On the 14th July, France's national day to celebrate the storming of the Bastille fortress to begin toppling the power of the ruling royal family, it is a twisted irony that they now have a new king on the roads of the Tour de France who is acting with absolute impunity.
Because Bastille Day always falls during the Tour de France, it is customary for French riders to try extra hard and win the stage, to really cap off a day of celebration for the country. Often, this aim is thwarted. For instance, should the stage be flat (the French currently have no top-level sprinters) or if it's a high mountain stage that's going to be gobbled up by the GC riders. Warren Barguil was the last 14 Julliet winner back in 2017 on the stage into Foix.
But today's stage 10 was a lumpy affair from Aurillac to Le Lioran in the Massif Central. Oodles of undulating terrain that provided the perfect hard day out for France's smattering of talented climbers.
But once again, UAE Team Emirates-XRG kept the gap within two minutes all day, nullifying not only the chance of a breakaway to win, but effectively killing the hopes of it from the off even before Tadej Pogačar launched on the second-to-last climb, the Col de Pertus, to take his 24th Tour de France stage win and extend his GC lead to more than three and a half minutes.
This Tour de France is feeling familiar. Brimming with Slovenian-shaped dominance. But it's not Pogačar's fault. He is the best, looks poised to win a record-equalling fifth yellow jersey, and is tackling each stage as it's put in front of him. With two flat 'days off' tomorrow and Thursday, Tuesday was always going to be circled in the road book. Just a shame it also happened to be France's national day.
So, how to diagnose Pogačar's insatiable hunger for victory?
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