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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Four-time Tour de France winner Pogacar - greatest cyclist of his generation
Tadej Pogacar is cycling's generational great and the Slovenian has silenced any remaining doubters that the sport has found its heir to the great Eddy Merckx. HT Image On his swaggering romp across France on his way to a fourth Tour de France title on Sunday, one could still catch glimpses of the boy desperate to beat his brother in the hills outside Ljubljana. But now Pogacar has also learned to curb some of his gung-ho instincts, which not only lifted him to success at times, but were also behind his rare defeats. In 2024 he won the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France and the world title, a feat known as cycling's Triple Crown and won only by Merckx in 1974 and Stephen Roche in 1987. Pogacar's dominance of the current scene is without doubt, but the kangaroo courts of social media are asking another question, one that will forever dog cycling -- is Pogacar for real? Pogacar, a proven combative all-rounder capable of taking on mountain climbs as easily as flat sprints, has never tested positive at any time in his career. "I'm a good boy from a good family, taking no short cuts in life," he told AFP. He does indeed appear to be surrounded by a good family, a school teacher mother and a furniture designer father who live in the same village in the hills outside the Slovenian capital where he grew up. He shares a home with his fiance and fellow cyclist Urska Zigart in Monaco when their programmes allow, while his firm friend and off-season traing partner cyclist Michael Matthews of Australia is a near neighbour. "He hasn't changed, he's such a humble guy. He just wants to have fun and enjoy his riding," Matthews said. Pogacar is credited with having recreated that family spirit at his Team UAE, with whom he signed a 54-million-dollar six-year contract last November, according to Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport. Teammate Pavel Sivakov told AFP that Pogacar was easy to deal with and a constantly positive personality. "He's always super relaxed and easy to work with. Mentally he's always focused on the positives. We know he's always going to deliver whatever he can. He's humble and good for the atmosphere in the team," said Sivakov. While most agree there is something boyish about Pogacar, there are signs he has grown up. "This is my sixth Tour de France now, I miss the white jersey," he told reporters, referring to the jersey worn by the best-placed rider aged 26 and under. In taking on his great rival, the two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard, Pogacar has galvanised his team and forced them to control the peloton, leading to accusations of arrogance. "There's a difference between arrogance and trying to win a Tour de France," retorted the man who psyches himself up by listening to Slovenian rapper Drill. He still rides a bike with a sticker of the Incredible Hulk on it, joking: "He's the one you shouldn't make angry." Fellow Slovenian Matej Mohoric, himself a junior world champion and elite rider for the Bahrain Victorious team, said this week that Pogacar was a true great. "He was born with a machine inside him, and he was born with the brain to use that machine," Mohoric said. There will always be doubters, but during his victorious charge across France, Pogacar was already scanning the horizon for the next win. "Unlike a lot of cyclists I haven't booked any holidays, so maybe I'll race the Vuelta," he said of the Spanish Tour, which starts on August 23. He will also be in the Rwandan capital Kigali in September to defend the world road race title. dmc/lp/gj
Daily Express
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Express
Pogacar closes in on fourth title
Published on: Sunday, July 27, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jul 27, 2025 By: AFP Text Size: The attack-minded Pogacar played it safe with just two days left until the race finish on the Champs Elysees. LA PLAGNE TARENTAISE: Dutch rider Thymen Arensman picked up a second stage win at the Tour de France on Friday, winning stage 19 at La Plagne ski resort as defending champion Tadej Pogacar closed in on a fourth title. Arensman crossed the finish line exhausted but delirious in the heavy rain, two seconds ahead of title contender Jonas Vingegaard and his great rival Pogacar. Barring a collapse, Team UAE rider Pogacar should claim his fourth Tour de France title aged just 26 years in Paris on Sunday. The attack-minded Pogacar explained how he had played it safe with just two days left until the race finish on the Champs Elysees. 'When Arensman attacked I let him go, setting my own rhythm. It was close, I did want to win, but I'm just glad it's over,' Pogacar said. 'It was a good win from Thymen, he deserved it.' The Slovenian exits the Alps with a lead of 4min 24sec on second-placed Vingegaard. Vingegaard for once finished ahead of Pogacar, but this was a fourth second-place finish on this 21-day slog. Pogacar has dominated the 2025 Tour de France, winning stages on rolling runs in the north and west at Rouen and the Mur de Bretagne in the first week, then twice on the mountain slopes of the Pyrenees in week two. As the Tour entered its end game Pogacar unexpectedly simply protected his lead through the Alps rather than go on his trademark all-out attacks. The 2022 and 2023 champion Vingegaard had two off days, first on a time trial and secondly in the Pyrenees, leaving Pogacar to surge into a position of such strength he only needed to follow. German breakout star Florian Lipowitz strengthened his hold on overall third place and top spot in the under-25's section on his debut Tour de France as he tracked the title rivals all the way to the summit finish for an impressive Tour debut with Red Bull Bora. For Arensman and Ineos this was a symbolic victory as the British team begin their revival with the return to the helm of Dave Brailsford, mastermind of seven wins in his previous stint. Arensman slumped to the ground in tears at La Plagne as he just held on with a white-knuckle struggle over the final kilometres. 'I'm totally destroyed,' said Arensman, who also won stage 14 at Superbagneres in the Pyrenees. Mirroring Ben O'Connor's winning tactic on the thrilling stage 18, climber Arensman attacked at the bottom of the final climb with the title rivals more concerned with tracking each other. But this time the breakaway stage winner had to sweat out the run in with the top trio closing fast. 'It feels like a dream, that's Jonas and Tadej and everyone knows they are the best in the world,' he said. The 25-year-old Ineos man fell over into the barriers exhausted at the line and broke into sobs of relief. This final mountain stage was shortened overnight due to an outbreak of a cattle infection along the route, reduced to just 93km, which ran to a rowdy finish at 2050m altitude. The stage however was largely uncontested in comparison to Thursday's epic cat-and-mouse between Pogacar and Vingegaard, who attacked the champion 71km from the finish line without ever dislodging him. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
RTHK
4 days ago
- Sport
- RTHK
Groves wins 20th Tour stage, Pogacar maintains lead
Groves wins 20th Tour stage, Pogacar maintains lead Kaden Groves celebrates winning stage 20 of the Tour de France. Photo: Reuters Alpecin rider Kaden Groves won stage 20 of the Tour de France on Saturday after a long-range escape that saw the Australian finish well ahead of the big guns. Runaway overall race leader Tadej Pogacar maintained his lead over Jonas Vingegaard ahead of Sunday's 21st and final stage in Paris. The Team UAE rider has a 4min 24sec advantage heading into what could be a tricky finale, a 132km ride from Mantes-la-Ville to the Champs-Elysees, but featuring three ascents of the cobbled streets of Montmartre. The champion-in-waiting was left shaking his head after almost getting taken down in a fall 500m from the line on Saturday, as lashing rain made the roads hazardous on the run into Pontarlier. This was a third stage win for Alpecin after Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel took the two opening wins. "They gave me a free role in the final days," Groves said after both Philipsen and Van der Poel pulled out. "I'm going to enjoy this one and celebrate with my team and enjoy the Champs tomorrow." Just 158 riders crossed the rolling hills at the foot of the Jura, and many looked haggard after the fast racing in the Alps. So along the Swiss border, most of the peloton seemed happy to let an escape get a 7-minute lead after an exhausting slog that started July 5. (AFP)
Observer
4 days ago
- Sport
- Observer
Australian Groves wins Tour de France stage 20
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar was left standing on the cusp of a fourth Tour de France title as Alpecin rider Kaden Groves won Saturday's stage 20 after a long-range escape that saw the Australian finish well ahead of the big guns. Runaway overall race leader Pogacar maintained his lead over Jonas Vingegaard ahead of Sunday's 21st and final stage in Paris. The Team UAE rider has a 4min 24sec advantage heading into what could be a tricky finale, a 132km ride from Mantes-la-Ville to the Champs-Elysees, but featuring three ascents of the cobbled streets of Montmartre. A fourth title now looms for Pogacar who said after a dominant ride across the peaks and plains of France he felt he's won. 'It's starting to sink in,' said the 26-year old, who previously won the sport's most prestigious cycling stage race in 2020, 2021 and 2024. 'Tomorrow, all being well, I'll be celebrating with my team,' added a weary Pogacar. 'This has been another level of hard, all the way. I enjoyed it though and I'm really looking forward to the last day tomorrow.' FIFTH STAGE TILT Pogacar refused to rule out a tilt at a fifth stage win if he could escape up the climbs to Montmartre. 'We'll see how we feel and how the others act, maybe we'll try something in Montmartre.' The champion-in-waiting was left shaking his head after almost getting taken down in a fall 500m from the line on Saturday as lashing rain made the roads hazardous on the run in to Pontarlier. This was a third stage win for Alpecin after Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel took the two opening wins. 'They gave me a free role in the final days,' Groves said after both Philipsen and Van der Poel pulled out. 'I'm going to enjoy this one and celebrate with my team and enjoy the Champs tomorrow.' Just 158 riders crossed the rolling hills at the foot of the Jura and many looked haggard after the fast racing in the Alps. So along the Swiss border, most of the peloton seemed happy to let an escape get a 7min lead after an exhausting slog that started July 5. Pogacar has dominated the 2025 Tour winning stages on rolling runs in the north and west at Rouen and the Mur de Bretagne in the first week, then on the mountain slopes of the Pyrenees on the Hautacam and Peyragudes in week two. As the Tour entered its end game Pogacar unexpectedly sat tight to protect his lead through the Alps rather go on his trademark all out attacks. Vingegaard, the 2022 and 2023 Tour champion, had two off days, first on a time trial and secondly at Hautacam, leaving Pogacar to surge into a lead he never looked like surrendering. Pogacar said he'd be back on the bike by Tuesday. 'I travel home Monday. Tuesday I'll be going out for a ride with friends, stop somewhere for a coffee and start enjoying the summer, I've earned it.' Pogacar will be back in competitive action in September at Kigali, Rwanda, in defence of his world title. — AFP
France 24
4 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Pogacar on cusp of fourth Tour title as Groves solos to stage 20 win
Runaway overall race leader Pogacar maintained his lead over Danish rival Jonas Vingegaard ahead of Sunday's 21st and final stage in Paris. The Team UAE rider has a 4min 24sec advantage heading into what could be a tricky finale, a 132km ride from Mantes-la-Ville to the Champs-Elysees, but featuring three ascents of the cobbled streets of Montmartre. A fourth title now looms for Pogacar who said after a dominant ride across the peaks and plains of France he felt he's won. "It's starting to sink in," said the 26-year-old, who previously won the sport's most prestigious cycling stage race in 2020, 2021 and 2024. "Tomorrow, all being well, I'll be celebrating with my team," added a weary Pogacar. "This has been another level of hard, all the way. I enjoyed it though and I'm really looking forward to the last day tomorrow." Fifth stage tilt Pogacar refused to rule out a tilt at a fifth stage win if he could escape up the climbs to Montmartre. "We'll see how we feel and how the others act, maybe we'll try something in Montmartre." The champion-in-waiting was left shaking his head after almost getting taken down in a fall 500m from the line on Saturday as lashing rain made the roads hazardous on the run in to Pontarlier. This was a third stage win for Alpecin after Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel took the two opening wins. "They gave me a free role in the final days," Groves said after both Philipsen and Van der Poel pulled out. "I'm going to enjoy this one and celebrate with my team and enjoy the Champs tomorrow." Just 158 riders crossed the rolling hills at the foot of the Jura and many looked haggard after the fast racing in the Alps. So along the Swiss border, most of the peloton seemed happy to let an escape get a 7min lead after an exhausting slog that started July 5. Pogacar has dominated the 2025 Tour winning stages on rolling runs in the north and west at Rouen and the Mur de Bretagne in the first week, then on the mountain slopes of the Pyrenees on the Hautacam and Peyragudes in week two. As the Tour entered its end game Pogacar unexpectedly sat tight to protect his lead through the Alps rather go on his trademark all out attacks. Vingegaard, the 2022 and 2023 Tour champion, had two off days, first on a time trial and secondly at Hautacam, leaving Pogacar to surge into a lead he never looked like surrendering. Back in the saddle Pogacar said he'd be back on the bike by Tuesday. "I travel home Monday. Tuesday I'll be going out for a ride with friends, stop somewhere for a coffee and start enjoying the summer, I've earned it." Pogacar returns to competitive action in September at Kigali, Rwanda, in defence of his world title. A boyish Pogacar first won the Tour as a break out star in 2020 with one of sport's great last-gasp turnarounds on stage 20. He followed up a year later with a crushing triumph, but the emergence of Vingegaard's patient long game earned the Dane the yellow jersey in the two following editions. Then Pogacar blew everyone away in a mighty 2024 season with a colossal racing programme, winning the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and world championships titles. Having extended his efforts into the all-in one-day classics season in 2025, his stamina was a question mark, but on Sunday that barrier also appears set to be breached.
