Vingegaard tames Pogacar as Hindley takes stage and yellow jersey

Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard laid down an early marker on the Tour de France with a brutal attack that left his main rival Tadej Pogacar gasping for air in the first mountain stage on Wednesday.

Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard crosses the finish line of the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 163 kilometers (101 miles) with start in Pau and finish in Laruns. | Photo Credit: AP

Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard laid down an early marker on the Tour de France with a brutal attack that left his main rival Tadej Pogacar gasping for air in the first mountain stage on Wednesday.

Denmark’s Vingegaard accelerated some two kilometres from the top of the last climb, the lung-busting ascent to the Col de Marie Blanque (7.7km at 8.6%), to take one minute and four seconds off the twice Tour winner.

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Australian Jai Hindley won the fifth stage, a 162.7km ride from Pau, to take the yellow jersey with Vingegaard finishing fifth, crossing the line 34 seconds behind the 2022 Giro d’Italia champion.

Overall, Hindley leads second-placed Vingegaard by 47 seconds and sixth-placed Pogacar by one minute 40 seconds.

Thursday’s sixth stage is an another mountain ride over 144.9km between Tarbes and Cauterets featuring punishing climbs up the Col d’Aspin and Col du Tourmalet.