Wellens and Vermeersch warn Tour rivals: Pogacar was even more impressive in training than his raid over the Tourmalet
Tadej Pogacar has already imposed himself on the Tour de France, but his Belgian teammates Tim Wellens and Florian Vermeersch say his most frightening performances came before the race even started. As criticism of UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s dominance grows, they insist the team will not apologise for being stronger than its rivals.
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Tim Wellens and Florian Vermeersch have one clear mission at this Tour de France: protect Tadej Pogačar and help UAE Team Emirates-XRG deliver a fifth overall victory.
After nine stages, Pogačar has once again emerged as the strongest rider in the race, while UAE’s control has sparked both admiration and growing frustration across the peloton.
The Tour has been called boring, abnormal and too predictable. UAE have been accused of being too dominant, too greedy and unwilling to leave anything for their rivals.
Wellens and Vermeersch understand where some of that frustration comes from. What they refuse to accept is the suggestion that UAE should lower its ambitions for the sake of entertainment.
“I do not think we should have to justify the high level we are reaching,” Vermeersch told HLN. “Or to put it another way, surely we cannot be expected to perform at a lower level just to make it all more exciting?”
UAE refuse to give rivals an easy day
The debate intensified after UAE helped control a powerful breakaway containing Mathieu van der Poel, Tom Pidcock and several other dangerous riders.
With Pogačar's position apparently under no immediate threat, the sight of UAE riding behind the move prompted a familiar question. Why did the strongest team in the race feel the need to chase?
According to Wellens, the primary objective was to prevent several Lidl-Trek riders from gaining too much time with the team classification in mind.
“The main goal was to make sure a number of Lidl-Trek riders did not get away,” Wellens said. “Felix Grossschartner and I were able to keep the gap at around one minute quite easily. We were then told from the team car that we could give them more space, but we felt that would have been a waste because we already had everything under control.”
The team classification is officially not one of UAE’s major objectives, but Wellens and Vermeersch admit they would like to win it. They will continue to pursue it, provided it never places Pogačar's yellow jersey ambitions at risk.
“It is a sensitive subject,” Wellens said. “Florian and I would really like to win the team classification, but we are not supposed to say that too loudly because it is not a priority within the team. As long as it does not put Tadej at risk, though, we are secretly going for it.”
That appetite for success has reinforced the perception that UAE want to dominate every aspect of the race.
Vermeersch rejects the idea that this makes the team unusually selfish.
“What I find more difficult is the accusation that we are greedy and do not allow anyone else to have anything,” he said. “Every rider and every team would do the same in our situation.”
Pogacar’s rivals may not have seen his best yet
For the rest of the peloton, the most alarming message from the UAE camp is not that Pogačar has already looked so strong. It is that his teammates have seen him reach an even higher level.
His attack across the Tourmalet and towards Gavarnie may have appeared overwhelming to those watching the Tour, but Wellens says Pogačar produced even more remarkable performances during UAE’s altitude camp in Sierra Nevada.
“I noticed it even more at training camp than in the Tour itself,” Wellens said. “Everyone who was with us in Sierra Nevada knows what he did there. Some of those things were even more impressive than his raid over the Tourmalet and Gavarnie.”
Vermeersch, who is riding his first Tour, had the same reaction.
“My mouth really did fall open a few times,” he said.
For Pogačar's rivals, it is an ominous warning. His most spectacular performance of the Tour may not have been exceptional by his own current standards.
Rivals’ frustration leaves UAE unmoved
Wellens does not deny that UAE’s control can be difficult for other riders to accept.
“If I were a rider in a weaker team, I would not enjoy seeing a race completely controlled by the opposition either,” he said.
His sympathy, however, only extends so far.
“Beyond that, zero f***s given.”
That frustration has also been visible and audible among spectators. Wellens said UAE riders were booed during the stage over the Tourmalet.
“We can see the frustration among a lot of people, but we do not understand it,” Wellens said.
“It was not pleasant, and even a little annoying. But we often laugh about it. It means we are doing something right.”
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