Tadej Pogacar had to relinquish the yellow jersey – at least temporarily. © APA/afp / ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT

Pogacar after losing the yellow jersey: “Never easy”

Tadej Pogacar will spend the first rest day of this year's Tour de France without the yellow jersey. After four days in the leader's jersey, the three-time champion of the world's biggest cycling event took the somewhat surprising and likely only brief change at the top of the overall standings in stride.

July 15, 2025

From: dpa/sn

"Of course, it's never easy to lose the yellow jersey," the 26-year-old told Slovenian radio. On the tenth stage, Irishman Ben Healy snatched the coveted yellow jersey.

The goal was not to be attacked by rival Jonas Vingegaard's Visma team or to fend off their attacks, said Pogacar. "We did a great job, but now it's a day off and it's good not to have the yellow jersey," he added. The exceptional rider was expected to put the jersey on again for the demanding twelfth stage in the Pyrenees on Thursday. The otherwise calm star, who has been without his most important mountain helper, João Almeida from Portugal, since the weekend, nevertheless said that the attacks from Vingegaard's team were "annoying."

Vingegaard “further back”

The Danish two-time Tour winner is fourth behind Pogacar, 1:17 minutes behind, mainly due to his time loss in last Wednesday's race against the clock. Nevertheless, Vingegaard heads into the second half of the Tour with his head held high. "I'm further back. But I was always able to follow his attacks, which I couldn't in the Dauphiné. That shows that I'm at a higher level."

Jonas Vingegaard fights to catch up. © APA/afp / MARCO BERTORELLO

Belgian double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel is third overall in the Tour standings. However, Evenepoel has indicated so far that, as was the case last year, he might have trouble keeping up with Pogacar and Vingegaard on the tough stages in the Pyrenees and the Alps.