A Display for the Ages: Pogačar’s Performance at Plateau de Beille

Tadej Pogacar Tour de France

The performance at the Tour de France’s Plateau de Beille last Sunday may have been unparalleled, yet the aftermath remained familiar. Events at this race often seem to repeat themselves as if happening for the first time. When Tadej Pogačar shattered Marco Pantani’s ascent record by an estimated 3 minutes and 40 seconds, it was no surprise that he faced the age-old question during his rest day press conference: how could he explain it?

In modern cycling, a winning rider rarely claims they were simply stronger than their competitors. Pogačar attributed much of his remarkable time to the pace set by Jonas Vingegaard and his Visma-Lease a Bike teammate Matteo Jorgenson on the lower slopes.

“Yesterday, I think we all witnessed one of the best performances on the climbs ever,” Pogačar told reporters via video conference on Monday afternoon. “When I checked my numbers afterwards, it was really crazy, especially the part where Matteo Jorgenson and Jonas went on the front – that was the highest numbers I ever did in my career. It was a big day.”

Pogačar acknowledged the preparation and effort of his competitors. “Jonas came here really prepared to fight for the victory. Yesterday, they really showed their strength and hit hard. Hats off to them for yesterday, for the whole Visma team – they did a super good ride. In the end, it was just an all-out effort from the bottom to the top. It was a crazy, crazy stage.”

The Changing Face of Cycling

Pogačar’s performance did not happen in isolation. The first three riders on the stage all finished inside Pantani’s 1998 time. This season alone has seen record-setting average speeds at six Classics, including Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, and Paris-Roubaix. Since the turn of the decade, the intensity of bike racing has increased dramatically, accelerating even further in 2024. The cautious tactics of the past have given way to a more aggressive approach by today’s peloton.

“Cycling is evolving so much,” Pogačar said. “Six years ago, when I joined this team, it was totally different. If I compare this year to my first year in Vuelta, it felt almost amateur. Back then, I thought everything was professional, but we have moved on really fast. Every team pushes each other with technology, nutrition, training plans, and altitude camps. Especially Visma, UAE, Ineos, Trek, and QuickStep – we push each other to reach new limits.”

Pogačar highlighted the advancements in cycling. “Yesterday, we saw the fastest-ever climbing and we should be seeing something like this every year because everybody focuses so much on the details – every gram of food, every watt you can save on the bike. We are going super fast. It’s really impressive to see how things changed in the last six years of my professional career.”

Technological Innovations

On Friday, Escape Collective reported that UAE Team Emirates, Visma-Lease a Bike, and Israel Premier Tech have been using carbon monoxide rebreathers to optimise altitude training benefits. When asked on Monday for specific examples of changes since his career began in 2019, Pogačar pointed to simpler innovations.

“Six years ago, it was a lot about carbohydrates – we had white pasta, white rice, and maybe an omelette for breakfast. Now we have more normal breakfast options like rice porridge, oatmeal, pancakes, bread. This little thing already makes a difference.”

He also discussed bike advancements. “The bikes are so much faster, especially the tyres. Tyres make the biggest difference from what we had six or ten years ago. The wheels, aerodynamics, frames – it’s just amazing how different the bike is now.”

The Week Ahead

In the Tour de France overall standings, Pogačar leads Vingegaard by 3:09 heading into the final six stages, with Remco Evenepoel, third at 5:19, the only other rider within ten minutes of his maillot jaune. Based on the weekend’s performance, Pogačar is strongly favoured to claim his third Tour victory, but he knows Vingegaard and his Visma squad won’t give up easily.

The final week includes a tricky run to Superdévoluy on Wednesday and back-to-back summit finishes at Isola 2000 and the Col de Couillole ahead of the final time trial to Nice. Pogačar identified these final two road stages in the Alps as the days where Vingegaard and Visma were likely to make their move.

“I don’t think they’re targeting both stages, Friday and Saturday; I think they will focus on one of them,” Pogačar said. “We will try to do our own race and defend so they cannot do anything drastic. For sure they will try.”

“Jonas said yesterday that he is not giving up on the fight, and I think that’s correct. It’s going to be a tough final week and we’re going to see a lot of fireworks for sure, from everybody.”

While Pogačar looks set to ride into Nice in yellow, becoming the first man since Pantani in 1998 to win the Giro-Tour double, he all but dismissed the prospect of adding the Vuelta a España to his schedule for a tilt at the treble. “This year it’s 99% impossible,” he said. “For next year, it’s a much bigger chance to see me in the Vuelta.”

Main photo credit: ASO – Charly Lopez