"He didn’t even try to follow" - Pogacar and Del Toro conversation about Vingegaard you might have missed after dominant Tour de France attack
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar's dominant victory on stage 6 of the Tour de France emphatically put the general classification hierarchy in place, but amid all the media interviews as riders reacted to his solo Col du Tourmalet attack, there's one you might have missed.
As Pogacar warmed down on his stationary bike, a few minutes later he was joined by new white jersey Isaac del Toro as the teammates debriefed away from media - but not the cameras.
With audio not as clear as in interviews, some viewers would not have picked up the conversation as they discussed the stage. With a few kilometers to go on the Col du Tourmalet, the Mexican champion ramped up the pace as he and Pogacar took off from the remaining GC favourites.
As the two relayed, del Toro soon couldn't keep up with the Slovenian's incendiary pace. The rest is history as Pogacar rode into yellow, breaking Vingegaard's fightback on Tourmalet before a 38 kilometer descent and climb to the finish line.
After the stage, the two discussed the attack, with del Toro joking that he couldn't keep up with his pace. But Pogacar offered some positive encouragement: “You went too fast. I mean, too fast for you. The acceleration you did was very good. But I was also a bit on the limit,” Pogacar told Del Toro.
Now here's a chat you may have missed! 🗣️
— SBS Sport (@SBSSportau) July 10, 2026
Always great to hear some insight from these two superstars 😅🌟
🇫🇷 #TDF2026 | July 5-July 27 | Every Stage on SBS 📺 pic.twitter.com/wBQ2cXSfxq
Pogacar and del Toro discuss Vingegaard
When the pair initially attacked, Vingegaard couldn't - or chose to - not follow the acceleration. Afterwards, he set into a rhythm and slightly reeled in Pogacar, before the Slovenian's endurance kicked in and the gap slowly increased over the course of the rest of the stage.
The pair discussed Vingegaard, with Pogacar noting that he and Visma know from the past what can happen when he attacks. However, Pogacar noted that he was right on the edge of cracking himself had the climb kept going.
“He [Vingegaard] didn’t even try to follow,” Del Toro said.
Pogacar responded: “No, because he knows that we do this. But if it had been a kilometer longer to the top, it might have been too much for me too.”
Read also
For Pogacar, Thursday's victory symbolised a 23rd Tour de France stage, as well as another day in the yellow jersey, Pogacar is well on his way to a fifth Tour de France triumph.
Speaking to media after the stage, teammate Adam Yates mentioned an anecdote from the UAE team bus that stayed with him - Pogacar doesn't know any different.
"For him, I think he said on the bus the other day, he doesn't know any different – he's always in white or yellow or polka-dot or something," Yates told reporters after the stage.
"So he doesn't know the other side of the Tour de France, where you get to go in the bus and have a shower and all this, so I think it also shows his mental resilience."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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