‘This year was on another level’ – Tadej Pogačar takes yellow jersey to Paris at end of relentlessly tough Tour de France

The question that has swirled around the final days of this Tour de France has been ‘Is Tadej Pogačar tired?’. It’s not a state we are particularly used to seeing the imperious Slovenian in, even at the end of intense races, but in the last week in France, he has appeared fatigued.

Usually a voracious winner, Pogačar hasn’t won a stage in this final week, after looking off his top level on Mont Ventoux, and then sitting back defensively on the stages to the Col de la Loze and La Plagne, looking obviously tired on stage 19 in particular.