Tour de France mountain stage puts Vingegaard at risk after Rasmussen warns of Pogacar dominance

Former Danish champion Michael Rasmussen warned that the early Pyrenean stage could decide the 2026 Tour de France, citing the Col d'Aspin and the Tourmalet as decisive climbs. He said, "Er bestaat een reëel risico dat de race hier beslist wordt," and predicted that Tadej Pogacar could gain a minute on fellow Dane Jonas Vingegaard, potentially extending the gap to two minutes by the finish.

Rasmussen argued that Pogacar’s team strength could allow him to break away five kilometres from the summit, giving him a sizable lead that would be hard for Vingegaard to overturn. The analysis follows recent performances where Pogacar dominated early mountain stages, raising concerns among Danish cycling fans about their contender’s chances.

The discussion centres on the Tourmalet stage, which Rasmussen described as a "bloedbad" for Vingegaard if Pogacar executes his plan, making the early mountain terrain a critical battleground for the yellow jersey.