Tadej Pogacar crushes Stage 10, extends Tour lead to 3:36 over Vingegaard

Tadej Pogacar delivered another Tour de France masterclass on Bastille Day, winning Stage 10 into Le Lioran by 32 seconds and extending his overall lead over Jonas Vingegaard to three minutes and 36 seconds.

What happened on Stage 10?

Pogacar crushed the field over seven categorised climbs in the Massif Central, including the final ascent where he dropped rivals. The 27-year-old Slovenian’s victory marked his 24th Tour stage win, but his post-race focus stayed on the yellow jersey’s tradition.

On a scorching day in France, Pogacar’s attack on the Col du Tourmalet during Stage 6 had already blown the peloton apart by more than two-and-a-half minutes. Stage 10 only deepened the impression that his fifth Tour win is a procession.

Why the booing didn’t slow him down

Sections of the roadside crowd booed Pogacar during his Bastille Day procession. The 27-year-old shrugged it off in his post-stage TV interview, saying: “To all the guys that were booing, they give us more power.”

He later added: “I always think about tennis, Novak Djokovic, and the great mentality he has.” Pogacar’s calm under pressure mirrors the greats-even if the boos rankled.

What comes next for Pogacar?

With a 3:36 lead over Vingegaard, Pogacar’s path to a record-equalling fifth Tour win looks clearer than ever. His UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad continues to control the race from the front.

Pogacar’s next target? The yellow jersey’s Bastille Day respect he showed by pointing to its logo after crossing the line. The class act matters as much as the watts.

The young French hope dashed

Paul Seixas, the 19-year-old Tour debutant, finished third on Stage 10, 34 seconds behind Pogacar. The teenager’s remarkable debut still couldn’t match the Slovenian’s dominance.

David Walsh, covering his 43rd Tour, called Pogacar the greatest rider of his generation in The London Times. The booing didn’t make the headlines-his performance did.