logo
Tadej Pogacar out to bury the ghosts of his past in final Tour de France week

Tadej Pogacar out to bury the ghosts of his past in final Tour de France week

Independent5 days ago
Tadej Pogacar is riding not just for the yellow jersey on the Tour de France, but also to bury the ghosts of his past.
As the 2025 Tour de France heads into its final and most punishing mountain stages, the defending champion is about to tackle climbs where he cracked or struggled before.
The Mont Ventoux and Col de la Loze await again - but this time, things feel different.
"I'm almost confident to say the route was designed to scare me," Pogacar said with a smile on Monday.
"But I always look at it as a race situation. I actually like all of these climbs."
This year, he has already won at Hautacam, where his Tour hopes vanished in 2022 when he was beaten by chief rival Jonas Vingegaard, who ended up 2:10 behind the Slovenian.
Pogacar is 4:13 ahead of the Dane in the general classification as he marches towards a fourth Tour title.
In his sixth campaign, Pogacar speaks with the assurance of a man determined to make peace with painful memories.
"Col de la Loze, for me, is one of the hardest climbs I've ever done," he conceded. "I'm not looking for revenge. I just want to have better legs than those days in the past."
In 2023, Pogacar experienced what he then called the 'worst day' of his life on a bike when he cracked in the ascent of the Col de la Loze, effectively losing the Tour to Vingegaard.
While the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider appears firmly in control, Pogacar knows better than anyone that one bad day can change everything.
Although Vingegaard has suffered two rare off days, he insists he is not out of contention.
"I do think I can win it. Of course, it looks very hard now, it's a big gap," the Dane said. "But normally my strength is in the third week. We have to attack."
Vingegaard, however, has no illusions about the challenge ahead.
"The biggest difference is my two off days, where I lost most of the time," he said. "But I don't think the gap is as big as it looks. I know that's not my level. I can do a lot better than that.
"I'm also willing to sacrifice second to try to achieve first."
Visma-Lease a Bike's sports director Grischa Niermann underlined the urgency of the mission.
"It's four minutes - you don't make that up with an attack in the last 500 metres," Niermann said. "For that to happen, we need to see a weakness in Tadej. So far, he hasn't shown one. But the Tour is over only when we reach Paris."
Visma-Lease a Bike, however, seem to have lost the collective power that made them a formidable squad in 2022 and 2023, when Vingegaard won his two Tour titles.
"They tend to overtrain their riders and after two or three years, they're completely empty," a senior official in another Tour team told Reuters.
"They have plans, but don't have the capacities to execute them. They should be more humble."
Pogacar is ready for anything that might come at him.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘Green Jacket? It's on the yacht' – Rory McIlroy parties and jokes with golf fans on break in a beach club in St Tropez
‘Green Jacket? It's on the yacht' – Rory McIlroy parties and jokes with golf fans on break in a beach club in St Tropez

The Sun

time2 hours ago

  • The Sun

‘Green Jacket? It's on the yacht' – Rory McIlroy parties and jokes with golf fans on break in a beach club in St Tropez

RORY MCILROY has been enjoying some time away from the golf course as he was seen joking with fans in St Tropez. The Northern Irish clubber finished tied for seventh at the Open, which ended on Sunday. 3 3 McIlroy, 36, has now whisked himself away to the south of France from some R&R. The golfer was spotted by some fans partying in a beach club to loud music. The fans were keen to know why he was not wearing his green blazer that he earned for winning the Masters in April. They typed out a message on their phone reading "Where's the Green Jacket?". They also tried shouting the question to McIlroy, but could not be heard over the loud music. McIlroy eventually spotted the fans and bounced his way over to them, clutching a wine glass. He answered their question brilliantly as he joked: "It's on the yacht." The group of them burst out laughing as they enjoyed the vibes of the party. McIlroy appeared very relaxed with his friends as he wore a jacketless outfit of a black shirt and swim trunks paired with a backwards cap. The moment has gone viral on social media with plenty of fans enjoying the golfer's humour. Baffled Rory McIlroy hits TWO balls with ONE shot in incredible never-seen-before incident at The Open One posted: "Haters gonna hate but this is a W for Rory." A second commented: "Could be the hardest flex of all time." A third wrote: "This is the most I've ever liked Rory." A fourth said: "I like Rory now based off this video." 3 Another added: "Hate Rory but kinda love that he gets down." McIlroy landed the Green Jacket after 11 years of trying to complete his Grand Slam. However, he did fail to beat Scottie Scheffler to the Claret Jug at the Open.

Tour de France 2025: stage 20 from Nantua to Pontarlier
Tour de France 2025: stage 20 from Nantua to Pontarlier

The Guardian

time3 hours ago

  • The Guardian

Tour de France 2025: stage 20 from Nantua to Pontarlier

Update: Date: 2025-07-26T11:19:56.000Z Title: 140 km to go: Content: Updates from 184.2km penultimate stage Email John with your thoughts John Brewin Sat 26 Jul 2025 12.19 BST First published on Sat 26 Jul 2025 10.30 BST 12.16pm BST 12:16 Some casualties, including Quinn Simmons and Fred Wright, two names mentioned as possibles for the stage win, as the peloton goes on another, oh so cruel climb, the fourth category Cote de Valfin. It's a grim day out there, sodden wet. And, oh no, Onley is losing time, as is Felix Gall, two riders high on the GC. Onley has looked shattered, and he's likely to get back on, but the tank must be near empty. Warning signs abound. 12.07pm BST 12:07 150 km to go: Louis Barre and Ivan Romeo taking the points at the top of the hill means that Tadej Pogacar is officially the King of the Mountains, and now the descent begins, and quickly the clicks being eaten up, with Davide Ballerini of Astana hurtling down, and dangerously so, to go off the front as the pack splits. Les Rowley gets in touch: 'Yesterday's stage to La Plagne suggested that Pogacar is too tired to attack, he can't wait for the finish line to appear, and Onley is too afraid to attack. Another stalement day.' Updated at 12.12pm BST 11.53am BST 11:53 160km to go: The trio didn't last long. Tim Wellens does what Tim Wellens does and hauls the peloton back, with Van Aert joining him. The breakaways will have to keep until later in the day. A few keep having a look at going away. Pavel Sivakov, who has given his all as a domestique in the last three weeks, is labouring down the field. Fred Wright really fancies this as his chance. Updated at 12.19pm BST 11.43am BST 11:43 165 km to go: This third-category climb, the Col de la Croix, isn't easy. The weather overnight has caused some debris on the road. And the rain is pouring down now. Jonathan Milan has dropped off, saving his powder for Paris, no doubt. Asgreen is caught, and Thibau Nys of Lidl and Harry Sweeny go off the front. This is grim for all concerned. Raul Garcia Pierna of Arkea-B&B Hotels makes it a breakaway trio in the pouring rain. Updated at 11.47am BST 11.35am BST 11:35 170km to go: Fred Wright leads the pack up the climb as Asgreen forges on. Dropping back, and rather worryingly, Arnaud De Lie is way off the back of the peloton. 11.29am BST 11:29 175km to go: This really looks unforgiving for a penultimate stage. No mercy. The gap is 25 seconds. Many will feel they have chances. The first climb beckons and Van Aert leads the peloton up with licence to go for the breakaway. 11.23am BST 11:23 And away go the breakaway contenders. Healy, Arahamsen and Schmid are the chasers as Kasper Asgreen decides to take up the cudgels and go for it. His EasyPost team roar him on from the team car. 11.14am BST 11:14 Wout van Aert on TNT Sports: 'Obviously, I feel tired. It's been tough mountain stages, the weather, long transfers. We're looking forward to getting to Paris. For sure, I'll try to be in the breakaway today. Tomorrow is a chance, but you can't miss an opportunity here in the Tour de France. But breakaway days have climbers in the moves and that will make it difficult.' Fred Wright: 'First part of the plan is to get both of us in the breakaway. That would be a nice start. There's a 12km climb at the start but it's nice and steady and I think we could both get in the break.' 11.13am BST 11:13 There are 14 teams without a stage win in Le Tour 2025. 'I'm gonna try' is how Alaphilippe is quoted. A win for France would be welcome. 10.30am BST 10:30 Here's the offical map of today's lumpy, bumpy stage. 10.30am BST 10:30 Friday saw the last of the mountains, and a second win for Ineos's Arensman. Bad news for this year's plucky Brit. it was a disappointing stage for Scotland's Oscar Onley, who after surviving almost everything that the Tour could throw at him, fell away from the podium positions in the closing moments, after third-placed Florian Lipowitz attacked to move clear with Pogacar and second-placed Vingegaard. Onley has given so much, ridden so well but he looked done in after Thursday's stage; his post-ride interview was not much fun to watch. Full credit for him hanging on so long in the high mountains. So much more to come from him. The difficulty of staying with Pogacar and Arensman is shown by the state of Arensman when he crossed the line on Friday. 10.30am BST 10:30 William Fotheringham previewed this stage thus: The puncheurs and breakaway specialists will have been waiting for five days with this one on their minds. The battle for the early break will be intense and the fight for the stage could be epic. As well as our old friends Cort and Healy, this will appeal to about half the peloton, wily one-day specialists such as the Dane Mattias Skjelmose. NB: Mattias Skjelmose abandoned after a crash last weekend. Ben Healy, over to you? 10.30am BST 10:30 After the mountains, a stage of Classic length and dimensions. It's been a true test, this year, thin gruel for sprinters and this looks a day for the puncheurs. Who's the best of them? With Van der Poel gone, Evenepoel gone, there's perhaps a day for an old dog like Julian Alaphilippe, should he keep his radio. Or, perhaps the best of all, as he is at everything bar the sprinting – and a dig in Paris on Sunday can't be ruled out – is Tadej Pogacar, all but assured of his fourth maillot jaune to keep. We're already talking about the Vuelta, in truth and a fifth tour. The neutralised start is 11.05 UK time. One last dig before Paris. Updated at 12.09pm BST

Woman from Mickleover cycles men's Tour de France for charity
Woman from Mickleover cycles men's Tour de France for charity

BBC News

time4 hours ago

  • BBC News

Woman from Mickleover cycles men's Tour de France for charity

A woman who says cycling saved her life has completed the men's Tour de France route to raise money for Hudson cycled 6,556km (4,073 miles) on the formidable course, as well as the transfers in between the 29-year-old, from Mickleover, Derby, also managed to raise more than £70,000 for a mental health Hudson believes she is the first woman to complete the challenge. "I don't think it's set in that I've done it," she said."I wanted to do something to raise money to give back and prove that a woman can ride the men's [Tour de France], plus the transfers as well." Mrs Hudson turned to cycling after experiencing a "complete breakdown" during the suffered from an eating disorder from the age of about 17 until she was 2021, while working as a mental health nurse, she began experiencing intrusive thoughts and anxiety, before eventually deciding to quit her husband Kyle bought her a bicycle which she rode in the Peak District every other weekend with her dad."It was the only time when I could escape from my mind," she said."It gave me that sense of feeling worthy again when I felt so worthless because I felt like a failure from leaving my job.""Getting on the bike made me feel alive again."Mrs Hudson began documenting her cycling adventures on social media, where she has since amassed tens of thousands of followers. Over the past month, Mrs Hudson has cycled the 21 stages of the 3,320km (2,063 miles) Tour de France route, climbing through mountain ranges in the Alps and Pyrenees. She also rode the transfers in between the stages, along which the professional athletes are driven, thereby adding more than 3,000km (1,864 miles) to her gruelling total elevation gain was 74,862m (245,000ft). Mrs Hudson has raised in the region of £70,000 for mental health charity Shout - smashing her target of £10, added: "Hopefully it inspires people to not give up when it gets hard because I was close to giving up at one point in my life and I'm glad that I didn't because I wouldn't be here doing this." If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support is available via the BBC Action Line

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store