'The Tour de France is over!' - Has Tadej Pogacar already got yellow in the bag, or is he still vulnerable?

ByBen Snowball

Published 08/07/2022 at 10:33 GMT

Tadej Pogacar looks untouchable on all terrain after soaring into yellow before the Tour de France has even hit the mountains. The Slovenian is looking for a third straight title and is the overwhelming favourite despite the likes of Jonas Vingegaard and Geraint Thomas hovering within a minute and still over two weeks remaining. Is Bradley Wiggins right – is the Tour de France a done deal?

Bradley Wiggins has declared the Tour de France “is over” after just six stages following Tadej Pogacar’s ascent into yellow – but Matt Stephens is not so sure with the 2012 champion’s assertion.

Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) has lit up the last two days at the Tour, first starring on the cobbles to close on the overall lead and then seizing the leader’s jersey with a brilliant win on Stage 6. All before the race had even hit the mountains.

The Slovenian leads the general classification by four seconds from Neilson Powless (EF Education–EasyPost), although the American is not expected to contend across three weeks. That leaves Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) as Pogacar’s closest expected challenger at 31”.

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“We’re a week into this race now and I think it’s Tadej’s time,” said Wiggins on the latest episode of The Bradley Wiggins Show.

“I actually think the Tour is over, barring a crash. He’s Tadej Pogacar, we’re not talking about Mickey Mouse here.

“I know every time I say that people go ‘oh, you can’t say that. Let’s keep the crowd interested.’ I understand that but I think the Tour is over because [versus] the people that can contend with him, Primoz Roglic and Geraint Thomas, Tadej has proved he’s clearly the strongest.

“Barring a crash, injury, Covid, you would have to say you can’t see Tadej faltering physically because we haven’t really seen him falter physically.”

Pogacar must still survive two weeks – 15 more stages – before he can leave France with a third yellow jersey, prompting Stephens to play down Wiggins’ claim.

“I’m not too sure about that,” he said.

“We haven’t properly seen him on the back foot but I don’t think that any rider can go through their career and not have a jour sans [bad day].”

• Opinion: Van Aert the mere warm-up act for Pogacar’s headline performance
• ‘Every reason to believe in himself’ - Vingegaard can still challenge Pogacar
• Tour de France GC standings

Meanwhile, Ineos Grenadiers have four riders inside the top eight and all within a minute of Pogacar.

Adam Yates (39”), Tom Pidcock (40”), Geraint Thomas (46”) and Dani Martinez (1’00”) are all positioned nicely ahead of the first mountain test on Planche des Belles Filles – the same climb Wiggins seized the yellow jersey on in 2012.

“I’ve been really impressed with Ineos, the way they’ve ridden here,” said Wiggins.

“I think it’s the first Tour where they’ve not got all the eyes on them. They’ve been very quiet and I’m really impressed under Rod [Ellingworth’s] new regime there how they’ve handled their public image.”

Wiggins backed Thomas to be the closest challenger to Pogacar, along with Vingegaard, while Stephens said a pressure-free Ineos could cause trouble in the peloton.

“I think they’ve come in as not favourites for the first time in a decade and that gives them a certain freedom. They can take a few risks,” said Stephens.

“And for Tom Pidcock, it’s unknown territory for the young lad but I think he’s going to play a key role. But they’ve got Adam Yates, who’s clearly looking good, and Geraint as an option.

“There’s only a few teams now with two clear options. It was Jumbo-Visma but now Roglic is two minutes adrift and carrying an injury. I think the most potent force in terms of a duo, which could be potentially disruptive, are the Ineos duo.”

Ineos last won the Tour in 2019 with Egan Bernal, the final chapter of a golden decade that yielded seven titles in eight years.

'Pogacar on fire' – Defending champion powers to Stage 6 win and into yellow

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