Pogacar and Vingegaard Battle in Exciting Mountain Stage

Combloux, France (AP) — Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates leads the race as it approaches the final stretch, with only 2.2 kilometers remaining. He is clocking in at an impressive 43.85 km/h and remains hopeful of outrunning his competitors. Jonas Vingegaard from Visma Lease a Bike trails closely behind at 48 seconds.

This stage is crucial in the quest for the Tour de France title. Vingegaard, who showcased a dominant performance last year, is looking to close the gap on Pogacar. Meanwhile, Pogacar faces the arduous climbs ahead, including the tough Côte de Domancy, averaging a grueling 9 percent incline.

In a thrilling sprint earlier in the race, Alex Baudin from EF Education – EasyPost won the intermediate sprint at La Grangeat, earning 10 points and a 3-second time bonus. He was followed by Michael Leonard from INEOS Grenadiers and Jhonatan Narvaez of UAE Team Emirates.

As the race unfolds, several riders, including Guillaume Martin and Lenny Martinez, manage to catch up with the yellow jersey group after struggling to keep pace with the lead riders during the last climb.

Enric Mas from Movistar Team strategically decided to fall back to ensure he could rejoin the yellow jersey group, recognizing the challenging terrain ahead as potentially fatal for his chances.

The stage is shaping up to be a memorable one, as Pogacar and Vingegaard continue their epic rivalry, and fans anticipate an exciting conclusion to this mountainous leg of the Tour de France.