Questions arose regarding Tadej Pogačar’s surprising attack during Stage 17. While he and rivals Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel approached the finish line with a breakaway taking the stage, the yellow jersey traditionally would have cruised in. Instead, Pogačar attacked, gaining a two-second advantage over the Dane. With a substantial lead, barring incidents, he seems poised to claim the Tour de France. However, recent speculation about his exceptional performances and a reversal on carbon monoxide training have raised concerns.
Lance Armstrong, who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after admitting to using EPO and other drugs, expressed surprise at the attack, particularly given the ongoing discussions.
“It was really unnecessary to attack like that,” the American remarked during the MOVE podcast. “This will only draw more attention to Pogačar. If there’s already speculation about his performance, this certainly doesn’t help. Moreover, it doesn’t win him any favours.”
Armstrong is well aware of public perception. For years, he countered drug rumors with vigorous press conferences and media appearances that misled much of the public. He believes Pogačar’s attack was excessive and will only fuel further speculation about his extraordinary performances.
“Not just within the peloton, but also in the media. If I could advise Pogačar: try to maintain a low profile. Sometimes you have to consider how people perceive you,” he continued. “As a rider, you must remember that the Tour isn’t solely a sporting event; it’s also a political one.”
“I’ve been in his position before, and then people tapped me on the shoulder and said it wasn’t necessary. I truly believe this won’t help. All he needs to do now is stay on his bike for the remaining stages. He’s already won the Tour, it’s settled,” Armstrong concluded.
When questioned about his motive for attacking, Pogačar shrugged it off. “I don’t know why I did it; sometimes I don’t even understand myself,” he admitted. “But gaining two seconds on Jonas makes me happy. We’re one day closer to the end. It was a very good day.”
Former Dutch professional Tom Dumoulin offered a different perspective on the move. “This is pure bluffing, a pure show of force. Pogačar is three minutes ahead; he didn’t need to do this at all. He did it solely to unsettle Vingegaard,” Dumoulin remarked on NOS. “Is it arrogant? There’s definitely an…
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