Gianetti on UAE Team Emirates outlook at Tour de France: "We knew it was mission impossible, but we thought that we had to try because Tadej could perhaps do it"

UAE Team Emirates will end the Tour de France with three stage wins, a stint in the yellow jersey, second and third in the overall classification. The goal was victory, but team DS Mauro Gianetti admits that after his non-ideal preparation it was hard to beat Jonas Vingegaard.

He tells the feeling in the team after the Slovenian's implosion on the Col de la Loze. "The first 24 hours were hard for Tadej, but he was then made to understand that after five weeks without a bicycle and with only three and a half weeks of training, it was extraordinary what he was doing," Gianetti told Cyclism'Actu. "We knew it was mission impossible, but we thought that we had to try because Tadej could perhaps do it. Vingegaard was certainly much stronger."

The two were very tight in the GC up until the final week where Vingegaard really came into his own and without a moment of discomfort, put over seven minutes into Pogacar, and more minutes into all other riders who have had their best legs in the week. Pogacar will hence finish the Tour once again in second place, winning a fourth youth classification in the process.

"This is exceptional what we lived on this Tour de France. We started with the yellow jersey and a stage victory, then Tadej lost a minute before returning to seconds. There was then this 'drama' for Tadej, before finishing with another stage victory to which no one was expected. An image? What Tadej done in the Col de la Loze. It is much more important in my opinion than his stages victories. That day, he saved a dramatic situation and his podium," Gianetti assures.