Pogacar: I could be my own biggest rival at the Tour de France

Tour de France 2021 - 108th Edition - 8th stage Oyonnax - Le Grand-Bornand 150,8 km - 03/07/2021 - Tadej Pogacar (SLO - UAE Team Emirates) - photo Luca Bettini/BettiniPhoto©2021
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) recuperates after stage 8 in Le Grand-Bornard (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

After dominating the first mountain test of the 2021 Tour de France on the Alpine stage 8, UAE Team Emirates leader Tadej Pogačar conceded that he might be his own biggest rival going forward, such is his mammoth advantage over his general classification rivals.

He stormed into the yellow jersey after attacking 32 kilometres out, detonating the GC group and putting over three minutes into rivals such as Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), Rigoberto Urán (EF Education-Nippo), and Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma).

Dani Ostanek
Senior News Writer

Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, joining in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, they had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur.

Dani has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, Road World Championships, and the spring Classics. They have interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Mathieu van der Poel, Demi Vollering, and Remco Evenepoel. Their favourite races are the Giro d'Italia, Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix.

Season highlights from the 2024 season include reporting from Paris-Roubaix –  'Unless I'm in an ambulance, I'm finishing this race' – Cyrus Monk, the last man home at Paris-Roubaix – and the Tour de France – 'Disbelief', gratitude, and family – Mark Cavendish celebrates a record-breaking Tour de France sprint win.