Tadej Pogacar reclaimed the Tour de France yellow jersey in electrifying fashion Friday, surging up the iconic Mur de Bretagne climb to secure his 19th career stage win. The Slovenian cyclist outpaced defending champion Jonas Vingegaard (Visma) in a thrilling finale, while Britain's Oscar Onley claimed third after a late crash disrupted the field.
"We executed our plan perfectly despite the brutal heat," said the three-time champion (2020, 2021, 2024) from Team UAE Emirates. Temperatures reached 30°C (86°F) as crowds roared through Brittany's countryside, with French fans particularly vocal in support of rising star Kevin Vauquelin, who now sits third overall.
The 179km stage from Saint-Malo saw decisive action on the Mur de Bretagne's steep 2km slopes – a climb etched in Tour history. Pogacar's calculated attack earned him crucial bonus seconds, extending his lead over Remco Evenepoel (54 seconds) and Vingegaard (1:17).
Mathieu van der Poel, who surrendered the yellow jersey after his 2021 breakthrough climb here, remained philosophical: "Losing the lead was expected, but returning to this historic site made it special."
With the GC battle intensifying, Evenepoel cautioned: "This Tour is far from decided." The Belgian phenom aims to close the gap after earlier time losses, while Vauquelin's surprise podium contention adds fresh intrigue to cycling's premier event.
