"I don't believe in that anymore" - Former rider dismisses Visma and Vingegaard claim Tour de France yellow battle not over yet after Pogacar domination
CyclingFriday, 10 July 2026 at 09:15
Tadej Pogacar put the Tour de France general classification contenders to the sword on Thursday, first on the slopes of the Col du Tourmalet before emphatically extending his lead on the rest of the field on the mountain's descent and ascent to the finish.
When the dust settled on Thursday evening, the GC standings show Pogacar with a lead of 2:42 over Jonas Vingegaard. The rest of the field are over 3:27 behind as Pogacar well and truly set up his stall in the maillot jaune.
And as analysts ponder whether the Tour de France yellow battle is still in play, Dutch former professional cyclist Stef Clement isn't convinced. He fears that we could see a repeat of 2025 as he analysed how the "spring" broke.
Opening up about Vingegaard's battle to stay within touching difference of Pogacar, noting that the Slovenian's endurance once again demonstrated that once he breaks the elastic and puts the Dane in the red.
“I’m actually still hoping for a small mistake,” he admitted on the NOS Tour Podcast. “But actually, we know by now that when the spring breaks, it breaks hard."
Vingegaard the best of the rest
As Pogacar's lead began to build in the final meters of the Col du Tourmalet, and with still 40 kilometers left of the stage, Vingegaard found himself in a similar position than he has the last two Tour de France editions - not able to keep up with a rampaging Pogacar but still a level above the rest of the field.
He said: “You can look back one more time, but then you are also aware that you are once again the best of the rest.”
Pogacar on the other hand was flying solo at the front of the race, flowing around corners and pushing pedals harder than everyone else.
He added: “It was as if he were both a lawnmower and a plasterer. He kept riding so close to the edge; at one point, he could have smoothed out a wall with his right knee on the descent.”
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Vingegaard says it's not over
After stage 6, Vingegaard insisted he could improve further into the race and that his pursuit of the yellow jersey isn't over. Clement has heard it before, and doesn't buy the statement. Although admitting the Dane should focus on the podium, it doesn't make La Grand Boucle anymore excitement.
“They’ll never say that. Last year we heard all the time that the fight wasn't over yet, but nothing came of it," Clement noted.
"So I don't believe in that anymore. Focusing on the fight for the podium, I think that's a nice thought, but it doesn't really excite me. I'm still left with the feeling that 'if this is it, then it was decided very early'.”
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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- They might have talked about it and laughed over dinner, but Remco I think doesn't forget slights so easily. He is pissed that he didn't get full leadership. People complain about Remco but I like his character. He is is fun to watch and listen to. While Pog is off doing his thing it makes for a great distraction. One thing is sure that from position one down, the rest of the tour is going to be interesting.Cyclingsbestfan10-07-2026
- Why are we surprised, this was inevitable!slappers6610-07-2026
- he said 'I don’t currently see Jonas Vingegaard as being much better than Florian Lipowitz or Paul Seixas.' --> he did not mention remco in this comparison ... quite telling i would say ...Ketterechts10-07-2026
- Grabbing the Popcorn! The Remco show is gonna Start!Alexcavalera10-07-2026
- Pog looked exhausted at the finish too, though of course happy., and he admitted to Del Toro that he had been on his limit at one point. It's like people are watching different races sometimes, but I guess that's the human experience.Hills3310-07-2026
- Massive respect for Jonas yesterday he dug in and limited losses which could have been even more. I feared for him on the descent of the Tourmalet, for the first couple of kms he did not look in control.slappers6610-07-2026
- LOL! What about now after stage six?MajorPayne10-07-2026
- Remco still doesn't understand team tactics. Lipo was more than 20 seconds ahead at the top. He needs to sit back behind the Lidl riders and the others and save his energy. If the other riders close the gap, he needs to put evertyhing in one lethal attack and time trial home alone. If the others don't catch up, Lipo, his teammate, gains on all but Seixas and del Toro. He can sit in the third group for most of the final ascent with an excuse and then attack them with a few kilometres to go and gain time on everyone but Lipo, del Toro and Seixas. A double win for Red Bull. Instead, he makes sure all of them arrive at the same time. What a selfish idiot. Lipo has beaten him every time over the past year when they met. What an arrogant idiot. Sorry to describe this so lengthily - this is not for the fans (they all get this). This is for Remco, the only one that doesn't get it.MaMu10-07-2026
- yeah what is he upset about? he finished in front of Sepp.mij10-07-2026
- yeah really great point. Lipo crested the summit well ahead of Remcomij10-07-2026
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