{"id":184546,"date":"2021-07-15T08:59:15","date_gmt":"2021-07-15T08:59:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=184546"},"modified":"2021-07-15T08:59:46","modified_gmt":"2021-07-15T08:59:46","slug":"tdf-commentary-column-pogacar-is-just-four-stages-from-another-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2021\/07\/15\/tdf-commentary-column-pogacar-is-just-four-stages-from-another-win\/","title":{"rendered":"TdF Commentary Column: Poga\u010dar Is Just Four Stages from Another Win"},"content":{"rendered":"

Four more stages of this turbulent, surprising, crash-filled Tour de France are left to run and, despite all the drama and shocks, nothing essential has changed in the race for the yellow jersey, except a reshuffling of the runners-up and Tadej Poga\u010dar increasing his lead. Barring accident, illness or a shocking loss of form, the Slovenian cycling phenomenon will easily win his second consecutive Tour.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ahead of Thursday\u2019s stage 18, which includes two monstrous \u201cbeyond category\u201d climbs with one summit finish, the 22-year-old Poga\u010dar leads the race for the yellow jersey by 5 min 39 sec over Jumbo-Visma\u2019s Jonas Vingegaard, with Richard Carapaz of Ineos Grenadiers in third place at 5 min 43 sec.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/TourdeFrance21\/status\/1415330584835067909<\/p>\n

That was also the finish order in Wednesday\u2019s thrilling stage 17 with the three likely podium finishers battling it out, mano a mano, on the last 5 km of the gruelling 16-km climb up to the summit of the Col du Portet<\/a>, with the Slovenian again proving that no one can touch him in the mountains. \u201cTo win in the yellow jersey is a feeling I cannot describe,\u201d the delighted Poga\u010dar<\/a> said after the stage. It was the first time he had won a Tour stage wearing the yellow jersey as he took the GC lead in last year\u2019s Tour on stage 20, the individual time trial. He also praised his UAE Team Emirates teammates who have so far given him excellent support in comparison to last year when Poga\u010dar won the race on his own.<\/p>\n

Anyone wishing to overtake him will now have to take at least six minutes off him on the two big climbs of stage 18 and then match or beat him in Saturday\u2019s individual time trial. The first challenge is as unlikely as the second as Poga\u010dar is clearly both the best climber and the best ITT rider<\/a> in the peloton.<\/p>\n

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\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 #TDF2021<\/a> <\/p>\n

What a day!<\/p>\n

2\u20e3 on stage 17
2\u20e3 on GC<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcac "I think Pogacar, Carapaz and I were evenly matched today." – Jonas Vingegaard<\/p>\n

— Team Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) July 14, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n