Tadej Pogacar has struck hard in the first real mountain stage of this Tour de France. The defending champion won the twelfth stage, gained a lot of time on Jonas Vingegaard, and took the yellow leader’s jersey from Ben Healy.
The finish of the first Pyrenean stage was at the top of the Hautacam (13.5 kilometers at 7.8 percent). Pogacar had bad memories of the hors catégorie col, because in the 2022 Tour, Vingegaard secured the overall victory there by riding a minute away from Pogacar.
On Thursday, the roles were reversed. Pogacar attacked in the first meters of the Hautacam, immediately opened a gap on Vingegaard, and then only extended his lead on his great rival.
Pogacar rode with a bandage around his left arm, after his unfortunate fall in the final of Wednesday’s stage. The abrasions and bruises did not seem to hinder the world champion at all. He recorded his third stage victory of this Tour and is again the leader in the general classification.
Healy started the twelfth stage with a lead of half a minute on Pogacar. The Irishman tried to stay with him as long as possible, but on the Col du Soulor, just over 50 kilometers from the finish, he exploded. The winner of stage six eventually lost several minutes to Pogacar and lost the yellow jersey after two days.
Friday will be another tough test for Pogacar and Vingegaard. The thirteenth stage is a difficult uphill time trial of 10.9 kilometers to the Peyragudes ski resort.
