Tour de France press conferences on days like stage 10 are pretty strange affairs. There was very little to talk about, with there being no breakaway, no moments of danger, only a routine bunch sprint which resulted in Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) winning.
It was, in truth, a boring day in the middle of France – kilometres from the actual, proper middle of metropolitan France – even Philipsen himself acknowledged this, joking that perhaps it was a stage to sleep through.
At least Philipsen won. For the race leader, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), the man in yellow, it was a nothing day. Blink, and you missed it. Nothing changed. 33 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) in Orléans, 33 seconds ahead of Evenepoel in Saint-Armand-Montrond. Nothing changed, but 187.3km had been raced.
The Slovenian still had to go through the rigmarole of the podium procedure, the mix zone, and then the biggest pain of all, speaking to the print media. He put a brave face on it, and then the bombshell came.
I am, personally, a reasonably hirsute man. I’ve had a moustache, almost permanently, since I was 23 – while I’m no Magnus Cort, my “beard” is present, even if it’s not Simon Geschke levels.
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), the defending champion, is currently trying to grow a moustache, although he has a long way to go: “I don’t have so much capabilities of growing a moustache, but I’m trying at least,” the Dane said of his new-found talent.
Pogačar, meanwhile, knows his limitations. The Giro d’Italia, two-time Tour de France, Tour of Flanders, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège winner might be the best cyclist in the world, depending on how it’s judged, but he is unable to make his top lip hairy. Poor Tadej.
“I didn’t see it, sorry,” he said of Vingegaard’s facial hair. “I cannot grow a moustache. This year, I’m shaving much more than last year. But I’m completely clean shaven.”
Pogačar, at 25, is shaving more than he did last year, which is quite something. At 25, I could grow a beard, but then I have never won a WorldTour race. Different strokes for different folks.
Away from the facial hair talk, stage 11 to Le Lioran should prove more of a challenge to Pogačar, Vingegaard and the rest of the GC contenders. The rolling Massif Central day is not the hardest day of the race, but should provide ample evidence of where the riders are at.
“I feel really good going into this second week,” Pogačar said, for his part. “I really like the Pyrenees, I’ve won quite a lot there. I like the places there. Then I’m really looking forward to the final stages in Nice, close to my home. This Tour, I must say, I am really happy, and also is going well so far.”
On the subject of Vingegaard, his great rival, there was an understanding that the Dane might be getting better, although Pogačar still thinks he is ahead of the man who has beaten him in the last two Tours.
“I have a pretty good sense and also I see my own numbers, and so far… the time trial we went super fast, San Luca [in Bologna] was super fast, Galibier we also did a record time,” he said. “I think he’s in really good shape, and for sure he’s getting more confident for the final part more and more. We will see in the Pyrenees I think.”
The more testing stages wait, but for now, at least we know that Tadej Pogačar can’t grow a moustache. I win this one.
