Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates secured a commanding victory on stage 19 of the Tour de France, further solidifying his lead over defending champion Jonas Vingegaard. With only two challenging stages remaining, Pogacar leads Vingegaard by 5 minutes and 3 seconds, with Remco Evenepoel in third place, 7 minutes and 1 second behind. Pogacar is on the verge of achieving a historic Tour-Giro double, a feat not accomplished in 26 years.
The Queen stage of the Tour de France saw Pogacar fulfill his promise to attack aggressively, extending his lead over Vingegaard. Despite a strong effort from Belgian Evenepoel, Pogacar’s dominance was unmatched. Vingegaard’s sports director graciously acknowledged Pogacar’s superior performance, acknowledging that the Slovenian rider was simply stronger. Pogacar, who resides near Monaco, credited his strong performance to his training regimen and motivation following a second-place finish in a previous Tour.
As the Tour headed into its final stages, Pogacar maintained a cautious approach, looking forward to enjoying the ride on familiar training roads. Overcast weather conditions during the stage favored Pogacar, who typically struggles in hot and high-altitude environments. The challenging route included a climb to the Col de la Bonette and a final ascent to the Isola 2000 ski resort, where Pogacar’s decisive attack left his competitors behind.
Following stage 19, Matteo Jorgenson secured a second-place finish, with Simon Yates and Richard Carapaz trailing behind. Vingegaard, who previously relied on a defensive strategy, struggled to keep up with Pogacar’s pace. The stage also saw Ecuador’s Carapaz claim the lead in the polka dot climb points standings, showcasing a strong performance throughout the race. The final stages of the Tour promise more mountainous challenges and a crucial individual time trial ahead of the concluding stage.
The Tour de France saw Eritrean rider Biniam Girmay retain the green sprint jersey, leading the sprint classification. Girmay and Jasper Philipsen both won three stages each, while Pogacar secured four victories so far. As Pogacar edges closer to a potential Tour-Giro double, his commanding performance in stage 19 solidified his status as a dominant force in the cycling world. With only a few stages remaining, the Tour de France continues to provide thrilling competition and spectacles for cycling enthusiasts worldwide.
