Jonas Vingegaard hoped to relive the sweet memories of Hautacam, where he practically won his first Tour de France in 2022. Instead, on stage 12 of the 2025 edition, the Team Visma-Lease a Bike captain endured a nightmare day, losing a full 2:10 to rival Tadej Pogačar.

The Dutch team had planned an offensive move on the Col du Soulor, about 50 km from the finish, with the goal of isolating the Slovenian. But their plans fell through when one of the key domestiques, Matteo Jorgenson, showed signs of weakness on the first ramps of the climb.

"Matteo wasn't having a good day," explained Sports Director Grischa Niermann. "We had a clear plan, but when we learned he was struggling, everything changed." Jorgenson himself, visibly disappointed, admitted: "I have no excuses; I had a terrible feeling from the start."

Despite the support of riders like Sepp Kuss and Simon Yates, Vingegaard was unable to match Pogačar's decisive acceleration on the Hautacam slopes. The Dane maintains second place in the overall standings, but the gap has now grown to 3:31.

"Jonas felt good, but on the final climb, Pogačar was clearly the strongest," Niermann concluded. "We have to congratulate Tadej and the UAE; they showed who the strongest rider is right now."

For fantasy football managers, this stage marks an important turning point: Pogačar confirms himself as the most reliable choice for those aiming for the final victory, while those who have bet on Vingegaard will have to hope for an unlikely comeback in the remaining stages.