UAE take action to protect Tadej Pogacar amid illness concerns before decisive Tour weekend

Riders showing symptoms are being kept apart from their healthy teammates during meals and inside the team bus. Adam Yates has also been wearing a mask after suffering from stomach problems during Wednesday’s stage.

Yates endured a difficult day, losing contact with the peloton before teammate Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) helped pace him to the finish. The UAE duo finished 161st and 162nd on the stage out of 164 riders, 26:36 behind stage winner Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech). 

Team manager Mauro Gianetti said Yates had improved overnight, although the British climber was still feeling the effects of being unable to eat properly.

“Fortunately, Adam feels better today,” Gianetti told Sporza ahead of stage 18. “His stomach problems have almost disappeared.”

Yates was unable to eat on Wednesday and is expected to endure another difficult day before returning closer to his usual level in the high mountains.

“He feels a little empty because he did not eat yesterday,” Gianetti said. “He knows that he will suffer today, but by Friday and Saturday he should be close to 90 per cent of his normal capacity.”

Yates is one of Pogačar’s most important helpers in the mountains, making his recovery a priority before the final Alpine stages.

“It was good that we stayed with him yesterday,” Gianetti added. “There are mountain stages on Friday and Saturday, and his role will be very important.”

Speaking to Feltet, Florian Vermeersch provided further details about the precautions surrounding Yates.

“Adam separated himself a little from the group during dinner and he is wearing a mask in the bus,” Vermeersch said.

Vermeersch did not believe Yates’ condition was evidence of a wider illness spreading through the team. He described it as a minor stomach problem and echoed Gianetti that the British rider had already begun to feel better.

The main concern is now whether Yates can eat normally again and recover the energy he lost. “Hopefully his legs are recharged and he can absorb the food,” Vermeersch said.

There had also been questions about Isaac del Toro after the Mexican struggled to follow during a hard phase of Wednesday’s stage. Vermeersch dismissed suggestions that illness had been responsible for his difficult moment.

“It was not a terrible day, but it was not his best day,” he said. “He went full in the time trial and we had long journeys, so I do not think there is anything major to worry about.”

Wellens offered a more cautious assessment of the squad’s health. The Belgian confirmed that he was also experiencing symptoms, although he stressed that most of the team remained in good condition.

“We are mostly healthy,” Wellens told Sporza. “Adam is not feeling well, and I am not feeling great either. I have a sore throat, mucus and I do not feel completely right, but more than half of our team is still in top form.”

UAE are attempting to limit contact between those who are unwell and the rest of the squad. Every rider has an individual hotel room, while the seating arrangements inside the team bus have been adjusted.

“The healthy riders and the sick riders sit separately in the bus,” Wellens said. “The riders who are ill also eat in their rooms so they do not infect anyone else.”

Wellens clarified that only riders showing symptoms had eaten separately, rather than the entire squad.

The most important reassurance for UAE is that Pogačar has shown no signs of illness. Wellens said the race leader continued to look strong before the most demanding stages of the Tour.

“Tadej still looks very good,” he said.

Pogačar himself laughed off questions about the possibility of becoming ill. The Slovenian suggested that speaking to reporters and riding through packed crowds posed a greater risk than spending time inside the UAE team bubble.

“There is probably a bigger chance that I get sick from talking to you or from riding between all the fans on a climb,” Pogačar said. “Inside our team bubble, I am not afraid.”