Two days after the first exchange of blows in the Tour de France GC battle, the first major blow was unleashed as the race reached the second highest point atop the Col du Galibier. [It was at least a 50-second body blow, if not a knockout, to main rival Jonas Vingegaard. Pogachar gained 37 seconds on the road in Valloire, plus a 3-second bonus time on the 2,600-meter-high summit of Galibier, and another 10 seconds at the finish line.

Like Vingegaard, the Slovenian, looking for his third Tour win, had the full resources of UAE Team Emirates, considered the strongest in the race, at his disposal on Galibier, including Nils Pollitt, Tim Wellens, and Pavel Sivakov. [Adam Yates, Juan Ayuso, and João Almeida led the race 6km from the summit, with GC contenders dropping out one by one.

"It really takes a lot of guts to lead at the front like you did today," Pogachar concluded in his post-stage press conference. From Briançon to the top of the Galibier to the finish, there was a really strong headwind. So hats off to the whole team."

"Certainly we proved today that we are one of the strongest teams. It's crazy to run like we did today and we did a great job. We want to keep this up and be happy."

Pogachar's team was made up of nearly half a dozen riders who could lead many of the teams in this year's Tour.

Only Vingegaard could respond when he turned on the afterburners in the last kilometer of the 23km ride to the summit. The leader of the Visma Lease-a-Bike held the wheel 400 meters from the summit until he no longer did so. Pogachar was now alone by a few seconds, the first time since last summer's Grand Colombier (a few days before his mishaps on the Combloux and Courchevel).

However, he needed to make up another 20 km or so of time, as there was still a downhill to the finish.

"I didn't want to go too fast because of the wind," Pogachar explained. "I had to make as much of a gap as I could in the last few hundred meters. And I knew it was a downhill, but I was a little surprised when I saw the wet surface in the first few corners. It helps if you know the road because this downhill is super fast.

"I know this stage well. I've been training for weeks already and it felt like a home stage through Sestriere and Montgenèvre. I was confident at the start and had the legs.

Despite Pogachar being 50 seconds ahead of his main rival Vingegaard, 45 seconds ahead of Remco Evenpole (Soudal-Quick Step), and 53 seconds ahead of Primoš Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), this stage was still early in the race Despite the fact that this stage was still early in the race and the GC prospects for the next few weeks were not yet set, he said.

"I don't think we know yet who is in what position," Hansgrohe said. 'Certainly, the level is getting a little bit higher. But certainly, in three weeks, one day can be better for another, one day can be better for another."

"Maybe some people aren't doing well today, or they're doing really well, and in three weeks, this could change a lot. I see Jonas as being in super, super, super good shape and in top condition. We will see in the next stages and TT. We'll see day by day."

Pogachar's win was his 15th of the season, his 12th stage win in the Tour, and one of his best, he said. Of course, he added, more will follow before reaching Nice, but by the time July 21 rolls around, the standings may have changed.

"I remember every win," Pogachar said. This win will be one of the top five."

"After the Tour, it might be a different ranking. But it's certainly one of the best wins in the Tour de France."

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