Cyclist Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) won on Tuesday the fourth stage of the Tour de France, raced between Amiens Métropole and Rouen over 174.2 kilometers, to achieve his 18th victory in the French tour and the 100th in his professional career, in a day where the final climb led to a new battle with Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma - Lease a Bike).
The Slovenian Pogacar crossed the finish line ahead of the Danish Vingegaard and also the Belgian Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), who still holds the yellow leader’s jersey.
How was Pogacar’s centenary victory?
“Pogi” is now a centennial and he achieved it in none other than the Tour de France and dressed in the rainbow jersey of world champion. Additionally, with a trademark victory, attacking on the final climb of a stage with a thrilling finish and prevailing over two other giants like van der Poel and Vingegaard.
The Dane seems to be the only one who, if things don’t change, can challenge the Slovenian in the Tour. Both have shared the last four titles.
Because in the first stage where Tadej Pogacar made his move, with a fierce attack on the 800 meters at 9.1% average slope of the Rampe Saint-Hilaire crowned less than 5 kilometers from the finish line, only Vingegaard was able to follow him. The rest of the contenders lost ground, such as Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step), Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-BORA-Hansgrohe), or the best Spanish rider, Enric Mas (Movistar Team).
Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel continues to lead, tied on time but with a better average position than Pogacar. Third in the provisional general classification is Vingegaard, 8 seconds behind, while Slovenian Roglic is in 13th place, 1:27 minutes behind. Already too far behind after completing 4 stages with none being mountain stages, not even medium mountain ones.
This Wednesday a key stage arrives: the 33-kilometer time trial starting and finishing in Caen. A not overly long but completely flat time trial that is clearly for specialists. Perhaps Remco Evenepoel, who lost three seconds in this stage, can make up time to Pogacar if what was seen in the recent Critérium du Dauphiné is repeated (he won the time trial) or in last year’s Tour. Everything is open for a day in which Van der Poel will surely say goodbye to the yellow jersey defended tooth and nail in Rouen despite Pogacar’s centenary of victories.