Less than a week after shining on the high Pyrenees mountain passes in the Tour de France, Tadey Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) showed that he is as good as it gets in the Masif Central mountains, with a punchy, steep climb on the Puy de Mary on stage 13. He rode impressively.

Pogacar, who made his Grand Tour debut at last year's Vuelta a España and won three stages with far-reaching and diverse climbs, including the steep climbs of Andorra and Cantabria and the grinding long climbs of the Sierras west of Avila, has a devastating ability to accelerate on all kinds of climbs, proven once again on Friday.

Only race leader Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma) was able to follow his young compatriot's charge 2km from the line, and the Slovenian was 38 seconds ahead of his main rival, Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers).

Pogacar moved up from seventh to second place overall, and he returned to the white jersey of Best Young Rider ahead of Bernal.

The key question further ahead is whether he can also take on Roglic. But whatever happens, the UAE Team Emirates racer is making an even more electrifying debut in the Tour than he did in last year's Vuelta.

"I'm really happy because I was ahead of everyone except Roglic in time," Pogacar said after the race. It was a tough battle, but when I saw the climb, I knew what was coming and I tried to attack."

"The only one who could follow me was Roglic, so I said, 'Come on, let's go,' and we rode together to the top with full gas. I think it was a very good day."

Although it was clear that the two Slovenes had much to gain by working together that day, Pogacar dismissed the idea that their unspoken alliance would automatically continue all the way to Paris.

"I don't think we were friends in the last two kilometers," he said. I have no doubt that the next week will bring more attacks and rivalries."

Nevertheless, on the Puy Marie, Roglic looked slightly stronger than Pogacar on the climb. He was just over 6 minutes ahead of winner Dani Martinez (EF Pro Cycling) and 13 seconds ahead of Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo), the man most in front.

Next Sunday, it will be interesting to see if Pogacar can show the same strong climbing ability on the longer, higher Col du Grand Colombier and if Roglic can continue to match him. Either way, his attack on the Puy Marie opened up the Tour.