‘I want the yellow jersey back': Pogacar gears up for Tour's second-week showdown
Here AFP breaks down the Slovenian's views on the challenges of the week ahead.
Five-day week
Pogacar has been unusually serious during the opening week of the Tour which he described on Tuesday as 'explosive, nervous, stressful and super-hard'.
He has also complained about the heat, tiredness and how annoyed he can get by the stonewall tactics from Jonas Vingegaard's Visma team.
'Week two will be really fast,' he predicted. But he was not talking about the speed of the wheels, rather that it will be over more quickly due to being a day shorter after the 10-day slog before the first rest day.
Hopes Healy feels tired
Pogacar said it was refreshing to see some new faces like current leader Ben Healy and emerging French star Kevin Vauquelin, and suggested their arrival had muddied the waters.
'The field is packed, it's going to be a huge fight even for the podium and especially for the yellow jersey,' the 26-year-old said.
'It's not just the big teams, everyone has proved they can stay up front,' he added, explaining the race is harder to control than it usually is.
He also forecast the overall lead would change hands.
'Not tomorrow on the flat, but at the Hautacam,' he said of the Pyrenean giant mountain on Wednesday.
'We'll see if Ben (Healy) can hold on. I hope he feels tired. I want the yellow jersey back.'
Pinpoints danger
While Pogacar paraded to triumph against a weakened Vingegaard in 2024, his thoughts Tuesday seemed to drift back to 2023 when he was routed on a time-trial followed by a mountain slog.
'I'm really looking forward to this week, especially the uphill time-trial to Peyragudes.'
Stage 13 is just 11km long, and he lit up when he spoke of it.
'I'm looking forward to the Hautacam but especially to the time-trial at Peyragudes,' said the man who is eyeing a fourth Tour triumph with a wistful look.
Good for me
Pogacar said the second week was usually a medium mountain affair with lots of breakaways as the Tour built towards a finale in week three, but not this year.
'We are going to see some big gaps in the upcoming days and I think it's going to be good for me. It's almost as hard as the final week.'
Up to rivals to attack
When Pogacar, Tour winner in 2020, 2021 and last year, was asked about his rivals he named no names. Instead he cast his net wider.
'In the coming days I'm under no pressure to attack, it's up to them if they want to get ahead of me,' he said.
Pogacar stands second after stage 10, 29sec adrift of Healy.
Remco Evenepoel, who says 'everyone knows that this is where the Tour starts', is third, a minute behind the Slovenian.
Two-time champion Vingegaard is 1min 17sec behind the Slovenian in fourth. — AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
France's European run ended by familiar foe Germany
HEARTBROKEN France were left lamenting another European exit at the hands of Germany on Saturday in a stunning 6-5 penalty shootout loss in the Euro 2025 quarter-finals, leaving Les Bleues still searching for their first major tournament title. The loss came despite having a player advantage for most of the game, after Germany's Kathrin Hendrich was sent off for a tug on the hair of Griege Mbock Bathy in the box in the 13th minute. Grace Geyoro's ensuing penalty kick in the 13th minute was France's only goal in a bruising match that was tied 1-1 at the end of extra time. 'It's very cruel, it's very difficult,' Geyoro said. 'We don't realize it yet, and there's a lot of disappointment and frustration at going out like that tonight. We're wondering when it's going to be smiling for us at last. It's difficult, frankly it's hard, that's football. I'm disappointed.' The loss conjured memories of Euro 2022 when Germany dispatched France 2-1 in the semifinals before losing to England for the title. Despite the man advantage, France seemed to wither as the minutes wore on against the eight-times European champions. 'We're sorry because when you're eleven against ten, you know that your set-pieces, numerical superiority do not exist anymore, so we had to avoid giving them those situations,' coach Laurent Bonadei said. 'We didn't manage to find the back of the net except for two goals that were flagged offside. It's a shame, we didn't need much. Especially after what we'd done in the group phase, I thought we were getting stronger.' France indeed had their chances, with goals by Delphine Cascarino and Geyoro chalked off for offside in each half. Melvine Malard clanged a rocket off the crossbar in the dying seconds of extra time. 'I'm obviously disappointed,' France goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin said. 'They were down to ten against 11, so even more disappointed. Finishing on penalties and going out like that is always the worst way to go. 'It was a complicated game, they were behind for almost 90 minutes and they were sending warheads up front. 'We're a bit down, we've just taken a blow to the back of the head.' France's Amel Majri and Alice Sombath had their penalties saved in the shootout, with Sombath's spelling the end of France's tournament, as the heartbroken players collapsed on the pitch. 'There's obviously a lot of disappointment,' Geyoro said. 'We really wanted to go all the way, but unfortunately we stop at the quarter-finals. Leaving the tournament just before the semi-finals is a real blow.'- REUTERS
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Ten-woman Germany beat France on penalties to reach Euro 2025 semis
SWITZERLAND: Ten-woman Germany reached the Women's Euro 2025 semi-finals on Saturday after prevailing 6-5 in a penalty shootout against France following a gruelling match which finished 1-1 after extra time. Alice Sombath missed the decisive penalty for France to hand a last-four clash with Spain to Germany, who will take on the world champions in Zurich on Wednesday. Germany maintained their record of having never lost to France in a major summer tournament after battling back from going a goal and a woman down in the first 15 minutes to win a bruising encounter in Basel. St Jacob's Park was dominated by fierce German support which flocked over the nearby border with Switzerland and roared their team on even after Kathrin Hendrich was sent off and gave away the penalty from which Grace Geyoro opened the scoring. Sjoeke Nuesken -- who also missed a penalty in the second half -- levelled the scores 10 minutes later and, after a long battle to hold off France, Sombath's mistake sent the majority of the crowd wild. Germany came into the match already missing key defenders Giulia Gwinn and Carlotta Wamser, to injury and suspension respectively, while star striker Lea Schueller was also surprisingly left on the bench. And the Germans' task was made even harder in the 13th minute when Hendrich inexplicably pulled Griedge Mbock's hair while defending a free-kick. But out of nowhere Nuesken drew a huge roar from the fans when she rose, completely unmarked, to glance home Klara Buehl's inswinging corner. From there Germany were content to sit back and hold France off by fair means or foul, and they were saved from being behind at the break by Delphone Cascarino needlessly straying offside before flicking home Kadidiatou Diani's low cross. That was one of the few decent attacks France managed to conjure up with an extra woman, and they continued to struggle after the break. Even when Geyoro had the ball in the net for the second time, lashing home on the rebound after a fine save from Ann-Katrin Berger, the goal was ruled out as Maelle Lakrar impeded the Germany goalkeeper while in an offside position. And Pauline Peyraud-Magnin saved France's skin when she kept out Nuesken's awful penalty in the 69th minute, given for a soft foul on Jule Brand. But it was Ann-Katrin Berger who made possibly the save of the tournament 12 minutes into extra time when she somehow clawed out Janina Minge's inadvertant header and stopped Germany going out with an own goal. Berger could only watch as Melvine Malard shook the crossbar with almost the last kick of the game before the shootout, in which Amel Majri and Sombath both had weak efforts saved and allowed Germany to win against all odds. - AFP
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-Germany through to Women's Euro semis after shootout win over France
Soccer Football - UEFA Women's Euro 2025 - Quarter Final - France v Germany - St. Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland - July 19, 2025 France's Melvine Malard in action with Germany's Sophia Kleinherne and g22 REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw (Reuters) -Ann-Katrin Berger pulled off a stunning final save as Germany beat France 6-5 in a penalty shootout to set up a Euro 2025 semi-final showdown with world champions Spain after a bruising encounter that ended 1-1 after extra time on Saturday. The Germans pulled off asuperb comeback from a goal down and a straight red card for defender Kathrin Hendrich after 13 minutes,battling their way back into the game and eventually getting the better of their opponents in a thrilling shootout. Hendrich was sent offafter a VAR review established that she had pulled the hair of Griedge Mbock Bathy in the box, and Grace Geyoro's subsequent penalty had the power to get over the line despite Berger getting a strong hand to it. On the ropes and struggling, the Germans suddenly levelled, Sjoeke Nuesken catching the defence napping by darting towards Klara Buehl's near-post corner and flashing a header into the net in the 25th minute. With the well-organised Germans defending doggedly, France had two goals ruled out for offside and Nuesken had a second-half penalty saved. Even before the penalty shootout, Berger pulled off a contender for the 'save of the tournament', back-pedalling before diving acrobatically to claw away Janina Minge's misdirected defensive header and keep the scores level. With neither side managing to score in extra time the game went to penalties, and Berger got the shootout off to a great start for the Germans by saving from Amel Majri, but they were brought back to level pegging when Sara Daebrtiz struck her spot kick off the crossbar and over the goal. Berger,a cancer survivor who sports a tattoo to cover up a scar from her treatment that says "All we have is now", then fired home from the spot herself beforemaking her decisive save. She dived to her left to deny 21-year-old defender Alice Sombath, sending the Germans through to the last four. They will face Spain on Wednesday, a day after England face Italy in the other semi-final. "For large parts of the game, you wouldn't notice we were one (player) less. I am incredibly proud," Germany captain Minge said of her side's resilient comeback. "I have to say, the fans were unbelievable. I don't know if I have ever experienced anything like that. You could see that we are ready for something big." "We know we'd done the hardest thing by opening the scoring against a team reduced to 10 (players). Penalties are difficult, we know that, and it's a shame for Alice because she's young and learning. You also have to take your hat off to Germany," dejected France coach Laurent Bonadei said. (Reporting by Philip O'Connor, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
