Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar continued his impressive performance in the Tour de France by closing the gap on Jonas Vingegaard in Stage 13. Pogacar, who is wearing the best young rider’s white jersey, made a sudden acceleration near the finish to cut into Vingegaard’s lead. Although he didn’t win the stage, Pogacar considered it a victory in the battle for the yellow jersey. Michal Kwiatkowski, a seasoned veteran with the Ineos Grenadiers team, claimed the stage win by soloing to the top of the Grand Colombier mountain. Pogacar, however, was the fastest on the climb, crossing the line in third position and gaining valuable time on Vingegaard.
Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates teammates played a crucial role in supporting him throughout the stage, and he made his move in the final 500 meters of the grueling climb. With two big mountain stages in the Alps coming up this weekend, Pogacar’s performance puts him in a strong position. He now trails Vingegaard by just nine seconds in the overall standings, with Jai Hindley remaining in third place.
Pogacar has been on the offensive since losing time in Stage 5 and is determined to make up for that setback. He has already claimed a stage win and dropped Vingegaard in the Pyrenees. Vingegaard, however, remains unfazed and is glad to have successfully defended the yellow jersey. The plan for the stage was to let the breakaway win, and that’s exactly what happened.
The stage started with an immediate attack from a pair of Lotto-Dstny riders, but they were quickly reeled in by the peloton. Several unsuccessful moves followed until a group of 19 riders, including Kwiatkowski, managed to break away. They were closely monitored by the big teams, and Pogacar’s teammates rode at the front to control the gap. Sprinter Caleb Ewan, a five-time stage winner, struggled and eventually abandoned the race.
The leading group worked well together and reached the base of the Grand Colombier with a decent gap. With the support of passionate fans, Frenchman Quentin Pacher attempted to go solo, but he was caught and dropped by three rivals. Kwiatkowski lost some ground at the start of the climb but managed to catch up with the leading trio before launching his successful solo attack.
The upcoming stages in the Alps will provide further challenges for the riders, with the ascent of the Col de Joux Plane awaiting them in Stage 14. Pogacar and Vingegaard will continue their battle for the yellow jersey, while Kwiatkowski will aim to build on his stage win. As the Tour de France progresses, the competition becomes more intense, and the riders must dig deep to stay in contention.
