Riding right behind Pogačar, Huang Chong could only watch the scene unfold with a mix of awe and envy.
'With the UAE Team's lineup this year, there's no way I can win at my current level!'
Even if the entire Red Bull Bora team had stayed intact until the end, with Roglič as his domestique, he likely still wouldn't have been able to beat Pogačar.
After the Tourmalet climb, during the long descent, Politt had helped the main group of GC contenders close the gap to the breakaway from 3 minutes and 38 seconds down to just 1 minute and 25 seconds.
Only when they reached the Category 2 climb, Angizan Mountain, did he finally pull off the front, handing over pacemaking duties to his teammate, Soler.
But even so, his performance had been nothing short of outstanding.
For a flat-terrain domestique to lead the pack through an entire HC Level climb and claw back over two minutes on the breakaway—his ability was the real deal.
