"Tour is not over yet" - Tadej Pogacar on first attempt to dislodge Vingegaard and Jumbo-Visma at Tour de France

The Alpe d'Huez was the stage for the aggressive racing today at the Tour de France, with Tadej Pogacar launching his first offensive against Jonas Vingegaard and Jumbo-Visma, however with a ready response from the race leader.

“I was not yet one hundred percent recovered today. I had more faith in myself and my attacks. It felt good, and I'm happy with today and my legs. That is why I am also looking forward to the coming days," the Slovenian said at the end of the day. 

With only a few support riders and a collective much inferior to that of Jumbo-Visma, the defending champion had little option of attacking earlier in the day. It all came down to the Alpe d'Huez, where Pogacar launched two explosive attacks on the slopes of the Alpine ascent, however unsuccessful in dislodging Jonas Vingegaard.

Asked if this kind of racing is a novelty to him, he denies it: “It's not entirely new to me. When I was younger I always attacked in other races. Even as a small child I rode behind and I always wanted to attack. I like to do that."

Pogacar will have to repeat that behaviour over the coming week quite often as he carries a 2:22-minute disadvantage over the Dane. However, he climbed to second place in the overall classification as Romain Bardet suffered in the slopes of the final climb.

“He rides impressively. He climbs very well and his team is very strong," he said of Vingegaard. "But the Tour is not over yet, and we will continue to fight until the end. I think and still hope that I can win the Tour.”