Tadej Pogacar's constant Tour de France attacks "have a little bit to do with arrogance" according to Tom Dumoulin

Despite having more than three minutes lead and a third Maillot Jaune win looking locked up barring any incident or injury, Tadej Pogacar was expected to be slightly more defensive in the final week. This was somewhat unsurprisingly not the case though on stage 17.

The Maillot Jaune spotted main rival Jonas Vingegaard was isolated on the penultimate climb of the day and launched a brutal attack. Although the Dane initially looked as if he would be able the follow, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader was quickly caught and passed by Remco Evenepoel with Vingegaard left shaking his head. On the descent however, thanks in part to Vingegaard picking up teammate Christophe Laporte, both Evenepoel and Pogacar were reeled back in by the Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader, although the Slovenian did gain 2 seconds on Vingegaard in the sprint for the line.

In his post-stage interview Pogacar admitted "Sometimes I don't know why I attack." Former Giro d'Italia winner turned expert analyst Tom Dumoulin however, thinks he might have come up with the answer to the UAE Team Emirates leader's constant attacking at the 2024 Tour de France.

"I expected Team Visma | Lease a Bike to attack, but they kept calm. I suspected then that Vingegaard would not be that strong," the Dutchman analyses in conversation to SuperDévoluy. "Pogacar probably thought then: well, I'll do it now. That was pure display of power. He doesn't have to do that at all. It's pure teasing from Vingegaard. It does have a little bit to do with arrogance."

"That duel has been going on for three years now. Pogacar can't handle the fact that he has been defeated for two years in a row," continues Dumoulin. "And finally he is the boss again and he has the legs to hurt Vingegaard and then he thinks: then you will get it back!"