A day after his sharp critique of Tadej Pogacar, Lance Armstrong expressed a more favorable opinion of the Slovenian cyclist. Armstrong had previously taken issue with Pogacar’s decision to win Friday’s stage to Isola 2000 but found Saturday’s victory more understandable. On his podcast *The Move*, Armstrong also emphasized the significance of the upcoming time trial on Sunday, calling it the “time trial of their lives.”
Armstrong’s initial criticism of Pogacar came after the dominant Tour leader secured another stage win. He argued that Pogacar and UAE-Team Emirates’ relentless pursuit of stage victories could politically backfire, saying, “It’s also a political event, and you shouldn’t give others a reason to hate you.
” By Saturday, however, Armstrong’s tone had softened. He acknowledged that Pogacar held back and didn’t push as aggressively, which Armstrong felt was a smarter strategy.
“I know I was harsh on Tadej after the nineteenth stage, but I won’t be this time. He held back, we all saw that,” Armstrong remarked, noting that Pogacar let others compete for the stage win while focusing on maintaining his lead.
Pogacar’s impressive tally of stage wins continued to grow, with his total reaching sixteen after Saturday.
Armstrong highlighted this achievement, noting that if Pogacar won the time trial, it would bring his total to seventeen. “That’s a lot of stage wins at 25 years old,” Armstrong said admiringly. He added that Pogacar’s record already places him among the top three cyclists of all time and hailed him as “the talent of his generation.”
The cycling world is eagerly anticipating the showdown in Sunday’s time trial. While Pogacar’s dominance has left little suspense for the general classification, Armstrong pointed out an exciting battle for the top ten spots.
Giulio Ciccone of Lidl-Trek and Santiago Buitrago of Bahrain Victorious are separated by just 22 seconds, with Ciccone in tenth place and Buitrago in eleventh. This duel is set to be the most important time trial of their careers, according to Armstrong.
Saturday saw tension between Ciccone and Buitrago after the Italian confronted the Colombian for accepting a sticky bottle during the final climb.
Despite the heated exchange, Armstrong chose to focus on the significance of their battle for a top ten finish. “Those two men know the difference, and their team came to the Tour for a top ten.
This will be the most important time trial of their lives. Top ten is important, really. Tenth or eleventh… Those two time trials, I’m definitely watching them,” Armstrong concluded.
As the Tour de France heads into its final stages, all eyes will be on the crucial time trial that could determine the final standings and solidify the legacies of these remarkable athletes.
