UAE enjoy dream opening week but Gianetti warns against Tour complacency

“It was a very good week for us,” UAE general manager Mauro Gianetti told Cyclism’Actu after stage 9. “We started well with the two stages in Spain, followed by Tadej’s great stage on the day of the Tourmalet.”

Beyond the victories themselves, Gianetti was particularly encouraged by the way the team had performed as a collective. UAE has repeatedly taken responsibility at the front of the peloton, protecting Pogačar and controlling potentially dangerous moves.

“The whole team is working very well together,” Gianetti said. “Tadej has also managed to create a good gap between himself and his rivals.”

The opening nine stages have been defined not only by aggressive racing, but also by difficult weather conditions. The heat has added another layer of strain for riders already dealing with the physical demands of the Tour.

The fatigue was clearly visible during stage 9, according to Gianetti, who felt the peloton appeared unusually drained from the opening kilometres.

“The heat creates much more fatigue than normal,” he explained. “You could see it today. There was a lot of tiredness right from the start, which is understandable because everyone is affected by these conditions.

“Everybody really needs this rest day. Having two would not be such a bad thing.”

Pogačar’s performance on the Tourmalet has prompted questions over whether anyone can still prevent him from winning the Tour. Gianetti, however, refused to describe the race as decided.

“You still have to complete the road to Paris,” he said. “A lot of things can happen. It is true that Tadej is in a good position. His history speaks for itself and he is a rider with enormous qualities, so he has made a very good start.”

Jonas Vingegaard remains the most obvious threat. Although the Dane was unable to follow Pogačar’s decisive Tourmalet attack, Gianetti pointed to his history of producing exceptional performances at the Tour.

“What Tadej did the other day was extraordinary, but we have also seen Vingegaard do extraordinary things,” he said.

Gianetti also highlighted the depth of talent elsewhere in the race. Juan Ayuso and Paul Seixas are among the emerging contenders, while Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz offer Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe multiple tactical possibilities.

“There are young riders coming through, such as Ayuso and Seixas, while the combination of Lipowitz and Evenepoel could also create something,” Gianetti said.

“The level of this Tour is extremely high. We have to remain focused and be wary of everyone.”

UAE’s willingness to ride at the front has not been universally welcomed. Several breakaway specialists have complained that the yellow jersey’s team is making it increasingly difficult for moves to establish a meaningful advantage.

Gianetti rejected the suggestion that UAE had deliberately tried to close down every attack during stage nine.

“We wanted the breakaway to go,” he said. “But every time we reduced the pace, there were more attacks and counterattacks.”

UAE attempted to allow a group to build its advantage gradually, Gianetti explained, but other teams became involved once the gap reached approximately one minute and 20 seconds.

“At that point, the other teams started riding,” he said. “We did what we could, but we were not the team controlling the final 50 or 60 kilometres.”

Despite UAE’s position of strength, Gianetti insisted the team would welcome quieter stages during the remainder of the Tour. The nature of the racing, however, means that controlling the peloton does not always produce a straightforward or comfortable day.

“It is not that we want to shut down the entire race,” he said. “On the contrary, we would also like to have a few relatively calm days. Today [stage 9] simply was not a day when that was possible.”