STA, 15 July 2021 - Slovenia's cycling sensation, Tadej Pogačar won a second stage at the Tour de France in as many days to increase his overall lead and secure the polka-dot jersey of best climber.
The defending champion was first through the finish line on the mountain stage from Pau to Luz Ardiden of the break-away group that clashed up the final slope.
The Slovenian UAE Team Emirates rider finished two seconds ahead of Dane Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) in second and Ecuador's Richardo Carapaz in third.
He has thus likely secured an unassailable overall lead ahead of Saturday's time trial, he only needs to get safely to the finish in the Champs-Elysées to bask in glory of a two-time winner of the world's biggest road cycling race.
Overall, the 22-year-old is now 5:45 minutes ahead of Vingegaard. Carapaz is third with a lag of six seconds behind the Dane.
With the stage win, Pogačar also secured the lead in the polka-dot race with a 19-point lead ahead of Dutchman Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) with only two more points available until the end of the race.
"It's unbelievable [...] after yesterday, today, I don't know what to say - I felt good and I'm really happy with the win [...] it's crazy," Pogačar told the Tour organiser after his amazing feat today.
