Pogačar strengthens Tour de France lead

July 25, 2025 / 8:46 PM

Sharjah 24 – AFP: UAE Team Emirates rider Tadej Pogačar reinforced his position at the top of the Tour de France overall standings following a strong performance on stage 18, the "Royal" stage of this year’s race.

Stage 18: A grueling challenge

Despite finishing second behind stage winner Ben Aconnor of the JAISSO ALIOLA team, Pogačar extended his lead over Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard of the Visma-Les A Bike team by 11 seconds. This increased his overall advantage to around four and a half minutes, with just three days remaining before the Tour’s finale. The stage covered more than 5,000 meters of climbing and included difficult ascents such as the Col du Glandon, Col de la Madeleine, and Col de la Luz, culminating in a decisive summit battle among the top contenders.

Tactical team performance secures lead

Despite Visma’s tactical attacks attempting to disrupt the race, UAE Team Emirates delivered a stellar team performance. Key riders Marc Soler, Adam Yates, and Jonathan Narváez played critical roles in supporting Pogačar, helping him maintain and consolidate his lead during the final climb.

Pogačar’s focus remains on the yellow jersey

After the stage, Pogačar expressed satisfaction with his effort despite missing out on the stage win. He emphasized that his main goal remains securing the yellow jersey. “It was the toughest stage, and tomorrow we have another equally difficult stage ahead, and we will continue to fight until the end,” he said.

UAE Team Emirates eye historic fourth tour title

With Pogačar’s remarkable performance and strong team support, UAE Team Emirates is poised to achieve a historic milestone by capturing its fourth Tour de France title in this edition.