Slovenian Tadej Pogacar wins Tour de France stage 14, straightening his lead

Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia further solidified his lead in the Tour de France by securing a commanding victory in stage 14, which took place in the challenging Pyrenees mountain range. This is prepared by SSP.

Donning the iconic yellow jersey throughout the race, Pogacar, representing UAE-Team Emirates, put on a dominant display as he climbed to the Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet summit finish. Crossing the finish line an impressive 39 seconds ahead of defending champion Jonas Vingegaard from Denmark, Pogacar showcased his exceptional form.

In the final 5 kilometers of the stage, Pogacar launched a potent attack, leaving his competitors struggling to keep up. Vingegaard, racing for Visma-Lease a Bike, valiantly chased after Pogacar on the last mountain ascent, but ultimately couldn't maintain his pace.

Vingegaard's efforts, however, earned him the second position in the overall general classification. Belgium's Remco Evenepoel slipped down the ranks after losing time on the stage and finished third. Currently, Vingegaard stands 1 minute and 57 seconds behind Pogacar, with Evenepoel trailing a further 25 seconds.

Following two relatively flat stages, the peloton returned to grueling mountain terrain, forming the backdrop for a fierce battle among the general classification contenders. This intense competition is expected to escalate over the weekend before riders enjoy a well-deserved rest day on Monday.

On the 151.9km stage from Pau, UAE-Team Emirates aimed to preserve Pogacar's significant lead, which stood at 66 seconds over Evenepoel at the start of the day, with Vingegaard trailing an additional 8 seconds.

An early breakaway group, featuring Ireland's Ben Healy, dictated the pace on the 19km ascent of the Col du Tourmalet. Oier Lazkano of Movistar took the honor of being the first to conquer the legendary climb's summit.

Pogacar's teammates positioned themselves at the forefront of the peloton, gradually closing in on the breakaway group as they commenced the day's final ascent towards the Pla d'Adet ski resort.

With 7km remaining, UAE seized the opportunity to secure both the stage win and expand Pogacar's lead. Adam Yates was sent to bridge the gap, and Pogacar launched a powerful attack, overtaking Healy on his way to victory. Meanwhile, Vingegaard and Evenepoel fought to stay in contention.