Tadej Pogacar further solidified his position in the Tour de France by winning the Alpe d’Huez stage and increasing his overall lead to more than seven minutes. The defending Tour champion’s performance on the legendary climb was marked by a record-breaking ascent.
Pogacar’s climbing time of 35 minutes and 26 seconds surpassed the previous record set by Marco Pantani in 1997 by over a minute. Despite earlier speculation regarding his health, Pogacar appeared in strong form, completing the 13.8 kilometre climb, known for its 21 hairpin bends, with a consistent pace.
The victory on Alpe d’Huez, a climb often associated with decisive moments in the Tour, reinforces the adage that the race can be won there. With one final mountain stage remaining, Pogacar now seems poised for an overall victory in Paris.
A Record-Breaking Ascent
The Slovenian rider expressed his satisfaction with the win, noting that breaking a record that had stood for over three decades was significant. His sports director, Matxin Fernández, was visibly moved by the performance, reflecting the team’s strong spirit and emotional investment in the race.
The stage saw a large breakaway group form early on the climbs of Bayard and Noyer, including past stage winners like Richard Carapaz, Thymen Arensman, and Pogacar’s teammate, Adam Yates. Yates, who had been ill earlier in the week, delivered a strong performance, joining forces with Pogacar during the ascent.
Pogacar’s decisive acceleration came 12km from the summit, leaving his closest rivals behind. After briefly riding with Yates, Pogacar pushed ahead alone with 10km remaining, ultimately catching and overtaking the day’s breakaway just three kilometres from the finish line.
The Alpe d’Huez Experience
The atmosphere on Alpe d’Huez was described as “crazy,” with an estimated 500,000 spectators lining the route. Many fans had arrived days in advance, creating a vibrant and at times chaotic environment for the riders.
Riders shared their experiences of navigating the noisy crowds. Tobias Foss of Netcompany-Ineos, riding the climb for the first time, noted that his eardrums were hurting due to the extreme noise. He described the experience as “incredible,” highlighting the unique energy of the fans, including a specific Norwegian/Danish corner where he saw friends.
Lewis Askey of NSN, who had previously watched the race on Alpe d’Huez, found riding it to be a “mental” experience, even half an hour after the leaders had passed. He mentioned the difficulty of riding through the crowds at certain points due to the sheer number of spectators.
Michael Matthews of Jayco AlUla, part of the day’s big breakaway, focused on enjoying the atmosphere once he reached the base of the climb. Despite having broken his arms earlier in the year and experiencing a pulmonary embolism in the previous year’s Tour, Matthews found the support from the fans to be an “amazing feeling” and “quite emotional.” He actively engaged with the crowd, waving his hands to encourage their cheers.
Robert Stannard of Bahrain-Victorious also expressed how motivated he felt by the cheering public, stating that the effort felt minimal due to the support. He described riding up Alpe d’Huez in the Tour de France as “almost like a dream come true.”
While many riders had positive experiences, Einer Rubio of Movistar sustained facial injuries after colliding with a UAE Team Emirates-XRG car. Pogacar’s victory marks his fifth stage win in 19 stages of the current Tour.
Source: theguardian.com