Tadej Pogacar Maintains Tour de France Lead Ahead of Famous Climb

Impressive showings like that have led some fans and analysts to award Pogacar the overall win already, barring accident, injury or a spectacular loss of form.

If he is going to crack, or if Vingegaard or someone else is going to seriously challenge him, it may have to happen in the next two days.

Wednesday’s stage sends riders up four significant Alpine mountains, including the serpentine Télégraphe and the race’s highest point, the Galibier, before a finish up the narrow Col du Granon, a climb last seen on the Tour in 1986, on a day when the American Greg LeMond took over the yellow jersey.

On Thursday, the Tour organizers somewhat sadistically will send the riders up the Galibier again, and then the Croix de Fer. Those ascents will be followed by the most recognizable mountain on the Tour, the picturesque Alpe d’Huez, which is a part of the race route for the first time since 2018. The endless switchbacks on that climb nearly always provide drama, whether a duel among leaders or a solo coronation for a dominant rider.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/12/sports/cycling/tour-de-france-tadej-pogacar.html