Pogacar dominates in the Pyrenees to extend Tour lead

Tadej Pogacar delivered another big blow to defending champion Jonas Vingegaard as he stormed to a Bastille Day victory on stage 15 of the Tour de France to extend his commanding advantage in yellow.

Pogacar left his main rival behind five kilometres from the summit of the climb up to the Plateau de Beille and rode clear to win by 68 seconds, taking his overall advantage to three minutes and nine seconds going into Monday's rest day.

After coming off second best in Saturday's skirmish in Saint-Lary-Soulan, Vingegaard had said the finale of this brute of a Pyrenean stage out of Loudenvielle, including more than 4,800m of climbing, suited him more than it did Pogacar but when it came to it, it was Pogacar who profited.

Six stages now stand between the 25-year-old and a third Tour crown, one that would make him the first rider to complete a Giro-Tour double since Marco Pantani in 1998.

"I would never have imagined this kind of outcome after the second week at the beginning," Pogacar said. "I'm super happy with my shape... I've had a lot of stage victories in the Pyrenees. Somehow I like them and they like me back so I'm pretty satisfied."

Ben Healy, who dared to dream of stage victory yesterday before being reeled in with 5km to go, again showed his strength in the mountains. He crossed the line in 19th position, 13' 31" on Pogacar and moves above Simon Yates in the GC to 13th, almost 30 minutes down on Poagacar.

Sprinter Sam Bennett was among the sprinters well down the field today and he is 16th in the green jersey points standings

Simon Yates was part of a 16-strong breakaway that got away on the second climb of the day, the Col de Mente, building a lead of around three minutes before Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe engineered a split