Tadej Pogacar has reasserted his dominance in the 2024 Tour de France, winning the fourth stage with a powerful attack on the Col du Galibier and reclaiming the yellow jersey. The Slovenian cyclist now holds a 50-second lead over his main rival, defending champion Jonas Vingegaard. This performance, described by French sports newspaper L’Equipe as a ‘true takeover’, marks a significant shift in the race dynamics.Pogacar’s success can be attributed in part to the strength of his UAE team, particularly the support of Nils Politt on flat sections and the team’s ‘light brigades’ in the mountains. The team’s dominance was so complete that Vingegaard reportedly lost all his teammates during the stage. Pogacar, motivated by his defeats to Vingegaard in 2022 and 2023, stated, ‘We have the eggs to ride like this,’ indicating his determination to maintain his lead.However, the Tour is far from over. Vingegaard, despite losing time, remains confident, saying, ‘My time will come’. The upcoming stages, particularly Friday’s time trial, could reshape the general classification. Other contenders, including world champion Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic, also have opportunities to challenge Pogacar’s lead.This year’s Tour has also seen noteworthy performances from other riders. Biniam Girmay’s stage win has sparked hope for the global expansion of road cycling, particularly in Africa. Meanwhile, the competition has drawn attention from other sports, with MotoGP rider Fabio Quartararo taking a break to watch the European Football Championship.
Key points
- Tadej Pogacar won the fourth stage of the Tour de France with a powerful attack on the Col du Galibier.
- Pogacar now leads Jonas Vingegaard by 50 seconds in the general classification.
- The UAE team’s strong performance, particularly Nils Politt’s support, has been crucial to Pogacar’s success.
- The upcoming time trial and mountain stages could still reshape the race.
Contradictions👾While most sources emphasize Pogacar’s dominance, one article suggests that yesterday’s events were not decisive, describing Pogacar’s gain as ‘modest’.
