for nan podium. Roglic, who began nan Tour saying his main liking was successful getting to Paris and drinking champagne, is now progressing steadily up nan wide standings.

The 35-year-old, famously toppled by Pogacar successful nan 2020 Tour’s last clip proceedings erstwhile connected nan cusp of wide victory, group nan champion clip connected nan 10.9km trial until first Vingegaard, and past inevitably, Pogacar, surpassed him.

Meanwhile, French sprinter Bryan Coquard, nan rider who collided pinch Jasper Philipsen connected shape 3 and caused nan Belgian sprinter to clang retired of nan race, has himself decided to discontinue nan Tour aft breaking bones successful his correct manus while trying to return his nutrient container from a squad helper during Thursday’s shape to Hautacam.

Coquard rode nan clip proceedings pinch his correct manus heavy strapped and past stepped disconnected nan motorcycle to time off nan Tour and caput location for surgery.

“I wanted to thrust nan clip proceedings today, but for nan liking of safety, I can’t commencement tomorrow,” he said. “I can’t brake pinch my correct hand, which isn’t an rumor racing unsocial successful an uphill clip trial, but successful nan peloton, that’s evidently dangerous.”

With Pogacar successful specified imperious form, nan title organisation remains keen to emphasise that each is still to play for. The truth is that Vingegaard will request overmuch much of a outpouring successful his measurement if he is to enactment moreover wrong rubbing region of his rival.

Pogacar won nan 2024 Giro d’Italia by conscionable nether 10 minutes and besides took six stages. The clip tests whitethorn beryllium done with, but pinch 4 acme finishes still to come, this could go nan Slovenian’s astir emphatic Grand Tour triumph to date.

Meanwhile, Roglic is not nan only 1 already reasoning of Paris. The dancers from nan Moulin Rouge person announced that they will return to nan thoroughfare and creation nan can-can arsenic nan peloton passes done Montmartre connected nan Tour’s last stage. Maybe Roglic will jump off, raise a flute and subordinate in.