Pogacar Reclaims Yellow Jersey After Thrilling Stage Seven Victory at Tour de France

Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar has reclaimed the coveted yellow jersey after a dramatic stage seven victory at the Tour de France, defeating reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard in a thrilling showdown on the challenging 197km route from Saint-Malo to Mur-de-Bretagne.

Defending champion Pogacar, who has won the Tour three times, showcased his dominance by outpacing Vingegaard in a final sprint at the summit finish. The Slovenian rider's victory marks a significant turnaround, as he had narrowly lost the yellow jersey on Thursday. British cyclist Oscar Onley secured third place, while Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel, who had held the lead earlier in the day, finished 22nd and dropped to fifth overall.

Van der Poel, who had previously worn the yellow jersey in 2021, expressed his satisfaction with the day's events, acknowledging that he had anticipated losing the jersey. "I was quite sure I would lose the jersey today, so I tried to enjoy it as much as possible," he said. "Coming back here to Mur-de-Bretagne is quite special wearing the yellow jersey after four years."

The stage was marked by intense action, with early attacks and a five-man group consisting of 2018 champion Geraint Thomas, who is riding his final Tour, breaking away. As the race progressed, the peloton increased its pace, causing the leading group to break apart. Ewen Costiou, a 22-year-old local rider, briefly found himself alone at the front before being caught by the peloton.

With six kilometers left, a crash at the back of the peloton affected several riders, including Pogacar’s teammate Joao Almeida and stage six winner Ben Healy. Despite the setback, Pogacar remained focused, leading the final sprint with his teammate Jhonatan Narvaez. In the final kilometers, the race narrowed down to eight riders, with Pogacar emerging victorious. Vingegaard, the two-time champion, was the only rider able to keep pace with Pogacar, but the Slovenian’s final surge secured his win.

"I'm super happy with the win today. We did almost perfect. Unfortunately, Joao crashed, and I hope he's okay," Pogacar said. "If he is okay, then it's a perfect day. If not, then this victory is for him."

New Zealand cyclist Lawrence Pithe finished the stage in 96th place, maintaining his position at 94th overall. The next stage, the eighth, is a largely flat 171.4km route from Saint-Meen-le-Grand to Laval, offering a different challenge for the riders.