Inside the final kilometer of the Col du Galibier, near the end of Stage 4, Tadej Pogačar ripped away from the rapidly shrinking peloton with venomous intent. His attacks always feel inevitable, and even though a headwind on the Galibier forced him to wait to make his move, there was no doubt that he would make it. He's the rider who never waits for someone else to take the initiative. The real question was whether Jonas Vingegaard could follow. The two-time defending champion stayed in contact for an admirable few hundred meters, but Pogačar sustained his attack around the hairpins, broke his archrival, and put in a gorgeous descent into Valloire to end the first chapter of the 2024 Tour de France with a stage win and the yellow jersey on Tuesday. The race is on, and Pogačar has a decent early lead.

View Entire Post