Tour de France 2023: Yellow jersey battle ‘done and dusted’ but praise rolls in for Tadej Pogacar

With only four stages remaining, and none of them as challenging as Wednesday’s run to Courchevel, Vingegaard must simply stay upright to win a second straight title at the Tour.

But despite his miserable day in the saddle, and his dreams of a third yellow jersey evaporating, praise rolled in for Pogacar on The Breakaway after the stage.

“He has given 100% from start to finish, from Bilbao two and a half weeks ago all the way in,” said 12-time sprint stage winner Robbie McEwen.

“We’ve got to be grateful he was in the race. He has made it what it was up until now. Imagine the race without him, what a walkover it would have been!

“There’s so many ifs, buts and maybes that we can look back on. He did everything he could, he’s provided us with a great spectacle and a close battle for so long.”

Pogacar arrived with a huge question mark over his form and fitness after fracturing his wrist at Liege-Bastogne-Liege in April, with the two-time champion only given the green light to train again on the road in June.

It was rotten luck for the 24-year-old, who had enjoyed a scintillating start to the season with wins at Paris-Nice and the Tour of Flanders, but he must now process a second straight disappointment at the Tour after being outclassed by Vingegaard in the mountains again.

“Even after yesterday’s time trial we thought, ‘well, 1’38” is the gap and that has been changed in the last few stages of the race in previous editions of the Tour de France’,” began Lloyd.

“But I don’t think there’s ever been a Tour de France where a 7’35” gap has been overturned in the last few stages.

“So I think we can say, barring incident or illness, that the GC battle is done and dusted for the top spot. I take my hat off to Jonas Vingegaard, the way he has performed throughout this race has been incredible.

“And Pogacar especially, he’s just made the race really, he never says die, and it was almost heartbreaking to hear him on the radio [saying ‘I’m dead, I’m gone’].”