'If the organisation want Pogacar to win, that’s their choice' - Paret-Peintre latest to question motorbike influence

The Soudal Quick-Step rider spent much of the stage up the road, eventually joined by Primož Roglič after the Slovenian tried to turn his recent time losses into an attacking opportunity. For Paret-Peintre, Roglič's move was not unexpected.

“It wasn’t really a surprise to see Primoz up front,” Paret-Peintre said afterwards to CyclingProNet. “He had lost time over the last two days, so we knew it was possible that he would try to get into the break. For me, he was a good companion in the escape, so to speak.”

Paret-Peintre admitted he had initially been disappointed when the first group went clear after only 10 kilometres. But when Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe began riding again behind, he quickly understood the plan.

“I was a bit disappointed when the first group went after 10 kilometres,” he explained. “Then, when Red Bull started riding again, I quickly understood that Primoz wanted to jump across on the climb. That suited me quite well.”

Despite strong cooperation in the breakaway, the group never gained the kind of advantage that would have allowed it to properly threaten the favourites behind.

“We rode really hard,” Paret-Peintre said. “There was good cooperation and we did everything we could in the break. But we couldn’t keep enough of a gap. It’s disappointing.”

The Frenchman’s frustration then turned towards the convoy. Paret-Peintre suggested he would need to review the footage, but made clear that the position of the motorbikes had already been a concern in previous stages. “I hope the motorbikes weren’t too close behind, because that had been the case over the last two days,” he said.

Then came the line that captured his mood. “If the organisation wants Tadej Pogačar to win, that’s their choice,” Paret-Peintre added. “We have said it several times, but that’s life.”

In the end, the Slovenian went on to take the stage victory and now also leads the general classification, holding a 35-second advantage over Florian Lipowitz.

Paret-Peintre was not the only Soudal Quick-Step rider left frustrated by the motorbikes. Teammate Louis Vervaeke also felt the convoy had played a role, pointing to the moment the break’s advantage suddenly dropped.

“We lost 50 seconds in five kilometres,” Vervaeke told DirectVelo. “I imagine that was when the TV broadcast started. It’s the same as usual. As soon as they go on air, the motorbikes are there and sometimes, for me, that changes the race. It’s a shame.”

The Belgian said the effect was especially significant on exposed roads. “When you are in the breakaway, one motorbike rides behind you while the other is in front of the peloton. When you have a headwind, it makes an enormous difference,” he said. 

“We carry out anti-doping tests to find the cheats, but benefiting from help from motorbikes is also a bit like cheating,” he concluded.