Tadej Pogačar has spent most of his cycling life way out in front, but the Tour de France has often been the exception that proves the rule. On some level, the Slovenian must be surprised to examine the overall standings 18 stages into this year's race and find himself some 3:11 clear of Jonas Vingegaard.
Pogačar's dominance across the calendar, from Abu Dhabi to the Oude Kwaremont, has become routine, but it hasn't always translated to the month of July. In four previous Tour appearances, he has carried a lead into the final week just once, in 2021, when he had effectively already ended the race as a contest by stage 8.
