Tadej Pogacar regained the yellow jersey on Tuesday. © ANSA / KIM LUDBROOK

Back in yellow: Pogacar flexes his muscles

Cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar has won the first difficult mountain stage of the 111th Tour de France and regained the yellow jersey.

July 02, 2024

From: dpa

The Slovenian Giro winner prevailed on Tuesday after 139,6 kilometers on the fourth stage with the difficult climb to the 2642 meter high Col du Galibier, ahead of time trial world champion Remco Evenepoel and his Spanish team colleague Juan Ayuso. On the stage from Pinerolo to Valloire in France, the 25-year-old high-flyer took over the yellow jersey of overall winner from Olympic champion Richard Carapaz from Ecuador.

On the 23-kilometer-long and 5,1 percent-steep climb to the Galibier, Pogacar and defending champion Jonas Vingegaard once again went head-to-head. A few meters before the top of the mountain, Pogacar broke away from Vingegaard, mastered the descent to the finish line impressively and increased the gap to the Dane to 50 seconds. Primoz Roglic, captain of the German Red Bull team, came fourth.

Jonas Vingegaard lost important seconds. © APA/afp / ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT

On Wednesday, the sprinters can again hope for a mass finish on the fifth stage over 177,4 kilometers from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Saint-Vulbas. Only two easier climbs of the fourth category have to be overcome.