UAE Team Emirates’ Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, celebrates on the podium after the eighth stage of the Tour de France race on Saturday. Associated Press

Gulf Today Report

With a masterpiece of class and courage, Team Emirates’ Tadej Pogacar tightened his grip to retain his tour crown by climbing to the top of the general classification of the Tour de France on Saturday, by finishing just few second behind the winner of the eighth stage Dylan Teuns of Team Bahrain.

This was the second stage victory of the current tour for the 22-year-old Slovenian.

Pogacar became the youngest ever rider to wear the yellow jersey in two consecutive editions.

The Team Emirates leader began his attack 30.5km from the finish, with 2km to go before the top of the Col de Romme ascent (8.8km) in the rain, after some excellent preparation work by his teammates.

Pogacar made his move from the group with only Richard Carapaz (Ineos-Grenadiers) able to follow, with the 22-year old dislodging him further up the climb.

The Slovenian continued his strong pace up the Col de la Colombiere (7.5 km at 8.4%, brow at 14.5 km from the finish), to pick-off all the members of the day's breakaway except Dylan Teuns (Bahrain-Victorious), the eventual stage winner.

The reigning Tour de France champion finished the stage in fourth place (behind Ion Izagirre, second and Michael Woods, third), with an advantage over his direct rivals in the general classification wide enough to allow him to take the yellow jersey.

The general ranking sees Pogacar move up to first position with an advantage of 1’48 “over Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and of 4’38” over Alexey Lutsenko (Astana-Premier Tech).