'All problems have a solution' - UAE remain defiant amid illness and Vermeersch injury

Vermeersch confirmed the problem after stage 18, although he chose not to reveal the exact nature of the injury.

“An injury is holding me back at the moment,” he told Sporza.

The 27-year-old normally plays an important role during the early stages of a race, helping UAE control breakaways and protect the interests of yellow jersey leader Tadej Pogačar. His responsibilities in the mountains may be less prominent than those of Adam Yates and Tim Wellens, who have both been affected by illness, while Brandon McNulty abandoned the race on Stage 18. 

His reduced condition makes him the fourth UAE rider whose contribution has been compromised during the final week.

Vermeersch stressed that his own situation remains manageable compared with what some of his teammates are experiencing.

“For me, it is all relative. The others have suffered much more in our team,” he said. “I am not ill, fortunately. I feel good in that respect. But you can see that Tim is suffering a lot and is really on the limit. As a teammate, there is not much you can do about that, apart from giving him a bottle now and then.”

UAE sports manager Joxean Matxin Fernández later explained to WielerFlits that there was no single cause behind the team’s problems, with the riders affected by illness experiencing different symptoms over the previous few days.

The Spaniard suggested that the problems could stem from a combination of accumulated fatigue, hot weather, cold drinks and air conditioning.

Matxin’s explanation was less straightforward in the case of Tim Wellens. The Belgian had already revealed that he was suffering from a sore throat and cold symptoms, while his condition deteriorated badly during Stage 18. After finishing just inside the time limit, Wellens admitted that he would probably have abandoned under different circumstances.

“In any other race, you would stop, but you do not do that in the Tour,” he told Sporza. “I am happy that I made it to the finish.”

Matxin nevertheless rejected the suggestion that illness had caused Wellens’ difficult day. “He is not sick,” he told Eurosport, arguing that the Belgian had eased off after completing his work. “After he had done his thing and was dropped, it was better to recover.”

That explanation contrasted sharply with Wellens’ own comments and his visibly weakened condition at the finish. Speaking with a hoarse voice, the Belgian described the closing kilometres as a personal battle against the time limit. “Towards the end I rode a time trial all the way to the finish,” he said.

Despite the setbacks, UAE remain focused on defending Pogačar’s yellow jersey. Matxin admitted that the team has been forced to adjust its plans and change the order in which riders are used, but insisted that the main objective remains unchanged.

“All problems have a solution,” he said. “We change the planning and we change the order, but the idea stays the same. We defend the yellow jersey and we defend our position.”

Vermeersch also remains optimistic heading into the final days of the race.

“I still believe in it,” he said. “There are two more difficult days, but my morale is good. I hope everyone has a good day and feels better tomorrow. It is what it is. There is not much we can do about it.”

With McNulty already out, several riders dealing with illness and Vermeersch unable to ride at full strength, Pogačar will have to rely more heavily on his own instincts as UAE attempt to bring the yellow jersey safely to Paris.