Pogačar depends on the Danes
Horror and alarm mood at tour star Vingegaard
10.07.2025 – 07:56 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
In the fight for overall victory at the Tour de France, the focus is on Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar. However, the time trial caused a surprise.
When Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease A Bike) finished at the finish line, the Danish was visibly flat and exhausted. The time trial on the fifth stage demanded a lot from cycling professionals-and ended up differently than expected. The favorite double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) won the stage and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) secured the yellow jersey. However, the distance from Vingegaard on Pogačar amazed.
Because the two-time tour winner had a clear deficit and lost important time in the fight for overall victory. Vingegaard lost 1:13 minute on Pogačar. Vingegaard’s sporting director Grischa Niermann spoke of an unexpected defeat. That is “not what we hoped for. I don’t have an explanation,” said the German.
Vingegaard said: “I had a pretty bad day, so it is sometimes. I just didn’t have the necessary legs. The tour is of course long, so I am still motivated and I still believe that it is possible.”
After his good day, “Pogi”, as he is also called, said: “It was a good motivation to hear the times of Remco.” The Slovenian started for 14 minutes to Evenepoel and ultimately only 16 seconds slower. Pogačar not only took over the yellow jersey from Mathieu van der Poel, but now also leads the sprint rating. He had already been in front in the mountain ranking.
Evenepoel is the new overall ranking due to its stage win, 42 seconds behind Pogačar. For Vingegaard, the day was more than disappointing: 13th place in the day classification and a sensitive setback in the fight for the tour crown. Evenepoel said: “Jonas is mentally strong enough to accept that.” Pogačar was surprised by the performance of the Danes: “I didn’t expect to be so far before him.”
But the Slovenian also knows that Vingegaard now has to react – and will. “Jonas will come back. He is hungry. He is in good shape, his team too,” said the best in the classification. With a view of the sixth stage on Thursday, Pogačar believes in a possible attack: “Maybe you will try it.”