King of the Pyrenees Pogačar: Dazzled Rivals in the Tour de France and Cemented the Yellow Jersey

## Unforgettable Duel in the Pyrenees: Pogačar Responds to Vingegaard at the Summit As the heart of the Tour de France beats in the Pyrenees, the cycling world’s two biggest rivals of recent years, Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, have taken part in a duel that will go down in sport history. In the 6th stage of the tour, Pogačar, who faced questioning of his general classification hopes a day earlier after suffering a major time loss to his Danish rival, rose from the ashes to achieve a magnificent victory. Slovenian star, who won the challenging stage that ended at the Cauterets-Cambasque summit, has declared to the world that the championship battle is far from over, even if he has lost the yellow jersey to Vingegaard. The 144.9-kilometer mountainous stage that started from Lourdes offered cycling fans everything they expected: strategy, drama, and an incredible comeback story. The fate of the stage was drawn at the legendary Col du Tourmalet and the final climb of Cauterets-Cambasque. A day before, Vingegaard, who gained over a minute lead over Pogačar on the ascent of Col de Marie Blanque and was thought to dominate the Tour, along with his team Jumbo-Visma, took control again by setting the pace. However, this time they faced a Pogačar who had no intention of giving up. ## Climbing from a One-Day Collapse What makes this victory meaningful are the events of just 24 hours prior. On the 5th stage, Pogačar, helpless against Vingegaard's ferocious attack, crossed the finish line with great disappointment. Sports authorities speculated that Pogačar had not fully recovered from a pre-Tour wrist injury and that Vingegaard might replicate last year's form to take an early lead in the race. The tactical superiority of Jumbo-Visma and Vingegaard's flawless climbing had placed immense pressure on the Slovenian cyclist. However, great champions are defined by their responses in the toughest moments. In the 6th stage, Pogačar presented a completely different image. During the decisive Tourmalet climb, he easily matched Vingegaard’s pace. In fact, he fended off Vingegaard’s attack near the summit, signaling the shift of psychological advantage. As the duo crested the mountain together, they prepared for the final climb joined by strong riders like Wout van Aert. ## Changing Roles in the Final Climb When the steep ramps of Cauterets-Cambasque began, the awaited moment arrived. After the superhuman pace set by Wout van Aert from the Jumbo-Visma team, Vingegaard launched his attack about 4.5 kilometers before the finish. For a moment, it seemed that Pogačar would be left behind again, but the Slovenian cyclist stuck to his rival’s wheel and continued alongside him. This was proof that the defenselessness of the previous day was entirely in the past. The real shock occurred with 2.7 kilometers left. This time the attacking party was Pogačar. With an explosive seated attack, he suddenly left Vingegaard behind. The Danish champion could not respond to this unexpected move, and Pogačar disappeared from view within seconds. UAE Team Emirates’ leader covered the remaining distance alone and crossed the finish line with a raised fist, securing not only a stage victory but also a major mental triumph. Vingegaard finished the stage second, 24 seconds later, and took over the yellow jersey from the previous day's winner Jai Hindley. ## Yellow Jersey on Vingegaard, Momentum with Pogačar The standings at the end of the stage are a summary of how complex and fascinating the Tour de France is. Jonas Vingegaard once again had the honor of wearing the yellow jersey in his career. However, the absolute winner of the day was psychologically Pogačar. The gap, which was 1 minute and 4 seconds just a day before, was reduced to only 25 seconds by the end of this stage. Pogačar not only gained time but also showed that Vingegaard was not invincible, sending a strong warning to his rival. This comeback once again proved that the rivalry between the two champions was not only about physical strength but also a battle of intellect and will. Pogačar's (2020, 2021) and Vingegaard's (2022) championships had made this rivalry the most captivating story in modern cycling. The contrasting scenes witnessed in the first week of the 2023 Tour hint at what awaits us in the coming two weeks in the Alps and individual time trials. Pogačar showed that he could challenge Vingegaard on the mountains where he is strongest. Meanwhile, Vingegaard, with the responsibility and pressure of the yellow jersey, will rely on the strength of his team to defend. The Tour is not over yet, in fact, it’s just beginning. These two-day breath-taking duels in the Pyrenees gave unforgettable moments to cycling fans and showed that anything is possible on the road to the championship. Eyes are now on the Alps, where the next confrontation between these two giants will occur.