Pogacar has discovered Tour de France fans love heroic defeat more than crushing victory | William Fotheringham

This year’s dominant leader shouldn’t take the boos personally – even Eddy Merckx didn’t always get red carpet treatment Enduring the ire of French cycling fans is a rite of passage for a majority of the select group of prolific Tour de France winners, as Tadej Pogacar seems be finding out. The first catcalls came on Tuesday’s stage to Le Lioran in the Cantal, and unfortunately, although we can hope for a little courtesy, there is no reason to assume we won’t see more of the same in the Alps…