'I could not imagine a better weekend': Tadej Pogačar closes in on Tour de France victory
UAE Team Emirates's superstar now has a lead to Jonas Vingegaard that might be insurmountable


It was only a few days ago that after being caught and then beaten by Jonas Vingegaard in the Massif Central, the momentum was swinging away from Tadej Pogačar in the fight for Tour de France yellow. But not now, definitely not now. Then, at the conclusion of stage 11, the UAE Team Emirates rider had an advantage of 1:06 to Remco Evenepoel in second, but after his stage 15 masterclass he has almost tripled his lead in yellow to 3:09.
The Tour’s not over – Pogačar predictably rebuffed talk that it is: “The Tour finishes when you arrive in Nice,” he stated – but he’s got the sort of lead he’s been craving of having since his grip on the Tour slipped in 2022. “I could not imagine a better weekend,” the Slovenian said atop Plateau de Beille, another climb in which he set the fastest ascent. “I was counting down the final kilometres and minutes of today’s race, but it was worth it. It was so hard so I’m super happy. I couldn’t ask for more.”
Attacks are the name of the game with the insatiable Pogačar, and there was an insinuation from speaking with his team that he was slightly vexed not to have a bigger advantage by the race’s midway point. No such frustration now. “Now the time gap is looking good,” he said. “I was saying this already when it was just 1:15, but now we just need to keep focused on the last six days and keep this mentality like we have now.” Matxin Fernández, Pogačar’s manager at UAE, was gushing of his star rider. “Right now, I think the advantage we have is comfortable,” he smiled.
When Vingegaard accelerated out of a reduced lead group with 10km still to ride on the Pyrenean beast, Pogačar was unflustered. Not since last year’s Tour on the Col de la Loze has he been a properly beaten man – 57 race days and 12 months ago. “He did a super good attack there,” he said of the Dane’s move. “It was a steep climb so I didn’t want to go past him or pull with him. I was hoping he would get tired and would want to try and attack again but not have the best legs to do it.
“He set a super good pace and when he finally attacked again, then I saw I could maybe make a difference if I tried. It was hard to break him to make a bigger gap so I was going all out to the finish line. All the time I was hearing 35 seconds so I was thinking he was recovering and coming back but in the end I cracked him. I’m super happy to get this gap.”
Pogačar has won two stages in as many days, crushing the belief that Vingegaard was going to be able to keep pace with him once the race got to the highest mountains. The Alps are on the horizon, and danger lurks especially on stage 19, but until now, defending champion Vingegaard hasn’t even threatened Pogačar. When he attacks, it usually sticks, and no-one other than Evenepoel in the time trial has taken time out of him. It’s been as good as a perfect opening fortnight for Pogačar.
“We go to the rest day tomorrow with a big smile and I hope we can reset a little bit for the final big fight in the last four days,” he said. “I’m having a great time and have an amazing team behind me.”
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and long reads across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013. In 2024 he released a seven-part podcast documentary, Ghost in the Machine, about motor doping in cycling.
Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains. He lives in Valencia, Spain.
-
Tom Pidcock’s Q36.5 receive Giro d’Italia wildcard invite along with Tudor Pro Cycling
Team Polti Visit Malta and VF Group BardianiCSF - Faizane also receive invitations from RCS
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Be seen all year round with 35% off Magicshine bike lights in the Amazon Big Spring Sale
This is your last chance to seize a deal on some of the best bike lights with daylight running features. Act fast, as the sale ends at midnight tonight
By Matt Ischt-Barnard Published
-
Extra wildcard team approved for Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España
Number of teams to increase from 22 to 23 at men's Grand Tours
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Tadej Pogačar commemorates Strade Bianche crash with limited edition t-shirt - here's how you can buy it
Part of profits from new t-shirt will go to world champion's charity foundation
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Jonas Vingegaard out of Volta a Catalunya after Paris-Nice crash
Visma-Lease a Bike say two-time Tour de France winner needs more time to recover from wrist injury sustained in France last week
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'We've all got a little bit extra in us this year' - Ineos Grenadiers recapture 'fighting spirit' with aggressive Paris-Nice display
British team continue to put tumultuous 2024 behind them with momentum and a new found mentality
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Matteo Jorgenson aiming to 'set the bar higher' and target a Grand Tour after securing second Paris-Nice title
American explained that targeting a win in one of the sport's biggest three-week races was now the logical next step in his career
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Matteo Jorgenson rules out Tour de France leadership after Jonas Vingegaard's withdrawal from Paris-Nice
The American is on the cusp of a second consecutive victory at the Race to the Sun
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Could a TotalEnergies deal be the end of Ineos Grenadiers as we know them?
Reports suggested this week that Ineos could be close to signing a deal with the French petrochemical firm
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Why is Jonas Vingegaard wearing a special helmet at Paris-Nice?
The two-time Tour de France winner’s new helmet is part of a sponsorship deal that will see him wear the lid throughout the year
By Tom Thewlis Published