Tadej Pogacar continued his reign of dominance in the Tour de France, claiming a resounding victory on the grueling 15th stage, which coincided with Bastille Day. The marathon stage, spanning nearly 200 kilometers (124 miles), featured a series of challenging climbs, culminating in the formidable ascent to the Plateau de Beille.
Pogacar’s ascent to the summit was a masterclass in climbing prowess, leaving his rivals trailing behind. With five kilometers remaining on the final “hors catégorie” (beyond category) climb, he unleashed a powerful attack, solidifying his reputation as the mountain king. This marked Pogacar’s third stage win in the current Tour and his seventh career stage victory in the Pyrenees mountains.
The stage commenced with an immediate climb up the Col de Peyresourde, splitting the peloton into fragments. A breakaway group of climbers, including Richard Carapaz, Laurens De Plus, and Enric Mas, established a fierce early pace, but their efforts were ultimately negated as the crucial moments approached.
As the riders approached the final climb, temperatures soared close to 35 degrees Celsius. Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard, aided by his Visma teammate Matteo Jorgenson, attempted to counter Pogacar’s move, but the Slovenian’s relentless pace proved too much to handle. Vingegaard finished over a minute behind, widening the gap between them in the overall standings. Vingegaard is now 3 minutes and 9 seconds behind Pogacar in the overall standings. Remco Evenepoel, another top contender, also struggled to maintain pace.
Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay, who has triumphed in three stages, held onto the coveted best sprinter’s green jersey.
The Tour will now enter its second rest day, providing a brief respite before the action resumes on Monday with a flat Stage 16 from Gruissan to Nimes in the south of France. The remaining stages promise more exciting battles as the riders navigate the varied terrain and vie for the coveted yellow jersey.
