'It's definitely not over' – Pogacar defiant amid heavy losses at Tour de France

Tour de France: Tadej Pogacar on the podium for best young rider after stage 16
Tour de France: Tadej Pogacar on the podium for best young rider after stage 16 (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Now what? The momentum that had seemed to be with Tadej Pogačar over the past week of this Tour de France came shuddering to a halt on stage 16, where Jonas Vingegaard conjured up a performance beyond all expectations in the hybrid time trial to Combloux.

Pogačar began Tuesday's stage just ten seconds off Vingegaard's yellow jersey and he rolled down the start ramp for the time trial in Passy believing he might even do enough over the 22.4km to take the garment from the Dane. Instead, a third Tour title now looks almost beyond Pogačar after Vingegaard beat him by some 1:38 on a course that included the short sharp climb of the Côte de Domancy.

Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan was Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.