Stage 10 Triumph: Tadej Pogacar Wins at Le Lioran
On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, Tadej Pogacar delivered a commanding solo victory on the 166.6 km mountain stage from Aurillac to Le Lioran, extending his overall lead in the 2024 Tour de France to 3 minutes 36 seconds over Jonas Vingegaard. The win marked Pogacar’s 24th career stage triumph and his third consecutive day in the yellow jersey.
Background of the Stage
Stage 10 featured two steep Category 1 climbs in the final 30 kilometres: the Col de la Griffoul and the Col de Pertus, culminating at the summit finish in Le Lioran (1 185 m). The route was deliberately chosen to test the general‑classification contenders after a series of flat, sprinter‑friendly stages that had left the GC battle relatively quiet.
According to the official Tour de France website, the stage attracted large crowds of holiday‑makers lining the route, adding a festive atmosphere to the challenging climb.
The Attack and Finish
Early in the stage, Movistar’s Javier Romo and XDS Astana’s Harold Tejada escaped the peloton, with Romo launching a solo effort on the Griffoul climb. The peloton reeled him in before the ascent to Puy Mary‑Pas de Peyrol, where EF Education‑EasyPost’s Richard Carapaz seized the front, building a 40‑second lead with 24 km remaining.
During the climb to the Col de Pertus, several riders—including Tom Pidcock, Matteo Jorgenson and Chris Harper—suffered crashes, forcing Harper to lose valuable time before he could re‑join the race.
With roughly one kilometre left to the summit, Pogacar, who had been conserving energy in the main group, launched his attack. He surged past Carapaz, crested the Col de Pertus first, and accelerated down the descent. By the time the race reached the final 7 km, Pogacar held a 30‑second advantage over the chasing group, which included Vingegaard, local favorite Paul Seixas and Juan Ayuso and
Pogacar line, finishing 32 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel, with Seixas taking third place. The victory gave Pogacar a stage time of 4 h 02 m 15 s, according to race timing data published by ProCyclingStats.
Reactions and Implications
Crossing the line, Pogacar reflected on the symbolic nature of the win:
“Today was incredible… we targeted this stage a long time ago. My legs were destroyed at the end. I didn’t know I was going to win until the last kilometre. I remembered it was Bastille Day and wanted to honor the yellow jersey.”
He also addressed the mixed reaction from the crowd:
“To all the guys who booed: you give us more power.”
The result widened Pogacar’s GC lead to 3 min 36 s over Vingegaard, a margin that, according to analysis by CyclingNews, places him in a strong position to secure a third consecutive Tour victory unless a major incident occurs in the remaining mountain stages.
Looking Ahead
Stage 11, scheduled for Wednesday, July 10, will be a 161.3 km flat ride from Vichy to Nevers, offering sprinters a chance to rebound and allowing the GC contenders to recover before the next high‑altitude test in the Massif Central.
As the race progresses, Pogacar’s ability to combine tactical patience with explosive late‑stage attacks will continue to be a focal point for analysts and fans alike. His performance on Bastille Day not only added a historic layer to his palmares but also reinforced his reputation as one of the most versatile and resilient riders in modern cycling.
