Tadej Pogačar’s dominance has revived an increasingly familiar debate. Is the Slovenian’s superiority damaging the spectacle of the Tour de France?
With five stages remaining, Pogačar leads the general classification by four minutes and 32 seconds. Yet Remco Evenepoel, his closest challenger, rejects the suggestion that the race has become dull.
According to Patrick Fletcher’s report for Cyclingnews, the Belgian sees Pogačar’s performances as something to admire rather than resent.
“To be honest, personally, I don’t see it as boring. I see it as being super impressive,” Evenepoel said.
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He acknowledged that the race may appear predictable from the sofa when Pogačar can seemingly ride away at will. Inside the peloton, however, the view is different. For Evenepoel, competing against the Slovenian is both a challenge and an opportunity to learn from a rider he regards as potentially the greatest of all time.
Pogačar is chasing a fifth Tour de France title. Victory in Paris would move him level with Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
Evenepoel lands another blow
Evenepoel has at least found a way to beat the yellow jersey on individual stages.
The Belgian won Sunday’s mountain finish at Plateau de Solaison before completing back-to-back victories in Tuesday’s individual time trial between Évian-les-Bains and Thonon-les-Bains.
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As described in the Associated Press stage report published by NBC Sports, Evenepoel completed the 26.1-kilometre course in 32 minutes and 19 seconds, beating Pogačar by 28 seconds.
It was Evenepoel’s third Tour de France time-trial victory in as many editions and reduced his overall deficit to four minutes and 32 seconds.
Pogačar offered no excuses. Quoted by Fletcher in a separate Cyclingnews report, the Slovenian admitted that Evenepoel had simply been stronger.
“I had good legs today but he’s just a legend in the race against the clock, I think one of the greatest, no doubt.”
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Pogačar also said the defeat had given him additional motivation before the final mountain stages.
Lipowitz crash overshadows victory
Evenepoel’s success came at a heavy cost for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.
Florian Lipowitz, who had started the stage fifth overall, crashed on a tight right-hand corner and was forced to abandon the Tour. Jeremy Whittle reported for The Guardian that the German suffered a broken collarbone.
His withdrawal leaves Evenepoel without one of his strongest climbing teammates before three decisive summit finishes. Lipowitz had finished third in the 2025 Tour and was expected to play an important supporting role during the final week.
The loss further weakens Evenepoel’s chances of unsettling Pogačar, but it does not alter his view of the race. The Belgian is realistic about the gap between them and has openly stated that defending second place is now his main objective.
For television viewers, Pogačar’s command may have removed some of the uncertainty. For Evenepoel, it is a front-row seat to cycling history.
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