Seven days into the Tour de France, following the all-important first individual time trial of the race, the top of the GC is about as finely poised as all of us longing for a close, competitive battle for the yellow jersey could have hoped for. Each representative of the so-called big four have lived up to their billing, and now occupy all four top spots on the GC, with a mere 1:36 separating them all. With all looking either at or near top form, and none being affected by injuries in what has been a pleasingly crash-light race so far, this is shaping up to be one the highest quality Tours de France of recent generations.
For now, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) remains in pole position. Although he was denied the stage win today by Remco Evenepoel (Soudal–Quick-Step), the Slovenian successfully defended the yellow jersey he took in the Alps on stage four. While he shed 12 seconds to the Belgian, the 22 and 25 seconds gained over Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), respectively, makes this day a very productive one for him.
In particular, the gains he has made over Vingegaard will be especially encouraging. Having gained time attacking him on the Galibier and pressing on the following descent during stage four, Pogačar is now 1:15 ahead of his great Danish rival on the GC. That feels significant, as it’s the biggest lead the Slovenian has held over Vingegaard since defeating him at the 2021 Tour. At no point last year did he get ahead by more than 11 seconds, while the biggest advantage he built in 2022 was 39 seconds, just before the fateful day in the Alps, where he was dropped out of contention.
Tadej Pogačar still remains at the top of the GC after the first time trial (Image by James Startt)
Pogačar, for now, can enjoy being back on the front foot, having spent so much of the last two Tours de France playing catch up, and has Vingegaard under pressure. But Vingegaard himself won’t be too disheartened. Given everything he’s had to overcome going into this Tour de France, to be only down 1:15 after so many potentially hazardous stages will feel like a success. And though today’s performance is a drop off from recent Tour de France time trials, of which he has beaten Pogačar in both their last two showdowns, the big, decisive gains that ultimately won him the yellow jersey in 2023 and 2022 came instead in the high mountains. If, as expected, he improves as the Tour…