Slovenian Rider Defies Main Rivals, Extends Lead Ahead of Tour de France

Tadej Pogacar solidified his position at the top of the Critérium du Dauphiné general classification, riding away from his main rivals on the final ascent of Saturday’s mountainous Queen Stage. The Slovenian rider, who took the overall lead the day before, cemented his grip on the yellow jersey with a strong performance, finishing 14 seconds ahead of his main Tour de France rival, Jonas Vingegaard.

Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates teammate, Pavel Sivakov, played a crucial role in setting the pace at the front of the pack on the 20km final climb to Valmeinier ski resort. With 12km to go, Pogacar upped the tempo, standing on his pedals and rocketing clear of the competition. Vingegaard and the young German rider, Florian Lipowitz, were the only ones able to respond, but Pogacar was able to maintain an uncatchable pace, increasing his lead to as much as 30 seconds before easing up towards the end.

The 98th stage win of Pogacar’s career, which broke his tie with French sprinter Arnaud Démare for most stage wins by an active rider, marked a significant victory for the Slovenian rider. With one stage to go, Pogacar increased his lead to 1:01 over Vingegaard, 2:01 over Lipowitz, and 4:11 over Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel, who had led the overall classification until Friday.

Pogacar attributed his success to his team’s strategy, which aimed to take control on all the climbs and prevent Visma’s attack attempts. However, he also expressed his dissatisfaction with the way Visma’s riders tried to drop him on the descent of the Col de la Croix de Fer, calling it “a little bit dangerous.”

In an interview after the stage, Pogacar praised his teammate Sivakov for his efforts, saying: “I was pretty happy with how Pavel and the team rode today. It was sort of defence, to not get attacked by everyone from Visma.” Pogacar’s ability to maintain a strong pace and conserve energy for the final kilometers was also key to his success, as he noted: “Jonas was really strong – I did not want to go too deep myself. It was a super-hot and long climb. Luckily, I had enough time to ease up in the last kilometres and recovered.”

Pogacar’s victory in the Critérium du Dauphiné has set him up well for the Tour de France, which begins on July 5. With his strong form and experience, he will be a major contender for the overall title. As he prepares for the Tour, Pogacar will be looking to build on his momentum and continue his impressive run of form.

The Critérium du Dauphiné has been a key preparation event for the Tour de France, and Pogacar’s victory has shown that he is in top shape. His ability to ride aggressively and maintain a strong pace will be crucial in the mountains of the Tour, where he will face stiff competition from riders like Vingegaard and Evenepoel.

Pogacar’s team, UAE Team Emirates, has been working hard to prepare for the Tour, and their strategy has paid off with Pogacar’s victory in the Critérium du Dauphiné. The team will be looking to continue their success in the Tour, and Pogacar will be a key player in their efforts.

As the Tour de France approaches, fans will be eagerly watching to see how Pogacar and his teammates perform. With his strong form and experience, Pogacar is a major contender for the overall title, and his victory in the Critérium du Dauphiné has set him up well for a strong showing in the Tour.