Tour de France 2024: Evenepoel hails Pogacar as 'unbeatable' and 'on another planet'

UAE team Emirates rider leads race by more than three minutes after devastating weekend performance in Pyrenees

Race leader Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win Stage 15 of the 2024 Tour de France, from Loudenvielle to Plateau de Beille, on Sunday, July 14, 2024. EPA

UAE Team Emirates' Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, crosses the finish line to win the stage. AP

UAE Team Emirates' Tadej Pogacar celebrates on the podium wearing the yellow jersey after winning Stage 15. Reuters

Team Visma-Lease a Bike's Jonas Vingegaard cycles ahead of UAE Team Emirates' Tadej Pogacar in the Pyrenees mountains. AFP

Matteo Jorgenson sets the pace for Visma-Lease a Bike team leader Jonas Vingegaard, wearing the best climber's dotted jersey, followed by UAE Team Emirates' Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey. AP

UAE Team Emirates' Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey sits in the peloton on a descent. AFP

The peloton in the Pyrenees mountains. AFP

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard, wearing the best climber's polka-dot jersey. AP

Riders in action during Stage 15 between Loudenvielle and Plateau de Beille. AFP

Spectators cheer the breakaway riders. AFP

Remco Evenepoel has described Tour de France rival Tadej Pogacar as “unbeatable” and being “on another planet” to the rest of the peloton after a sensational performance in the Pyrenees over the weekend.

Pogacar followed up his solo triumph 23 hours earlier by brushing off his opposition to win Stage 15 by 68 seconds on Sunday extending his lead over Visma-Lease a Bike's Jonas Vingegaard to more than three minutes.

The UAE team Emirates superstar is now in pole position to secure a third title while also becoming the first man since Marco Pantani in 1998 to complete a Giro-Tour double.

Pogacar left reigning champion Vingegaard in his wake to claim his 14th stage win, meaning he went into Monday's rest day with spirits high.

“I haven't won it yet, and I won't believe I've won it until I cross the line in the lead at Nice on the final day. But I think I finally cracked him,” the Slovenian said of his Danish opponent.

In response, Vingegaard insisted all was not lost and that the previous campaigns have shown Pogacar is fallible.

“We have seen these past two years that Pogacar is capable of a bad day, maybe that will happen for a third year,” said the 2022 and 2023 race winner. "I won't give up. I believe I can still win and I will do everything I can.”

But Soudal-Quick Step rider Evenepoel, who is now five minutes 19 seconds behind Pogacar in third place, believes it will take a miraculous turnaround for Vingegaard to overturn the lead.

“I think they’re struggling to understand that Tadej is unbeatable,” Evenepoel said of Vingegaard and his team. “He’s on another planet this year. He’s had a perfect year. For me, he’s the best in the world.”

With six days of racing now left, Pogacar's teammate Joao Almeida – who sits fourth in the standings – admitted the team will be riding more conservatively going into the third and final week.

“Definitely. We have a really good gap, we don’t have to attack any more, and we can just follow the wheel,” said the Portuguese.

“Maybe some breakaways can go so other teams can also have a chance. Of course, if there is a good stage for us and Tadej wants to win, then we can go for it, but I think we can be a bit more chill now.

“Of course we have to always keep the focus, like we have always been doing. Six stages to go and it only ends in Nice, and anything can happen until there. The Tour is not won at all, we need to be focused.”

Andy while Pogacar will be prepared for Vingegaard and Visma-Lease a Bike to try an unlikely attempt to steal back the yellow jersey, UAE Team Emirates sports manager Matxin Fernandez is confident they can cope with whatever is thrown at them.

“We expect attacks, we expect movements, but we have confidence in Tadej and the team,” the Spaniard said. “Three minutes is a perfect situation, but in one day a lot can change.

“Right now, I think the advantage we have is comfortable. Visma would have to move like they did today [on Stage 15], and we'll try to defend ourselves and see if we can finish with the character we've shown so far.

“If I was them [Visma] and had nothing to lose, for sure I would try. They have a strong team, but Tadej is stronger. Anything can happen, for sure they will try something eventually, but we're going to be prepared.”

Wednesday's Stage 16 represents perhaps the last opportunities for the sprinters as the peloton moves east from the Pyrenees towards the Alps and finishes in the city of Nimes along a 187-kilometre-long route.