‘We were joking’ - Pogacar’s stage winning rampage was not the plan

Tadej Pogačar’s crushing win to Hautacam might have been one of the more comprehensive victories of his career, but it turns out the move was not planned.

In what was a consummate performance by the UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad, the World Champion was led onto the lower slopes of the 13.5km climb to Hautacam by Tim Wellens, who had spent most of the day up the road, part of a huge breakaway.

Then, when the Belgian champion had fired all his bullets, leaving Pogačar’s chief rival, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) almost isolated, it was time for Ecuadorian champion Jhonatan Narváez to come to the fore. 

When he hit the front there was a moment’s hesitation, the South American checking over his shoulder, as if asking for confirmation of the plan. A quick word on the radio, another check, and when Adam Yates pulled out from on his wheel, he opened the taps, creating a separation from the rest of the group and even putting Vingegaard in trouble.

And that was that. Pogačar was gone, winning the stage by more than two minutes from his Danish rival. It looked like the execution of a well crafted plan.

“We were joking [about] the Dauphiné Friday [stage]. I was not expecting that we would really do this like the Friday of Dauphiné but I guess Jhonny doesn’t take jokes and he launched it super hard, and I was like ‘OK, my microphone was not working so I couldn’t not say anything,” Pogačar told ITV Cycling.

The similarities to stage six of the last month’s Critérium du Dauphiné are striking, just in a bigger scale. There Pogačar attacked with seven kilometres’ of the day’s closing climb to Combloux, at Hautacam the attack came with 12km to go. Both were scorchingly hot days, Pogačar put decisive time into Vingegaard, and on each occasion he reclaimed the leader’s yellow jersey. The comparison even extends to Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) finishing third.

“I followed Jhonny and then I committed. And then when I saw it was so long to go I was like ‘ok, it was similar three years ago,’ Pogačar continued, referring to 2022 when roles were reversed, Vingegaard putting more than a minute into him on the same climb.

“I was alone suffering in the last 10km so better be in the front in the lead and suffering than on the back foot, so I was happy with the ride and I managed to come to the top with a good gap.”

After Pogačar’s Dauphiné attack five weeks ago Pogačar kept, and even increased, his lead to take the title, and over the next few days we could see a repeat performance at the Tour. Friday’s mountain time trial to Peyragudes is the first indicator.

“I had good legs, and tomorrow I need good legs again. And the day after, and the day after and until Paris. I think if we ride as a team as strong as we did today I think we should be looking forward to the next days, but you never know.”