"He could reach the summit with a one minute lead over Vingegaard" - Pogacar warning as Rasmussen fears he could end Tour de France GC battle on Tourmalet
Cycling
One former professional cyclist fears that Tadej Pogacar could already make his mark on the Tour de France and effectively end the battle for the yellow jersey on Thursday. Stage 6 forms the first real mountain test for La Grand Boucle as the Slovenian looks to make it three Tours in a row.
His main rival Jonas Vingegaard is tied on time with the Slovenian. Although the pair are several minutes behind leader Torstein Traeen, the general classification riders are expected to do battle on the Col du Tourmalet as the legendary climb tops at 38 kilometers to go.
With Visma | Lease a Bike and Vingegaard poised to attempt to beat the Slovenian in his mountain playground, one expert fears we could see a decisive Pogacar attack. With fans accustomed to seeing the Slovenian attack from afar in classics and Tour alike, a repeat of history could prove decisive.
And the Tourmalet is not the end of the stage, with a descent and a further ascent to come after the brutal climb, he could have a chance to make real gaps in the Pyrenees, according to former Danish rider Michael Rasmussen.
“There is a real risk that the race could be decided here,” Rasmussen said at Viaplay.
“If Pogačar is as strong as I think he is, and his team is as strong as I think it is, they can start the move five kilometres from the top of the Tourmalet. He could reach the summit with a one minute lead over Vingegaard.”
Pogacar could get a gap and expand it after Tourmalet
For Rasmussen, if Pogacar does get a gap of around a minute on the top of the Tourmalet, he notes that if the favourites behind are scattered in different groups, Pogacar could extend a gap on the final ascent.
Although riders will be pushing full gas, a lack of co-ordination in a chase of Pogacar could inflate his gap on the main contenders.
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“He could still have that minute at the bottom of the descent, while the rest of the riders are spread across half the Pyrenees. The difference could grow to two minutes before the finish. Then it becomes very difficult to challenge Pogačar.”
The races got underway at 12:45 CET on Thursday afternoon as the peloton drives full throttle into the Pyrenees. UAE have expressed their desire to control the stage's breakaway before they expect Visma to attack the Slovenian.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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- This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Hmmm, you seem to have a very convenient black and white view of things. Perhaps you haven’t been around much to discover how complex problems can become over time with people who know how to control, manipulate (or worse) others so gradually or subtly that you arrive at an irresolvable situation before you realise. This is how many inconveniences get introduced to the young, naïve, passionate or “desperate”, knowing they are not armed, protected or strong enough to defend themselves once it’s too late. Why do you think omerta culture is so widespread, why do you think so many people continue to go through so many awful things in life that others can’t understand anyone getting into? Life may be far more jolly for you but you would do well to understand (or reflect more on) the real world to refrain from being so quick to criticise those in a hard spot that may have genuine reason for speaking out.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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