Tadej Pogačar’s blistering uphill time trial left both fans and rivals speechless and reinforced his hold on the yellow jersey. It may have even broken the spirit of the entire peloton. It was one of the most dominant and contentious performances in recent Tour de France memory. People are talking about the Slovenian superstar’s latest success because of how coldly effective and strategically brutal he was.
Was it smart? Was it too much? Or are we just seeing the cold, clinical dominance of a cyclist from a different generation who is in a league of his own?
A Performance for the Ages—or the Villain Era?
The setting was tough: a 25-kilometer time trial with a 12-kilometer uphill finish that went up into the clouds of Plateau de Solaison. Not only did riders hate this stage due to the steep climbs and 12% slopes, but also because it had *Pogačar’s name written all over it*.
And the Slovenian didn’t disappoint. Clad in his sleek yellow skinsuit, Pogačar not only beat the clock, but obliterated it—gapping every GC adversary by almost a minute and a half. Even the likes of Remco Evenepoel, Primož Roglič, and Jonas Vingegaard, racers used to giving out their brand of punishment, seemed shell-shocked.
More than the result, it was the way he accomplished it that has ignited discourse. Pogačar raced the first flat 10km prudently, hovering just outside the best timings, before unleashing a furious storm on the climb—sustaining wattages that would make a power meter blush. On the steeper climbs, he appeared more like a motorcycle than a man on a bike.
In his post-race press conference, Pogačar didn’t hold back: “The plan was to destroy the climb. I knew if I held back early, I could go all-in later—and that’s exactly what we did. We mapped every meter of that ascent. Every corner. Every burst of wind. We practiced on that road five times before the Tour. I had it in my thoughts before I even started pedaling.”
And therein lays the controversy.
### Too Perfect?
Riders, analysts, and spectators alike have been left wondering: has Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates converted the Tour de France into a one-man simulation?
“Cycling is supposed to be beautiful, unpredictable, even chaotic,” remarked one DS from a competing squad, commenting anonymously to French sports newspaper *L’Équipe*. “What we’re seeing now feels like… programming. His crew paces every climb to the decimal. His nutrition, his wattage, his data—it’s bulletproof. It’s no longer a race. It’s a domination exercise.”
The backlash isn’t necessarily rooted in claims of wrongdoing—it’s not *that* kind of scandal. Rather, it’s a philosophical one: is Pogačar’s meticulous dominance undermining the romance of the Tour?
For the traditionalists, the Tour de France has always been about spectacular uncertainty—epic breakaways, tactical mistakes, and heroic single efforts. But Pogačar, with his team of data scientists, dietitians, wind tunnel specialists, and altitude engineers, is flipping the script. Every ascent is modeled. Every descent rehearsed. Every meal planned to the gram.
“It’s a marvel of modern sport,” remarked GCN commentator Dan Lloyd. “But I get it—some fans feel like they’re watching a robot win races.”
### Rivals Left Reeling
For his part, Pogačar brushed off the critics. “I race with passion,” he remarked. “It’s not just numbers. I love this sport, and when I attack, it’s not to kill anyone’s spirit—it’s to express myself on the bike.”
Tell that to the rest of the GC candidates, several of whom stated after the stage that they had “no answer” for what Pogačar produced. Jonas Vingegaard, a former Tour winner himself, conceded: “There was nothing I could do. I dived as deep as I could, but he just galloped away. It seemed like I was in a separate category.”
Remco Evenepoel, who had been projected as a big rival this year, echoed the sentiment: “When I saw the time gap on the climb, I actually thought there was a mistake on the screen.”
And yet, arguably the most instructive statement came from experienced Ineos rider Geraint Thomas: “It’s not just that he’s the strongest rider. It’s that he has the sharpest staff, the best plan, and the guts to pull it off. We’re all playing checkers. He’s playing 4D chess.”
### The Specter of Dominance
With three stages to go and a seemingly unassailable advantage, Pogačar is ready to win his **fourth** Tour de France title—and at just 26 years old, he may not be anywhere near done. That’s where the sport finds itself at a crossroads.
“People complained when Froome dominated,” observed cycling journalist Lionel Birnie. “Then they complained when Sky turned the Tour into a numbers game. But this is different. Pogačar has the soul of an aggressor and the mind of a machine. It’s exhilarating—and terrifying.”
The tension is apparent on social media, where #Pogacar and #TourDeFrance have been trending for days. The reactions are mixed. Some hail him as a once-in-a-lifetime talent, a genius rewriting the playbook. Others accuse him of turning the Tour into a “procession” instead of a race.
Twitter/X user @VeloChaser posted: *“Beautiful win by Pogi but man… where’s the suspense? That time trial felt like watching the Titanic sink in slow motion. You knew it was coming and there was nothing anyone could do.” *
Another fan, @YellowJerseyPapi, countered: *“If Pogačar’s the problem, maybe the others should just ride faster. Stop crying and race.” *
### What Comes Next?
There’s no rule against being better, smarter, or more prepared. In fact, that’s the whole core of sport. But there is a question lingering in the July air like the perfume of wildflowers along the Pyrenean roads: **Can anyone beat Tadej Pogačar?**
And if not—what does it signify for the future of the Tour?
With young guns like Juan Ayuso and Cian Uijtdebroeks waiting in the wings and more tech-focused teams replicating UAE’s script, the age of intuition and improvisation in cycling may be fading. In its place: optimization, data, and surgical precision.
But Pogačar maintains his racing is still human at its core.
“I don’t ride to crush,” he stated. “I ride to fly.”
Love him or despise him, Tadej Pogačar is redefining what’s possible in elite cycling. His devastating uphill time trial in Stage 17 wasn’t simply a flex of power—it was a display of precise strategy, world-class execution, and cold-blooded belief in a plan. A performance so complete, so overwhelming, that even his adversaries looked unclear whether they’d lost a race or witnessed the start of a new era.
Cycling purists may dispute whether it’s beneficial for the sport. But the fans? They’re watching. They’re talking. They’re reacting. And in the age of the algorithm, that’s all that truly matters.
**One thing is certain: the Tour de France will never be the same again.**
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*What’s your perspective on Pogačar’s dominance? Is he enhancing the sport or making it too predictable? Share your thoughts in the comments and follow for more Tour de France news, interviews, and analysis.*
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