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Key events
Points classification: top 10 before stage 11
Today’s intermediate sprint arrives after 27.8km, at Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule. Pedersen’s lead is looking increasingly intimidating for Girmay, Merlier, Philipsen and the rest of the fast men. Lidl-Trek are bound to try and control early doors today and lead Pedersen out for that intermediate.
1. Pedersen 293pts
2. Girmay 239pts
3. Merlier 213pts
4. Philipsen 205pts
5. Kanter 192pts
6. Kooij 110pts
7. Pogacar 107pts
8. Waersenskjold 89pts
9. Del Toro 80pts
10. Turgis 79pts
GC top 10 before stage 11
Isaac Del Toro dropping from third to seventh was the downside for UAE yesterday. But their main man extending his overall lead to 3min 36sec was the real quiz.
1) Pogacar 36hr 15min 02sec
2) Vingegaard +3min 36sec
3) Evenepoel +4min 06sec
4) Ayuso +4min 22sec
5) Seixas +4min 35sec
6) Lipowitz +4min 44sec
7) Del Toro +5min 08sec
8) Skjelmose +5min 45sec
9) Martinez +6min 34sec
10) Pidcock +11min 49sec
Tadej Pogacar extended his lead in the Tour de France with another imperious solo victory on the 10th stage to Le Lioran, in the Massif Central. The Slovenian now leads the Tour by more than a three and a half minutes from longtime rival Jonas Vingegaard, who wilted and lost more time to the other podium contenders.
Over a stage with seven categorised climbs, including the first category Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol and Col de Pertus in the final hour of racing, Pogacar again asserted himself over the peloton with a trademark attack on the penultimate climb.
His latest victory, however, was met with some boos from the roadside crowd, something not seen since the domineering days of Team Sky and Chris Froome, almost a decade ago.
Preamble
Yesterday’s stage 10 was the race in microcosm. There was a bit of fun and games at the front: Ben O’Connor, Javier Romo, Harold Tejada and most notably Richard Carapaz were among those to attack. But UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Tadej Pogacar were never less than firmly in control, and the relentless Slovenian applied the coup de grâce in typically businesslike fashion.
Davide Piganzoli’s pace-setting for Jonas Vingegaard and Visma-Lease A Bike on the Col de Pertus was little more than cosplaying at being a team that can realistically challenge the overwhelming strength of UAE and Pogacar. Even the reaction of the fans at the roadside was a neat summary: most cheered the 27-year-old Pogacar on to more glory, while a minority booed to express their dissatisfaction at his ongoing and seemingly endless dominance.
This being a “flat” stage (1,400m of climbing in 161.3km), the Pogacar debate can be left for another day and we can immerse ourselves in the intrigue of the points classification race – not to mention the daily, self-contained drama of what will hopefully be a fierce fight for the stage.
The sprinters’ teams will be determined not to let a breakaway succeed, especially Alpecin-Premier Tech for Jasper Philipsen, and NSN for Biniam Girmay – two fast men who are yet to win at this year’s Tour. But given his form, and all that work to grind through the mountains yesterday, it would be no surprise for Tim Merlier to make it a hat-trick in Nevers.
Neutralised rollout: 12.50 BST/13.50 CET
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