logo
Pogacar out to bury ghosts in final Tour de France week

Pogacar out to bury ghosts in final Tour de France week

Reuters2 days ago
MONTPELLIER, France, July 21 (Reuters) - Tadej Pogacar is riding not just for the yellow jersey on the Tour de France, but also to bury the ghosts of the past.
As the 2025 Tour de France heads into its final and most punishing mountain stages, the defending champion is about to tackle climbs where he cracked or struggled before.
The Mont Ventoux and Col de la Loze await again. But this time, things feel different.
"I'm almost confident to say the route was designed to scare me," Pogacar said with a smile on Monday.
"But I always look at it as a race situation. I actually like all of these climbs."
This year, he has already won at Hautacam, where his Tour hopes vanished in 2022 when he was beaten by chief rival Jonas Vingegaard, who ended up 2:10 behind the Slovenian.
Pogacar is 4:13 ahead of the Dane in the general classification as he marches towards a fourth Tour title.
In his sixth campaign, Pogacar speaks with the assurance of a man determined to make peace with painful memories.
"Col de la Loze, for me, is one of the hardest climbs I've ever done," he conceded. "I'm not looking for revenge. I just want to have better legs than those days in the past."
In 2023, Pogacar experienced what he then called the 'worst day' of his life on a bike when he cracked in the ascent of the Col de la Loze, effectively losing the Tour to Vingegaard.
While the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider appears firmly in control, Pogacar knows better than anyone that one bad day can change everything.
Although Vingegaard has suffered two rare off days, he insists he is not out of contention.
"I do think I can win it. Of course, it looks very hard now — it's a big gap," the Dane said. "But normally my strength is in the third week. We have to attack."
Vingegaard, however, has no illusions about the challenge ahead.
"The biggest difference is my two off days, where I lost most of the time," he said. "But I don't think the gap is as big as it looks. I know that's not my level — I can do a lot better than that.
"I'm also willing to sacrifice second to try to achieve first."
Visma-Lease a Bike's sports director Grischa Niermann underlined the urgency of the mission.
"It's four minutes — you don't make that up with an attack in the last 500 metres," Niermann said. "For that to happen, we need to see a weakness in Tadej. So far, he hasn't shown one. But the Tour is over only when we reach Paris."
Visma-Lease a Bike, however, seem to have lost the collective power that made them a formidable squad in 2022 and 2023, when Vingegaard won his two Tour titles.
"They tend to overtrain their riders and after two or three years, they're completely empty," a senior official in another Tour team told Reuters.
"They have plans, but don't have the capacities to execute them. They should be more humble."
Pogacar is ready for anything that might come at him.
"We're ready for a fight with everybody," he said. "Especially with Jonas."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Marcus Rashford says Barcelona ‘feels like home' after completing loan move
Marcus Rashford says Barcelona ‘feels like home' after completing loan move

The Independent

time15 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Marcus Rashford says Barcelona ‘feels like home' after completing loan move

Marcus Rashford said Barcelona 'feels like home' after joining the LaLiga champions on loan as he refused to criticise Manchester United. Rashford has become the first of United's five wantaway players to find a way out of Old Trafford, landing the move he has desired since January when he instead joined Aston Villa on loan until the end of the season. Barca's agreement includes an option to make the deal permanent. That clause is reported to be 35million euros (£30.3million) and PA understands the deal sees Barcelona cover Rashford's wages for the campaign. 'I want to win the biggest trophies and feel like Barcelona is a huge club in the football world so it is the perfect place,' Rashford said in a press conference. 'You see with the team last season, they have a young ambitious team and I want to add my qualities, my personality, improve the team and help them win… '(It was) not difficult. I was clear on my preference from the beginning. Actually from maybe in January. It didn't work out in January so I went to Aston Villa and enjoyed a good period there. I'm very grateful for the opportunity to play there. 'The summer came around very quickly, it was time to make another decision. My choice was easy. It's a family club, something I'm used to from my past. 'It feels like home. I feel I made the right decision. I'm excited to get going and eager to play the first game in front of the fans.' The 27-year-old came through the ranks at United but has not added to his 426 first-team appearances for the club since being hauled off in a Europa League match away to Viktoria Plzen on December 12. Along with Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia, Rashford had been training away from Ruben Amorim's first-team squad since pre-season began as they explored their options in the transfer market. Asked about United during his unveiling in Barcelona, Rashford said: 'The situation with United is the club is in a period of change and they have been for a while. I don't have anything bad to say about Manchester United as it has been an important part not only in my career but my life. 'I was grateful for the opportunity to play for them. But football is like life – not everything goes as simply as you thought and this is my next chapter. I'm fully focused on this and trying to improve myself and helping the team win trophies. 'I don't have anything bad to say about United. I wish them all the best and hope they are successful in the future.' Rashford departs 23rd in United's all-time appearance list and as their 15th-highest scorer with 138 goals, having notched a brace on his February 2016 debut against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League. He won five major trophies with his boyhood club and was crowned their player of the year in 2022-23 after scoring a career-high 30 goals, which saw him rewarded with a reported £325,000-a-week deal until 2028. The Premier League club said: 'Everyone at Manchester United wishes Marcus good luck for the season.' Rashford, who scored 17 goals in 62 England appearances, will hope the move boosts his chances of going to next summer's World Cup.

Liverpool complete signing of Hugo Ekitike after seeing off late Man United interest
Liverpool complete signing of Hugo Ekitike after seeing off late Man United interest

The Independent

time15 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Liverpool complete signing of Hugo Ekitike after seeing off late Man United interest

The Frenchman, whose fee could rise to £79m depending on bonuses, has signed a six-year contract at Anfield after passing a medical. Liverpool saw off late interest from Manchester United for the 23-year-old, while Newcastle had offered £70m for Ekitike, which Eintracht rejected. The former Paris Saint-Germain forward, who told United he had no interest in joining them when director of recruitment Christopher Vivell contacted Frankfurt, was a long-term target for Liverpool, who had been in contact with his representatives for six months, while Arne Slot spoke to him at the end of the season. Ekitike becomes Liverpool's fourth major summer signing and takes their spending to £250m – and up to £300m, including potential add-ons and the deal for Giorgi Mamardashvili, which was sealed last summer. and full-backs Milos Kerez and Jeremie Frimpong. Liverpool had also made an inquiry for Alexander Isak, who Newcastle did not want to sell, but believe they were pursuing Ekitike before the Carabao Cup winners turned to him after failing in attempts to sign Liam Delap and Joao Pedro, who both joined Chelsea instead. But they were reluctant to get involved in an auction and waited before making a late move, as they had when they took the Tottenham target Luis Diaz from Porto in 2022. Liverpool see Ekitike as a multi-functional forward who, though largely a No 9, can also play in deeper and wider roles and think that only Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe have shown more potential among strikers of such age. Ekitike scored 22 goals for Eintracht last season, though Liverpool believe his impact was greater than that and he has the potential to become more prolific.

Liverpool complete signing of striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt
Liverpool complete signing of striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt

The Independent

time15 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Liverpool complete signing of striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt

Liverpool have completed the signing of striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt. A deal was reached between the two clubs on Monday for the 23-year-old to join Arne Slot's Premier League champions, which the PA news agency understands to be for a guaranteed £69million plus a potential £10million in add-ons. The striker, who scored 22 goals for Frankfurt in all competitions last season, flew to England on Tuesday to undergo a medical ahead of the deal's completion and will now travel to Asia to join his new Liverpool team-mates on their pre-season tour. PA understands Newcastle and Manchester United had been interested in Ekitike, whose capture continues Liverpool's summer spending spree. Florian Wirtz arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in an initial £100m deal that could rise to £116m, while Jeremie Frimpong also joined from the German club in a £29.5m switch and Milos Kerkez left Bournemouth for £40m. Giorgi Mamardashvili has also linked up with Liverpool after agreeing a move from Valencia last August, along with fellow goalkeepers Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store