Tadej Pogačar didn't expect such a big GC gap after dominating Tour de France stage five time trial
The Slovenian is looking imperiously strong already after the first GC sort-out at the 2021 Tour

Tadej Pogačar didn't expect to have such a large advantage over his rivals in the general classification after dominating the stage five time trial at the 2021 Tour de France.
The defending champion now leads Ineos Grenadiers' Richard Carapaz by 1-36, Jumbo-Visma's Primož Roglič by 1-40 and Geraint Thomas by 1-46, and is only eight seconds behind the yellow jersey, Mathieu van der Poel.
"The attacks will come every day probably," Pogačar said, such is the gap he's already got over his rivals this early in the race. "It’s going to be hard but that’s how it is, you're attacking or you're defending. I'm pretty motivated to see how the race develops."
Pogačar says he felt emotional as he rode to the victory after "a rough month of training" before the Tour. "At the Tour of the Basque Country I didn't find the rhythm on the bike," he says of the TT performance back in April where he finished 28 seconds slower than Roglič, the stage winner that day.
>>> Chris Froome 'heading in the right direction' despite dark bruising on hip and chest
"But I changed my position back to the position I had at Tirreno-Adriatico [when he rode a very strong time trial].
"I had good sensations in the way I could push it in this time trial and now I'm ready for what's next."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The 22-year-old says he "learned a lot, but definitely made some mistakes" in a wind tunnel session he did in between Tirreno and the Tour of the Basque Country. He'd adopted a more aero position that was "so close" he could no longer push as hard as before. They then reconfigured his positioning and he's now "pretty happy" with the development of his TT set-up.
"I started feeling good on the TT bike one week before the Tour because I changed the position," he explained. "I didn’t expect such a big [GC] gap, I knew I could have a good day, I had good legs and was motivated. In the end, I could push like how I should be able to and it was planned."
Pogačar admits that today went about as good as he could hope for, with rivals losing ground but the Slovenian remaining out of the race lead, at least for now, meaning Mathieu van der Poel's Alpecin-Fenix will have to work again on the front for at least tomorrow's flat stage and UAE Team Emirates can save their energy for the challenges to come.
"I came really close to yellow, it would be really nice to take it, it’s always a dream to be in yellow but I'm super happy with how it finished today," Pogačar said. "It couldn’t be much better ha."
It was an imperious performance, and on today's evidence it will take a lot to stop him lining up with the number one on his jersey for the start of the 2022 Tour, and Pogačar says he feels his form is at least as good as his yellow jersey-winning legs of last year.
"We haven't had any big mountains yet so it’s hard to tell, but for short intervals and today in the time trial I can tell you that the condition is super good, the legs are good and it’s more or less the same as last year."
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Jonny was Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor until 2022.
I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
-
Can anyone stop Primož Roglič or Juan Ayuso from winning the Giro d’Italia?
Roglič and Ayuso's form suggest they are the two outright favourites for overall victory in Rome next month
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
How to watch Dwars door Vlaanderen 2025: Everything you need to live stream the cobbled Belgian Classic
All the information on broadcasters and live streams for Dwars door Vlaanderen on 2 April, as Wout van Aert, Mads Pedersen, Marianne Vos and Lotte Kopecky take on the cobbles.
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Extra wildcard team approved for Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España
Number of teams to increase from 22 to 23 at men's Grand Tours
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Jonas Vingegaard out of Volta a Catalunya after Paris-Nice crash
Visma-Lease a Bike say two-time Tour de France winner needs more time to recover from wrist injury sustained in France last week
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'We've all got a little bit extra in us this year' - Ineos Grenadiers recapture 'fighting spirit' with aggressive Paris-Nice display
British team continue to put tumultuous 2024 behind them with momentum and a new found mentality
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Matteo Jorgenson aiming to 'set the bar higher' and target a Grand Tour after securing second Paris-Nice title
American explained that targeting a win in one of the sport's biggest three-week races was now the logical next step in his career
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Matteo Jorgenson rules out Tour de France leadership after Jonas Vingegaard's withdrawal from Paris-Nice
The American is on the cusp of a second consecutive victory at the Race to the Sun
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Could a TotalEnergies deal be the end of Ineos Grenadiers as we know them?
Reports suggested this week that Ineos could be close to signing a deal with the French petrochemical firm
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Why is Jonas Vingegaard wearing a special helmet at Paris-Nice?
The two-time Tour de France winner’s new helmet is part of a sponsorship deal that will see him wear the lid throughout the year
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'When he starts his Tour preparation, we’ll then see Jonas 2.0' - Jonas Vingegaard heads to Paris-Nice almost at full strength, coach says
Tim Heemskerk says the Danish star is not interested in outside noise as he attempts second stage race win of the year
By Tom Thewlis Published