Tour de France Stage 15 in 2024: Pogačar Dominates Plateau De Beille

The 2024 Tour de France reached its 15th stage on Bastille Day in the Pyrenees, where Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates claimed his third victory of the year by conquering the Plateau de Beille. Pogačar finished 1’08” ahead of Jonas Vingegaard from Visma-Lease a Bike, extending his lead in the general classification to 3’09”. Remco Evenepoel of Soudal-Quick Step finished third, trailing behind by 2’51” and now 5’19” behind Pogačar in the GC standings with six stages remaining.

The stage started with 154 riders covering 197.7 km from Loudenvielle to Plateau de Beille. The attacks began early with David Gaudu leading over the Col de Peyresourde summit. Bob Jungels initiated a series of attacks, maintaining the lead until the top of Col de Menté, where Javier Romo was the first over the summit with a group of 17 riders. Biniam Girmay, despite being relegated to third after an intermediate sprint win, secured enough points to secure the green jersey for the next stages.

Simon Yates, Laurens de Plus, Jai Hindley, and other riders formed a breakaway group, eventually reaching the Col de Portet-d’Aspet where Magnus Cort and Tobias Johannessen led the climb. The breakaway built up a 3’30” advantage before reaching the Col d’Agnes, where a smaller group emerged with Laurens de Plus leading the ascent.

On the final climb to Plateau de Beille, Pogačar and Vingegaard showcased their dominance, leaving the rest of the field behind. Pogačar’s impressive performance led to comparisons with cycling legends like Eddy Merckx, and his continued success in the Tour de France solidified his status as one of the best riders in the world.

In a post-race interview, Remco Evenepoel praised Pogačar’s performance, stating, “Tadej is on another planet.” Evenepoel acknowledged the gap between himself and the top riders but expressed optimism about his future growth as a cyclist.

Overall, the 15th stage of the 2024 Tour de France was a display of skill and determination, with Pogačar emerging as the strongest contender for the Yellow Jersey. As the race heads into its final stages, fans can expect more thrilling battles and exciting moments as the riders compete for victory in cycling’s most prestigious event.