Pogacar expects Tour de France battle to explode in final week

Tadej Pogacar on Monday predicted fireworks in the final week of the Tour de France as defending champion Jonas Vingegaard prepares to launch a desperate attack for the title.

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The 2020 and 2021 champion Pogacar leads the two-time defending champion Vingegaard by three minutes and nine seconds with six stages to go, three of which are potential game changers.

The 25-year-old Slovenian won two mountain stages last weekend but sits just over three minutes ahead of his Danish rival, and doubtless the 7min 29sec lead Pogacar let slip away in week three last year must be weighing on his mind.

"I think there will be more fireworks this week so we will have to remain focused," said Pogacar when asked about Vingegaard's assertion earlier Monday that the game was far from over.

"They are certainly planning something, maybe Friday or maybe Saturday, but not both," he predicted.

Pogacar is right to fear Friday due to the sheer altitude, as the Tour climbs to a rare 2 800 metres, and the high temperatures forecast.

But he was full of fight when asked about the day's stage.

"I like the Bonnette, I went up there last August, and I like the descent of the Isola," said Pogacar.

Saturday's stage 20 will be just as fearsome in terms of the amount of climbing and the heat expected.

"On Saturday the course is around where I live, so it'll be very much a home stage for me," he said.

Finally, Sunday's time trial has a whiff of the 2023 time trial about it – where Pogacar also wilted.

"Jonas said he won't go home without a fight, I'll need as many of my riders around me as possible," said Pogacar, who will race alone on Sunday with the race circumstances currently unknown and the outcome far from decided.