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The National
a day ago
- Sport
- The National
Tour de France 2025: Tadej Pogacar still on course for fourth title despite rollercoaster race so far
Despite going into the 2025 Tour de France's first rest day having relinquished control of the leader's yellow jersey, Tadej Pogacar remains well placed in his quest for a fourth title. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider ended Stage 10 just 29 seconds behind the new overall leader, EF Education-EasyPost's Ben Healy, who became the first Irishman to claim yellow in 38 years after Monday's trek across eight gruelling hills in the Massif Central. Remco Evenepoel sits third, one minute further back, with the Belgian 17 seconds ahead of Pogacar's old rival and two-time champion Jonas Vingegaard, who is fourth. It has been a rollercoaster race already for Pogacar, who has won two stages – taking his career victories past the century marker – but also lost the services of key lieutenant Joao Almeida to injury while another teammate, Pavel Sivakov, has been struggling with illness. The opening stage saw Jasper Philipsen power to victory with Pogacar safely in the pack. On Stage 2 the Slovenian superstar was edged out of a 100th career win by Mathieu Van der Poel in a sprint finish. But it would not be long until the 26-year-old had reached that impressive landmark as, after avoiding damage on a chaotic, crash-filled Stage 3, Pogacar triumphed the following day. It was a stunning sprint to victory as the 2024 triple crown winner held off the considerable challenge of both Van der Poel and Vingegaard. 'To win at the Tour is incredible, in this jersey even more, and to have 100 victories is amazing,' said Pogacar afterwards. 'With so many good riders in the final, you're always a bit on the edge and nervous about what's going to happen.' It was time-trial time on Stage 5, with all eyes on cycling's big three – Pogacar, Evenepoel, and Vingegaard. Evenepoel – world and Olympic champion in the discipline – was the favourite and lived up to the billing, storming to a stunning win. But Pogacar produced an impressive performance of his own to take second place, and the yellow jersey. More importantly, he took a lead of over a minute on Vingegaard, landing an early blow in the title battle. The result also meant Pogacar became the first rider to wear the yellow, green and polka dot jerseys at this stage in the Tour since Belgium great Eddy Merckx in 1970. Stage 6 offered brief respite as the breakaway took the spoils, with Healy claiming a memorable first Tour de France win, with Van der Poel snatching back yellow, albeit with only a one-second lead on Pogacar. It proved a temporary setback with Pogacar triumphing again on Stage 7, reclaiming the overall lead from the Dutchman on the Mur-de-Bretagne climb. 'Me and Mathieu both know this finish very well,' said Pogacar. 'We both wanted to win on this iconic climb, but I think maybe yesterday he left too much on the road, so we couldn't have a rematch." The day would end badly for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, as Almeida, a key mountain lieutenant, suffered a broken rib after a nasty crash having come in 10 minutes after Pogacar and would be forced to quit two days later. 'He could have done great things on a personal level here, and of course, he would have been a great help in the mountains, both mentally and physically. Now we'll adapt and continue,' Pogacar said of his teammate Almeida after Stage 9, which had seen him maintain a 54-second lead over Evenepoel. 'It was too much to bear and I think everybody understands and wishes him all the best.' Stage 10 fell on Bastille Day and ended with Giro d'Italia winner Simon Yates taking the honours while Healy grabbed yellow. Pogacar would cross the line safely alongside Vingegaard with the lead – and title – still very much in his sights. 'Of course, it's never easy to lose the yellow jersey. However, we lost Joao Almeida yesterday, and Pavel Sivakov is still recovering from his illness,' said Pogacar. 'The goal was not to let Visma attack us or to defend their attacks. We did a great job, but now it's a day off.' The riders will be back in action on Wednesday with a 156.8km route around Toulouse that is expected to end in a bunch sprint.
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Pogacar retains yellow as Merlier wins stage nine of Tour de France
Tim Merlier powered past Jonathan Milan to win stage nine of the Tour de France on Sunday, denying the green jersey holder back-to-back wins after Mathieu van der Poel's audacious solo attack ended in heartbreak just 700 metres from the finish. Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates retained the yellow jersey and maintains a 54-second lead over Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Soudal–Quick-Step) in the general classification. UAE Team Emirates and Pogacar suffered a major blow, however, when mountain domestique Joao Almeida was forced to abandon the race after fracturing a rib in a crash on stage seven — just before the Tour heads into the mountains. The 26-year-old, who finished fourth in the general classification last year, had come into the race in brilliant form having won the Tour de Suisse, the Tour of the Basque Country and the Tour de Romandie earlier this year. Meanwhile, Merlier's second stage win of this year's Tour mirrored the Soudal Quick-Step sprinter's photo finish victory over the Italian on stage three. The Belgian stayed glued to Milan's wheel before unleashing his kick metres from the finish in Chateauroux after the 174.1-kilometre ride from Chinon. "One moment I thought I was boxed in but I can come out just before 200 metres or maybe just after, I don't know anymore," Merlier said. "I just go all in and I'm happy I can win my second stage here." Van der Poel's day began with promise as he and Jonas Rickaert broke away early, building up a commanding lead of more than five minutes with a tailwind pushing them to speeds of more than 50 kph. The Alpecin-Deceuninck duo persisted after taking points in the intermediate sprint for the green jersey before the peloton began their chase. "Well, five minutes-and-a-half is a lot so we tried to help and also other teams started to help. The pacing was quite high," Merlier added. "So they were at the front but it was just hard for the guys in the front and the guys who were pulling and the bunch was just nervous." However, the peloton soon began to reel in the Alpecin-Deceuninck duo to reduce the lead to less than a minute with 11 km to go while sprint specialist Wout Van Aert was dropped. As the rest of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team attempted to move to the front of the bunch and disrupt the chase, a tiring Rickaert finally gave in and slowed down, leaving Van der Poel to ride solo to the finish with more than five kilometres left. The Dutchman was visibly grimacing as the chasing pack came into view behind him and his heroic effort ended in the final kilometre when he was swallowed up by the bunch.
The National
3 days ago
- Sport
- The National
Tour de France 2025: Blow for Tadej Pogacar as teammate Joao Almeida drops out injured
Tadej Pogacar's hopes of securing a third consecutive Tour de France crown took on a knock on Sunday when key UAE Team Emirates-XRG lieutenant Joao Almeida was forced to drop out of the race. Almeida suffered a fractured rib along with various cuts and scrapes after a 12-rider downhill pile-up at the Mur de Bretagne on Stage 7, limping home losing around 10 minutes on the day, yet still managing to get through the following day's action unscathed. 'It was good to see Joao finish the stage OK,' said race leader Pogacar after Stage 8, as thoughts began to turn to Monday's Stage 10 and its eight classified climbs among other challenges in the Massif Central. 'Monday is a brutal stage but nobody is expecting Joao to kill himself for a bike race.' Before the fall Almeida himself was also contention for a spot on the podium – starting Stage 7 in seventh place in the general classification – and would have been a contender throughout the mountainous second half of the Tour. But the Portuguese rider's Tour is over for this year after the pain proved too much to bear, especially knowing the challenges coming hot on the horizon, and Pogacar will be a key man down. 'Sadly Joao had to abandon,' said Pogacar after Stage 9 which saw him maintain a 54-second lead over Remco Evenepoel. 'It was too much to bear and I think everybody understands and wish him all the best. 'Today was fast and furious thanks to the two guys in front and also the wind was blowing to make it hard. Tomorrow is a solid day. A proper climbing day, it does not look so hurtful on the profile but I think it is going to be a really hard race and we are ready for tomorrow. Almeida finished fourth at the 2024 Tour de France and started this year's edition on the back of strong results elsewhere, having won the Tour de Suisse, Tour de Romandie and Itzulia Basque Country. Pogacar, meanwhile, kept a firm grip on the leader's yellow jersey despite an epic breakaway attempt from Alpecin-Deceuninc duo Mathieu van der Poel and Jonas Rickaert. On a sun drenched slog from the Chinon vineyards, Van der Poel and Rickaert broke early and built up a lead of 5 min 30 sec on the flat roads to Chateauroux. Rickaert won the combativity award for accompanying Van der Poel to within 10km of the line before slumping over his handlebars. With his gung-ho all-in style Van der Poel grew his Tour de France legend here despite being caught with 700m to go, the plaudits will be both his and Merlier's. As Van der Poel was reeled in, it looked as though Jonathan Milan would win a second consecutive stage but Tim Merlier got ahead with 50m remaining as Milan finished second with Arnaud De Lie completing the podium. 'One moment I thought I was boxed in but I can come out just before 200 metres or maybe just after, I don't know any more,' Merlier said. 'I just go all in and I'm happy I can win my second stage here.' It is a big day of climbing next up on what is Bastille Day in France with 4,400m of elevation gain across seven category-two climbs and a category-three ascent is likely to put the sprinters in trouble almost from the start on a stage that looks made for breakaway specialists. Road signs in honour of British cycling great Mark Cavendish had been placed at entry points to Chateauroux – reading Cavendish City – in homage to the now-retired 40-year-old, after he won three stages there in 2008, 2011 and 2021.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
João Almeida, a key teammate of Pogačar, exits Tour de France after rib fracture
CHATEAUROUX, France (AP) — João Almeida, a key teammate of Tour de France leader Tadej Pogačar, has abandoned the race. Almeida, who fractured a rib during Stage 7, was dropped early during Sunday's ninth stage between Chinon and Châteauroux, and UAE Team Emirates-XRG later announced over the race radio that the Portuguese rider had retired. Advertisement Almeida was caught in a high-speed crash earlier this week as riders scrambled for position at the front, 6 kilometers (4 miles) from the finish line. Almeida escaped without a concussion but his rib fracture finally proved to be too painful to carry on in the three-week race. Almeida finished fourth at the 2024 Tour de France and started this year's edition on the back of excellent preparations, having won the Tour de Suisse, Tour de Romandie and Itzulia Basque Country. Sunday's stage heads into central France on a 158-kilometer (98-mile) flat stage for sprinters. ___ AP sports: The Associated Press
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
João Almeida, a key teammate of Pogačar, exits Tour de France after rib fracture
CHATEAUROUX, France — João Almeida, a key teammate of Tour de France leader Tadej Pogačar , has abandoned the race. Almeida, who fractured a rib during Stage 7, was dropped early during Sunday's ninth stage between Chinon and Châteauroux, and UAE Team Emirates-XRG later announced over the race radio that the Portuguese rider had retired.
