"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
CyclingThursday, 09 July 2026 at 12:48
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.
Read also
“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.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Molenaar crash highlights how riders need to know the road ahead via team radio. a warning not to move around too much when road narrows.abstractengineer09-07-2026
- So happy for Kooij! Was my favorite pic for the fast man, but i am really hoping MADS can finish with the Green Jersey on Montmatre (21 stage)!!Alexcavalera09-07-2026
- Funny but not funny. I'm actually pissed. Sorry but not sorry.
parisbound0009-07-2026 - I expect they have no jurisdiction over that, sorry. Maybe ask the police? Besides, that’s like stopping people from throwing drinks (even in football stadiums) hard to be in the right place before it takes place to do something about it. Now, if other members of the public had a bit more civic courage to have a word sometimes, maybe everyone would behave a little more in line.Jumpyjohn09-07-2026
- Congrats! Love it when sprinters win without having to rely on a “sprint train lead out”b3tlla09-07-2026
- Commissaires fined 500 CHF for not adjusting the rules to environmental conditions and situations on the road.itsent09-07-2026
- Why do you post nonsensical comments Mou(se) ?frieders309-07-2026
- Lance who?frieders309-07-2026
- Proofreading isn't this sites strongpoint!frieders309-07-2026
- Stop doing drugs, it's not working for you.awp08-07-2026
Loading
Write a comment