Pogačar's Tour de France shake-up: Slovenian star's Tourmalet attack leaves rivals reeling

Tadej Pogačar has dramatically altered the 113th Tour de France with a stunning performance in the 6th stage, which included a climb up the iconic Tourmalet.

The Slovenian rider's decisive move has left many believing only unforeseen circumstances can prevent him from securing a fifth victory in Paris. The 7th stage offered a brief respite, a calmer day focused on sprinters in Bordeaux, won by Tim Merlier of Soudal Quick Step. This allowed the peloton to absorb the impact of Pogačar's earlier exploits.

Despite the success of Pogačar's strategy, his move on the penultimate climb of the 6th stage was unexpected. "The stage didn't seem suitable for such an attack because of the final climb, which wasn't really a climb at all," commented former Slovenian professional Jure Pavlič. "I was surprised by his move, but the closer the stage got to the end, the clearer it became that Tadej's tactic was leading to success."

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The stage didn't seem suitable for such an attack because of the final climb, which wasn't really a climb at all. I was surprised by his move, but the closer the stage got to the end, the clearer it became that Tadej's tactic was leading to success.