Pogacar’s dominance in numbers – Biggest GC gap since 2001
Tadej Pogacar’s dominance at this year’s Tour de France is clear. His four stage wins and, in particular, his commanding rides in the Pyrenees speak for themselves. But his superiority becomes even more striking when viewed in a historical context. The gap between first and tenth place hasn't been this big at this point in the Tour since 2001.
After his victory at Peyragudes on Friday, Tadej Pogacar’s lead over Jonas Vingegaard is a hefty 4:07, and the Dane is the only man within seven minutes of the yellow jersey. Perhaps more striking, however, is the gap between the yellow jersey and 10th place. Vingegaard’s Visma | Lease a Bike teammate Matteo Jorgenson currently occupies 10th place and the American is already some 14:15 behind Pogacar.
That gap has only been bigger once at this point in the 21st century. When Lance Armstrong rode to his third Tour de France victory in 2001 – later rescinded for doping – he had a buffer of 3:54 over second-placed Andrei Kivilev and a hefty 17:26 over Stefano Garzelli back in 10th.
The only other times the gap to 10th place has exceeded 10 minutes, incidentally, also happened on Pogacar and Vingegaard’s watch. In 2021, Pogacar had 10:28 on Pello Bilbao in 10th. A year later, 10th-placed Aleksandr Vlasov was 10:06 down on Vingegaard.
| Year | Number 1 GC | Number 10 GC | Time difference |
|---|---|---|---|
2025 | Tadej Pogacar | Matteo Jorgenson | +14:15 |
2024 | Tadej Pogacar | Matteo Jorgenson | +8.56 |
2023 | Jonas Vingegaard | Sepp Kuss | +7:11 |
2022 | Jonas Vingegaard | Aleksandr Vlasov | +10:06 |
2021 | Tadej Pogacar | Pello Bilbao | +10:28 |
2020 | Primoz Roglic | Enric Mas | +2:54 |
2019 | Julian Alaphilippe | Adam Tayes | +3:55 |
2018 | Geraint Thomas | Jakob Fuglsang | +5:45 |
2017 | Fabio Aru | Alberto Contador | +5:22 |
2016 | Chris Froome | Fabio Aru | +5:16 |
2015 | Chris Froome | Bauke Mollema | +8:02 |
2014 | Vincenzo Nibali | Leopold König | +8:36 |
2013 | Chris Froome | Joaquim Rodríguez | +5:48 |
2012 | Bradley Wiggins | Thibaut Pinot | +8:51 |
2011 | Thomas Voeckler | Nicolas Roche | +4:57 |
2010 | Andy Schleck | Roman Kreuziger | +5:16 |
2009 | Rinaldo Nocentini | Luis León Sánchez | +2:16 |
2008 | Cadel Evans | Vincenzo Nibali | +4:18 |
2007 | Michael Rasmussen | Kim Kirchen | +5:29 |
2006 | Óscar Pereiro | Christophe Moreau | +5:13 |
2005 | Lance Armstrong* | Floyd Landis | +4:16 |
2004 | Thomas Voeckler | Sandy Casar | +8:29 |
2003 | Lance Armstrong* | Christophe Moreau | +9:19 |
2002 | Lance Armstrong* | Oscar Sevilla | +9:10 |
2001 | Lance Armstrong* | Stefano Garzelli | +17:26 |
