"He's complaining about something that isn't there" - Wout van Aert critical of Tadej Pogacar's words on Visma tactics

It could be said that there isn't a true war of words between Team Visma | Lease a Bike and UAE Team Emirates - XRG, but there is certainly a growing tension throughout this Tour de France. Wout van Aert has responded to Tadej Pogacar's words regarding stage 15's tactics and the Belgian was not satisfied with what he had heard.

"Luckily, it doesn’t bother me and neither does anyone else in the group. At least, I don’t get that feeling. But it’s quite funny that Tadej says it," van Aert said it in a press conference this morning, as reported by TNT Sports.

Early on Sunday's stage, Jonas Vingegaard was affected by a fall that split the peloton. Whilst it seemed clear that the large group would return to the front of the race, Pogacar talked about Visma's tactics of maintaining three riders in the front group. The racing hadn't stopped and the plan was to get them in the breakaway, where Victor Campenaerts and Wout van Aert ultimately finished amongst the first.

After the stage Pogacar commented: "I didn't know what to think. I blocked Matteo, so the three of them couldn't continue. Maybe I helped Jonas by doing that, because it was a pretty strange situation. If I were in Jonas's position, I wouldn't be the happiest at the dinner table tonight". This was seen as a dig on Visma's tactics and perhaps an attempt to undermine the Dutch collective. 

Van Aert did not hold back when asked about the statements. "It was also very clear that UAE Emirates - XRG wanted Tim Wellens in the breakaway. They did exactly the same. And when I look back at that situation with Jonas’ crash, I think the solution would have been really simple. With 25 riders, we tried to get into the breakaway".

Van Aert did not enjoy Pogacar's words, and most likely believes it is part of a psychological tactic from the Slovenian - something which seems to have been a back and forth between the two teams over the past few weeks. "If Tadej had simply dropped back into the group Jonas was in, that would have been truly sporting. Now he's complaining about something that isn't there. We simply wanted to race for the stage win.

Visma dropping back their riders would likely result in the same situation for Vingegaard, whilst reducing it's chances of being in the winning breakaway. The Belgian sees no drama in the race scenario that had developed: "Everyone who was there at that moment was there to be in the breakaway. I think that's a perfectly normal thing."