Seven hundred and eighteen days. It may be arduous to imagine, however earlier than Sunday, that is how lengthy had handed since Tadej Pogačar final wore the yellow jersey on the Tour de France.
That day, nearly two years in the past, a Jumbo-Visma onslaught left him remoted, hunched over his bars, dragging himself frantically up the Col du Granon. He tried to regain yellow since that fateful day – he received three extra levels on the best way – however the golden threads alluded him till now, in a baking-hot Bologna, the place the previous king was reunited along with his crown.
Pogačar selected the second ascent of town’s vicious San Luca climb for his assault on stage two. With him, he drew Jonas Vingegaard, the person who seized the yellow jersey from his shoulders that day up the Granon.
In the present day, the victory went to the breakaway – Kévin Vauquelin claiming an historic first victory for Arkéa-B&B Inns – whereas the GC pair rode in collectively behind. Pogačar, tied on time on the prime, took yellow from Romain Bardet due to his larger stage placings.
In his press convention afterwards, the primary query began with a press release. “It seems good,” a Belgian journalist started. The 2-time Tour champion, his elbows on the desk in entrance of him, returned a boyish smile.
“It feels good to be in yellow once more,” Pogačar mentioned. “I used to be so shut final 12 months after which I cracked. This 12 months it feels good to be again in yellow, even when it is with none margin. It feels good, and it is affirmation that I am additionally robust. I am in good condition.”
No one, in fact, doubted the Slovenian’s kind. Final month, he led the Giro from stage two, collected six stage wins, and sealed the general by nearly 10 minutes, the largest successful margin on the race since 1965.
He seemed equally as scientific on the Tour’s second day, besides this time, he had firm on the prime. “I did a very good assault,” Pogačar mentioned. “I used to be comfortable that I exploded the contenders a little bit bit. However yeah, Jonas was fairly quick on my wheel, and he was actually robust.” The reigning champion’s response, he mentioned, got here as “no shock for me”.
It wasn’t till after the road, wearing a black ice vest contained in the media tent, that information got here by way of to Pogačar that he had taken yellow. His response was muted, skilled, and he appeared extra centered on his turbo coach warm-down.
Moments later, as he waited for his flip to stroll out onto the rostrum, the Slovenian perched himself on the lip of a desk backstage. He placed on his cap, propped his sponsor’s sun shades on prime, and adjusted his cuffs. They’re the mannerisms of a winner, a person who, regardless of not having led the Tour de France for nearly two years, has slipped again into the chief’s position with ease.
Followers now will likely be asking if he can maintain the yellow jersey till the tip of the race. Does Pogačar anticipate to maintain it for a very long time? “Let’s see,” he mentioned. “Let’s take it daily and persist with our authentic plan.”
