Pogacar’s Dominant Performance on Alpe d’Huez
Tadej Pogacar, the reigning champion, secured a significant victory on stage 19 of the Tour de France, conquering Alpe d’Huez. This win positions him to potentially achieve a record-tying fifth Tour de France title. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider managed to close a gap of over three minutes on a breakaway group during the challenging final climb to the ski resort. Thousands of spectators from various parts of the world lined the route, creating a vibrant atmosphere.
Pogacar’s ascent of Alpe d’Huez was particularly notable, as he set a record time of 35 minutes 27 seconds for the climb. This performance surpassed the previous record held by Marco Pantani from 1997. Following the race, Pogacar expressed his satisfaction with the win, acknowledging the “crazy atmosphere” and thanking his team for their support. He noted that he felt strong throughout the climb, stating, “Every kilometre of Alpe d’Huez I had good legs and not many could follow [me].”
The Slovenian rider crossed the finish line six seconds ahead of France’s Lenny Martinez of Bahrain-Victorious. Richard Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost, who had won the previous day’s stage, finished in third place, an additional three seconds behind Martinez.
Team Support and General Classification Standings
Pogacar’s success was also attributed to the efforts of his teammates, particularly Felix Grosschartner and Adam Yates. Yates, who had been ill after stage 16’s time trial, showed remarkable resilience. After spending two stages riding at the back of the field, he rejoined Pogacar during the crucial climb, providing pace through the dense crowds. Pogacar acknowledged Yates’s contribution, stating, “Adam gave me a good moral boost. I was so happy he is finally back after the day of the TT.” Yates, a loyal domestique to Pogacar since 2023, is contracted for two more seasons.
In the overall general classification after stage 19, Pogacar holds a substantial lead of seven minutes 11 seconds over Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. Pogacar’s Mexican teammate, Isaac del Toro, remains in third place, nine minutes 42 seconds behind, and continues to wear the white young riders’ classification leader’s jersey.
Other notable performances included Sepp Kuss of Visma-Lease a Bike, who battled for a fourth-place finish in stage 19. Kuss was part of a 40-rider breakaway that formed early in the stage, with strong support from teammates Bruno Armirail, Matteo Jorgenson, and Davide Piganzoli. Kuss reflected on his performance, stating, “I felt really good today. It was a great day for the team.”
Richard Carapaz’s combative riding earned him the polka-dot King of the Mountains jersey, leading Pogacar by one point. Denmark’s Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek maintained his lead in the green points jersey classification.
Historical Context of the Alpe d’Huez Record
Pogacar’s record-breaking climb on Alpe d’Huez has drawn comparisons to previous legendary ascents. His time of 35 minutes 27 seconds for the 13.8-kilometre climb was 1 minute 23 seconds faster than Pantani’s 1995 record of 36 minutes 50 seconds, which had stood for three decades. Pantani also holds the third- and fifth-fastest recorded ascents, with times of 36 minutes 53 seconds in 1997 and 37 minutes 15 seconds in 1994.
The fourth-fastest climb belongs to Lance Armstrong, who recorded 37 minutes 36 seconds in 2004 during an individual time trial. Pogacar commented on breaking the long-standing record, suggesting it was “about time,” given the evolution of the sport and the increased average speeds in the peloton over the past five years. He highlighted the collective effort, stating, “It’s nice to see that we’re riding so fast, also on the climbs.”
With this victory, Pogacar now has 26 stage wins in the Tour de France. If he secures the overall win in Paris, he will join an elite group of riders with five Tour de France victories, including Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. The peloton is set to tackle Alpe d’Huez again on Saturday for the race’s mountainous ‘queen’ stage, which includes an additional 2,000 metres of climbing.
The final stage results for stage 19 saw Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) finish in 3 hours 17 minutes 57 seconds.
Source: bbc.com
