‘At the front, as long as he didn’t say anything, we kept going’ - How ‘boss’ Pogacar took control during Vuelta hailstorm

Monday’s stage was abandoned on the Col de Mont Louis after a violent hailstorm transformed the final kilometres into a search for shelter rather than a bike race.

Television pictures showed Pogačar moving towards the front of the group as conditions worsened before signalling that it was time to stop. Tronchon has now offered an insight into how the moment unfolded from inside the race.

“At the front, as long as Pogi [Pogačar] didn’t say anything, we kept going,” Tronchon told Eurosport. “Once he decided to stop, everyone stopped, because he’s kind of the boss.”

By then, hail was pounding the peloton and water was running across the road, making it increasingly clear that the race could not continue.

For Tronchon, the change in conditions was particularly severe.

“It hurt,” the Frenchman said. “It wasn’t actually that cold, but when you go from 40 degrees to 12 or 13 degrees with hail, it isn’t pleasant. You could really feel it hitting you.”

The storm arrived after an already demanding opening part of the stage, where strong winds had contributed to a fast and nervous race from Gruissan.

By the time the peloton reached the Pyrenees, the mountains ahead had begun disappearing into dark clouds and mist. On the climb towards Mont Louis, conditions deteriorated rapidly.

Communication also became increasingly difficult. Television coverage dropped out and race radio became hard to follow, leaving viewers with only a limited idea of what was happening on the road.

The riders had no such doubts.

“It was a bit apocalyptic,” Tronchon said. “Everyone threw themselves into cars, even supporters’ cars. We knew there were going to be storms, but not anything like that.”

With around 16 kilometres still remaining to the planned finish in Font Romeu, racing effectively came to a halt. Organisers subsequently confirmed that the stage had been abandoned.

The next priority was simply getting warm.

Much of the peloton headed into a nearby hotel, producing images that will not be forgotten anytime soon. Riders packed into the lobby and staircase in search of dry clothing, while a billiard table became an improvised changing area.

Tronchon and his teammates eventually found their team cars.

“Our cars managed to reach us quite quickly,” he said. “We got inside so we could change while waiting for the commissaires’ decision. Then they cancelled the race and the buses came to us.”

By the time the team buses arrived, the sporting questions had become secondary. 

There was no winner and no finish in Font Romeu, but Tronchon’s account made one thing clear: when the race descended into chaos, the peloton looked to Pogačar before it looked anywhere else.