"Two kilometers from the top of the Tourmalet, he is a real cyclist" - Jonas Vingegaard's mistake pointed out after Pogacar's Tour de France statement
CyclingFriday, 10 July 2026 at 12:24
When Tadej Pogacar attacked on the slopes of the Col du Tourmalet on stage 6 of the Tour de France, Jonas Vingegaard didn't initially respond to the acceleration but did make his move in his bid to reel in the Slovenian - and that's where he made a crucial mistake.
That's what Thomas Dekker and Laurens ten Dam believe after watching Vingegaard come a mere seconds away from reaching the wheel of Pogacar, but ultimately paid the bill for his effort as Pogacar's endurance outlasted him and his gap once again rose.
Pogacar attacked the descent and further extended his lead before a shallow climb - his favoured terrain - helped him expand his gap from 30 seconds at the top of the Tourmalet to 2:38 by the finish line 38 kilometers later.
Dekker thinks Vingegaard made a mistake by not following pogacar's initial attack and instead trying to reel him in, noting that when he did give chase, he found himself in the thick of the action as a "real" cyclist.
Dekker notes Vingegaard mistake
"I think he makes one small mistake," Dekker told WielerRevue. "He listens to what they have agreed upon. He lets them go, but two kilometers from the top of the Tourmalet, he is a real cyclist."
As seen in the past, Pogacar's relentless pace eventually burns those who try to fly to close to the sun - and Vingegaard was not an exception on Thursday. Dekker pointed to the four-time Tour winner's descending skills as decisive as he wonders had that played out the same if Vingegaard was a little bit closer to him at the crest of the iconic climb.
He continued: "He wants to get to the rear wheel, but that's where he overextends himself. I think Pogacar is a better descender anyway, but when you reach the top sixteen seconds behind instead of thirty, you think: what could possibly happen? Then you see him riding and there's a motorbike in front of you too."
Ten Dam on Pogacar's descent
Laurens ten Dam was impressed by Vingegaard's resistance in the face of Pogacar's attack, but noted the Slovenian's raging descent that even left him on the edge of his seat with every bend.
Ten Dam said: "You saw Vingegaard ride through a bend two kilometers from the top. For a moment, he takes the pressure off his legs there. As far as that is possible during such an effort.
Read also
"Then he still pulls it off well over the Tourmalet, but you see Pogacar really attacking the descent. I was even clenching my buttocks at times. He gained more downhill than uphill on the Tourmalet."
When the dust settled on Thursday's stage, Pogacar boasted a 2:42 lead over Vingegaard in the general classification. However, yellow jersey hostilities are expected to subside over the coming days, beginning with Friday's stage 7 which is expected to end in a bunch sprint.
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
- 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
Loading
Write a comment