It’s game on at the Tour de France after Pogačar and Vingegaard clash in Le Lioran - Philippa York Analysis

UAE Team Emirates team's Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey and Team Visma - Lease a Bike team's Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard cycle in the final kilometers of the 11th stage of the 111th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 211 km between Évaux-les-Bains and Le Lioran, in the Massif Central mountains of central France, on July 10, 2024. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

That half a wheel that separated Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar might as well have been half a mile. It was hugely symbolic. 

It is remarkable that Vingegaard is at the Tour de France, even more so that he is competitive. It was astonishing that he was the strongest rider at the finish, after a long haul through the hills and mountains of the Massif Central. Then to see the Dane out-sprint Pogačar to win stage 11 in Le Lioran showed that the Slovenian is right to fear and respect his biggest rival. What a race we have.

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Philippa York

Philippa York is a long-standing Cyclingnews contributor, providing expert racing analysis. As one of the early British racers to take the plunge and relocate to France with the famed ACBB club in the 1980's, she was the inspiration for a generation of racing cyclists – and cycling fans – from the UK.

The Glaswegian gained a contract with Peugeot in 1980, making her Tour de France debut in 1983 and taking a solo win in Bagnères-de-Luchon in the Pyrenees, the mountain range which would prove a happy hunting ground throughout her Tour career. 

The following year's race would prove to be one of her finest seasons, becoming the first rider from the UK to win the polka dot jersey at the Tour, whilst also becoming Britain's highest-ever placed GC finisher with 4th spot. 

She finished runner-up at the Vuelta a España in 1985 and 1986, to Pedro Delgado and Álvaro Pino respectively, and at the Giro d'Italia in 1987. Stage race victories include the Volta a Catalunya (1985), Tour of Britain (1989) and Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (1990). York retired from professional cycling as reigning British champion following the collapse of Le Groupement in 1995.