“He doesn’t view Evenepoel as a real competitor” – Thijs Zonneveld calls Pogacar’s treatment of Tour rivals humiliating
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar will begin the final stage of the 2026 Tour de France with Remco Evenepoel sitting second overall, but Thijs Zonneveld believes the relationship between the pair bears little resemblance to a genuine yellow jersey rivalry.
Evenepoel took 45 seconds back on the final mountain stage, attacking while Pogacar remained alongside UAE Team Emirates – XRG teammate Isaac del Toro.
Rather than seeing that freedom as a sign that the Belgian had finally placed the race leader under pressure, Zonneveld interpreted it as evidence of just how secure Pogacar felt.
“I think you can also see today that he doesn’t view Evenepoel as a real competitor,” the former professional cyclist and Dutch journalist said on the In de Waaier podcast. “That makes it a bizarre spectacle.”
“Glorified cycling tourists” in Pogacar’s slipstream
Pogacar had already reduced the group of overall contenders to Evenepoel, Del Toro, Paul Seixas and Lenny Martinez over the Col du Galibier. Several riders returned on the descent, before the yellow jersey again imposed himself on the Col de Sarenne.
When Decathlon CMA CGM Team attempted to contribute to the pace, Pogacar appeared unimpressed by the intervention. For Zonneveld, the moment captured a dynamic in which the race leader remained entirely in control of who could act and when.
“Then they’re just a bunch of glorified cycling tourists who are allowed to ride in his slipstream – and definitely aren’t allowed to attack,” he said.
That display made a greater impression on Zonneveld than Pogacar’s record-breaking ascent of Alpe d’Huez one day earlier. The Slovenian had attacked with 12 kilometres remaining, erased a lead of more than three minutes and won his fifth stage of the race while putting 2:29 into Evenepoel.
“I find the successful record attempt on Alpe d’Huez less humiliating for his competitors than what he showed today, or on the Plateau de Solaison,” Zonneveld argued.
Evenepoel won at Plateau de Solaison and followed that success with victory in the Stage 16 individual time trial. Those results confirmed his ability to beat Pogacar on individual days, but they did not persuade Zonneveld that the Slovenian regards him as a threat comparable to Jonas Vingegaard.
Tadej Pogacar and Isaac del Toro at the 2026 Tour de France
Vingegaard’s absence changed the rivalry
Vingegaard’s withdrawal on Stage 15 removed the rider who had occupied second place and shared the previous six Tour victories with Pogacar. Zonneveld believes his absence also changed the way the yellow jersey approached those around him.
“That’s because Vingegaard isn’t here,” he said. “Even though he’s minutes ahead of Vingegaard, he’s someone he wouldn’t want to see succeed. No agreements were made with him.”
By contrast, Zonneveld suspects UAE and Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe reached at least an unspoken understanding during the final week. He pointed to the pursuit of the breakaway on the first Alpe d’Huez stage, days after Evenepoel had beaten Pogacar and Del Toro at Plateau de Solaison.
“It was pretty clear that a deal had been struck with Red Bull, whether it was written or unwritten,” he claimed.
The possibility of cooperation would help explain why Pogacar allowed Evenepoel to ride clear on Stage 20 once Del Toro’s podium position was secure. Evenepoel collected second place and reduced his final deficit to 6:26, while Pogacar guided his teammate home to preserve third overall and the white jersey.
Zonneveld contrasted that accommodation with the far more hostile competitive relationship between UAE and Team Visma | Lease a Bike, describing it as being driven by “hatred and envy” and recalling Pogacar’s visible frustration during the final week of the 2025 Tour.
Evenepoel will reach Paris with two stage victories and his best Tour de France finish, but Zonneveld’s assessment leaves the Belgian in an unusual position: clearly the closest rider to Pogacar in the final classification, yet still not the opponent who commands the yellow jersey’s greatest suspicion.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- That 3000 extra that the Tour de France is built up in the flat stages
Rafionain-Glas04-11-2026 - maybe this is something else they can protest in the streets of France.mij04-11-2026
- his Roubaix win was amazing. not to take anything away from him - arguably one of MVDP's wins was at the expense of a WVA flat - but so many things need to line up to get one of these. He had a perfect race with fewer bike issues on an attritional course. And crazy strong as usual. Glad he got this done.mij04-11-2026
- Orts was a super smart signing with the new rules regarding cross and UCI pointsmij04-11-2026
- yeah... you're right...PogiSloFans04-11-2026
- Podcast sounds great. Two so called experts stating the f*cking obvious.wrsty04-11-2026
- A mindset that reminds me of Tim Declerq. I loved watching that guy just pound away the kilometers, hours at the front, holding an entire breakaway in check on his own. Bjerg seems like a similar guy. Curling, the team sport.RidesHills04-11-2026
- He will be lol, but he can still win on the climbs hahaawp04-11-2026
- I would love to have his inconsistency. How many wins this year? 2 TdF stages, a WC, a Euro championship, San Sebastian, multiple wins early year. Monument podiums. I'd take it. I don't think he has a chance in the TdF, but he is still amazing.mij04-11-2026
- He's not going to win the TdF. Maybe if they make every single stage a TT he could win. But I still believe Tadej would just sharpen his TT skills and win.mij04-11-2026
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