Tadej Pogacar produced a truly remarkable performance in the Tour de France on Thursday to not only win Stage 6 but also regain the yellow jersey despite starting the day 7 mins 53 secs off the lead.
The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider was ready for the first big mountain test in what was widely considered the most important day of the race so far.
But on the climb up the mighty Col du Tourmalet, Pogacar would surge to the front in spectacular fashion, leaving his rivals trailing and would eventually cross the finish line 2 mins 38 seconds clear of beleaguered rival Jonas Vingegaard.
The Slovenian's teammate Isaac del Torro, having played a key role in setting up Pogacar for the win, came in third, 19 seconds behind Vingegaard.
It was one of the great Tour performances by the most dominant athlete in any sport at this moment in time, as Pogacar secured Tour win No 23, taking him ahead of Andre Darrigade on the all-time ranking to fifth and within eight of Mark Cavendish’s record.
The four-time champion now leads Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) in the general classification by 2 mins 42 secs with Del Toro a further 45 seconds back.
He would take the yellow jersey from Torstein Traeen (Uno-X Mobility) who would endure a nightmare day which would see him crash and lose the overall lead.
“It's one of the sweetest for sure,” Pogacar said when asked how it ranked out of his 123 career victories. “Today I woke up like seven in the morning and already my mind was going crazy, so I was really, really excited for today.
“All the guys were really hyped, so I knew it will be good day, and we would just commit. We we were going like [we had] nothing to lose. If we explode, we explode. But in the end, we succeeded, and I'm super proud of everybody. Today was crazy teamwork.”
For two-time champion Vingegaard, it was a brutal reality check as hailed to keep up with Pogacar during the 17.1km ascent to Tourmalet. “It was a very tough day,” the Dane admitted. “It was not the day I wanted, obviously, but that's how it is sometimes.
“They put in a big attack on the on the Tourmalet, and I couldn't follow, and I had to settle within my own pace. Over the top I was not that far, but on a downhill like this, it's not really suited to me.
“It was not my best day, but that's how it is. Obviously I'm disappointed. I have to be, but yeah, sometimes that's life, and I cannot change it. I still believe in myself. I still believe my legs will get better throughout the race, so the fight is not over.”
Ahead of the daunting 186.2km route, UAE Team Emirates-XRG sports director Andrej Hauptman had told Cycling News that they were fully expecting a challenging day.
“At the Tour de France, you can lose everything in a moment, so we need to stay focused on every stage,” said the Slovenian. “Stage 6 is one of the hardest stages at Tour, so we'll see where we all are. It will be hard.”
Team Visma – Lease a Bike rider Sepp Kuss described it as “one of the most important stages in the Tour,” with the American telling Velo: “It can be a really dangerous stage with a long valley after, so you can gain a lot or lose a lot.”
It turned out to be the latest masterclass by Pogacar as he chases a record-equalling fifth Tour crown. “I didn't think I would take the yellow jersey today because Torstein – I heard now that he crashed really bad [on the descent] from Tourmalet,” said Pogacar, who became the first reigning world champion to conquer Tourmalet.
“It's quite a [tough] downhill – really dangerous if you miss a corner, and I hope he's OK. I would maybe prefer if he could keep the jersey today. So I hope he recovers fast, and that he can continue racing.”
The race continues with a 175.1-km flat ride from Hagetmau to Bordeaux on Friday.
Stage 6 results
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) – 4:32:07
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) +2:38
3. Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +2:57
General classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) – 21:11:57
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) +2:42
3. Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +3:27
