Pogačar withstands Vingegaard's
attacks to keep yellow jersey after Tour's monster mountain stage
[July 25, 2025]
COURCHEVEL, France (AP) — Ben O’Connor won Thursday’s monster
Alpine stage to the ski resort of Courchevel as three-time Tour de
France champion Tadej Pogačar responded to attacks from archrival
Jonas Vingegaard and dropped him to cement his grip on the yellow
jersey.
With just three stages left before the race ends in Paris, Pogačar
looks poised to retain his title, with a comfortable lead of more
than four minutes over Vingegaard, a two-time champion.
Stage 18 featured three extremely difficult ascents, including the
26.4-kilometer (16.5-mile) daunting climb of the Col de La Loze up
to the finish. At 2,304 meters of altitude, La Loze is the highest
summit in this year’s Tour.
Two years ago, Vingegaard dropped Pogačar on that mountain on his
way to his second Tour title but could not deal a decisive blow this
time.
Riding behind O'Connor, Vingegaard and Pogačar closely watched each
other in the final climb, surrounded by buoyant fans braving the
cold temperature and the fog. Vingegaard attacked his Slovenian
rival but Pogačar responded with ease. Vingegaard and his Visma-Lease
a Bike teammates had also tried to hurt the defending champion
earlier in the day in the Col de La Madeleine, but their efforts
left Pogačar unfazed.
The reigning world champion, who rides for UAE Team Emirates-XRG,
never panicked and accelerated near the end to drop Vingegaard in
the last 500 meters and increase his overall lead.
Pogačar crossed the finish line 1 minute and 45 seconds behind
O'Connor. Vingegaard completed the stage podium, 1:54 off the pace.
[to top of second column] |
Australia's Ben O'Connor crosses the finish line to win the
eighteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5
kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Vif and finish in Courchevel
Col de la Loze, France, Thursday, July 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab
Elshamy)
“I was a bit scared of this stage, but it turned out to be a
beautiful day,” Pogačar said. “This side of the Col de La Loze is
easier than the one we did in 2023 — that was much worse. Whenever
we climb that side again, I’ll definitely go for the win.”
Ahead of Friday's final mountain stage to La Plagne, Vingegaard lags
4:26 behind Pogačar, with Florian Lipowitz in third place, 11:01
back.
It was O'Connor's second stage win at the Tour, four years after his
victory in Tignes. The team Jayco AlUla leader dropped his last
breakaway companion, Einer Rubio, with 16 kilometers to go and then
held off the return of the main contenders.
“It’s special to do it again here in the Tour de France," O'Connor
said. "The last time in Tignes was a complete shock but this time I
got to enjoy much more. I had a super day today, I was finally back
to being me after struggling for the past 17 days. My knee is
absolutely screwed now, it’s really painful. It’s lingering there
and it’s not going to stop until the end of the race."
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
