FRANCE :Defending champion Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) is back in the yellow jersey after the Slovenian fought off Dane Jonas Vingegaard (Visma–Lease a Bike) to win stage seven of the Tour de France on Friday.
Pogacar, three-times winner, claimed his second stage of this year’s Tour at the end of a 197km ride from Saint-Malo to Mur-de-Bretagne, outsprinting Vingegaard at the summit finish, with Britain’s Oscar Onley taking third place.
Mathieu van der Poel began the day with a one-second lead over Pogacar but the Dutchman finished 22nd on the stage and slipped to fifth overall, with Belgian Remco Evenepoel now in second place and 54 seconds behind the Slovenian.
Van der Poel won his first Tour de France stage, and claimed his first yellow jersey, at the Mur-de-Bretagne finish in 2021, but there was no repeat for the Alpecin–Deceuninck rider, after he was dropped on the steep climb to the line.
“I was quite sure I would lose the jersey today so I tried to enjoy it as much as possible,” Van der Poel said.
“Coming back here to Mur-de-Bretagne is quite special wearing the yellow jersey after four years.”
After several early attacks, a five-man group – containing 2018 winner Geraint Thomas, with the 39-year-old Welshman riding his last Tour – got away with over 140km still to race.
LOUD CHEERS
With the peloton upping the pace, the leading group began to crack, leaving Ewen Costiou (Arkea-B&B Hotels) out alone as the race reached the Mur-de-Bretagne for the first time with the peloton just 20 seconds behind as they crossed the summit.
Costiou was soon swallowed up by the bunch, but the 22-year-old Breton had his moment of glory, the local rider greeted with loud cheers from the huge crowd gathered at what would also be the finish line.
With six kilometres remaining, a crash at the back of the peloton brought down several riders, including Pogacar’s teammate Joao Almeida, who was seventh overall in the standings, and stage six winner Ben Healy.
The action was always going to come in the finishing circuit, where the riders faced the Mur-de-Bretagne twice, and Pogacar tried to get away from the reduced bunch in the final two kilometres to the finish.
Pogacar was followed by Evenepoel and Vingegaard, and eventually eight riders were left battling for the stage win in the last kilometre, but Van der Poel was not among them, dropped on that final climb.
That left Pogacar certain of taking back the yellow jersey which he had narrowly lost on Thursday and, after teammate Jhonatan Narvaez led him out, Pogacar stole a march on his rivals by pouncing first.
Vingegaard, twice winner, was the only rider able to go with Pogacar but the Slovenian punched the air in delight as he crossed the line ahead of the Dane.
“I’m super happy with the win today, we did almost perfect, unfortunately Joao crashed and I hope he’s okay,” Pogacar said.
“If he is okay then it’s a perfect day, if not then this victory is for him.”
Saturday’s stage eight is a mostly flat 171.4km ride from Saint-Meen-le-Grand to Laval.
(Writing by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Ken Ferris)
