Manchester, UK – July 24, 2025 – Tour de France overall leader Tadej Pogacar experienced a momentary scare on Thursday morning when he made contact with the team car of his main rival, Jonas Vingegaard, prior to the start of the brutal 18th stage. The stage, dubbed the “Queen Stage,” is a demanding mountain trek from Vif to the formidable Col de la Loze.
The incident occurred as riders were making their way to the start line. “We were going to the start line and the cars were also going… we were cruising behind the (Visma-Lease a Bike) car, maybe a bit too close and he suddenly… maybe I don’t know if he wanted to brake check me, to check my brakes,” a smiling Pogacar recounted. “I was not ready because I did not see the reason why he had to stop urgently so we crashed into the car, I hit my… but it’s okay, I’m okay we’re good,” he added, downplaying the severity of the bump.
It was not immediately clear who Pogacar was with when he hit the Team Visma | Lease a Bike car.
Despite the pre-stage mishap, Pogacar holds a significant lead over Dane Vingegaard, sitting at four minutes and 15 seconds going into this pivotal 18th stage. This stage is widely considered the toughest of the 2025 Tour, covering 171.5 km with an elevation gain of approximately 5,500m, featuring three Hors Catégorie (HC) climbs: the Col du Glandon, the Col de la Madeleine, and the summit finish on the Col de la Loze. The Col de la Loze, at 2,304m, is also the highest point of the 2025 Tour.
The collision, though seemingly minor, adds an unexpected element to the already intense rivalry between the two top contenders, particularly on a day where Vingegaard will be looking for any opportunity to claw back time on Pogacar.