Struggling with a lack of energy, Tour de France frontrunner Tadej Pogacar appears to secure victory as he delivers a strategic, defensive performance.
The 19th stage of the 2022 Tour de France was a tactically complex one, with Tadej Pogacar, the race leader, choosing not to attack despite his dominant form this year.
Pogacar was in a group with Jonas Vingegaard, Florian Lipowitz, and Oscar Onley for most of the final effort. The Slovenian rider, who has been a force to reckon with throughout the race, seemed to be showing signs of exhaustion after 19 stages of hard racing.
Pogacar was watching the final kilometers of the stage in La Plagne, with Thymen Arensman eventually winning the stage. Arensman had attacked early on the climb to La Plagne and was around 20 seconds ahead of Pogacar.
Pogacar's decision not to attack was likely due to a combination of factors. Vingegaard, his key rival, was closely marking him, ready to match any moves. The tactical dynamics of the stage also played a role, with other riders taking advantage of the rivalry between Pogacar and Vingegaard by staying in their wheels and not allowing either to attack decisively.
Furthermore, Pogacar's team struggled somewhat to position him optimally for a winning attack on the final climb, which would have been crucial to launch a solo move. Additionally, Pogacar's psychological state seemed affected by the burden of repeated Tour de France dominance, contributing to a less aggressive approach in the closing stage.
Despite not winning stage 19, Pogacar still maintained his lead in the race, ending the stage with a margin of 4:24. It is worth noting that Pogacar doesn't need to win any more stages to secure his victory in the Tour de France. He has already secured his fourth yellow jersey, making him the winner of the Tour de France (so far).
Looking ahead, Saturday's stage 20 is expected to be controlled, with Pogacar's lead of four minutes being considered sufficient. The stage is challenging, with four classified climbs and 2,916 meters of climbing in 184.2km. The stage is considered ripe for a breakaway.
The final stage of the Tour de France, on Sunday, includes ascents of Monmartre similar to the Olympic road race course. Despite expressing that he is not feeling particularly energized for the remaining stages, including the final one in Paris, Pogacar is still expected to secure a historic victory in this year's Tour de France.
Pogacar has dominated the Tour de France this year, winning a total of 21 stages in the race, including four stages this year. His victory in this year's Tour de France will be his fourth overall, making him one of the youngest riders to achieve this feat.
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