“I don’t know whether that does cycling a disservice" - UAE's Tour de France tactics blasted as team's sports director hits out
Cycling
As the 2026 Tour de France second act begins following Monday's rest day, much of the opening week narrative has revolved around UAE Team Emirates - XRG. From back-to-back stage wins and Pogacar's mountain dominance to their aggressive controlling of stages, not everyone in the peloton is happy.
Of course when UAE grabbed control of stage 6 to set up Tadej Pogacar's attack on the Col du Tourmalet, many teams were happy to focus on managing their GC leaders in the face of the Slovenian's superiority on his favoured terrain.
However, stage 9 offered a different proposition. A punchy stage attacked by many opportunists hoping for breakaway glory, UAE controlled the day's breakaway for large portions of the stage. However, many teams grew frustrated and confusion reigned as to exactly why.
With no GC threat up the road and little opportunity for Pogacar, their tactics to control the break confused fans and fellow professionals alike. However, what's clear to Movistar sports director José Joaquín Rojas is that Pogacar is firmly in control of the Tour de France - with Rojas believing the yellow jersey is already decided.
“We all think the Tour is more than decided,” Rojas told EFE. “Pogacar is above everyone else and he has the strongest, most crushing and most dominant team we have seen in recent years.”
“He will win six stages and take a huge share of the spoils,” he said.
Rojas notes unwritten rule in peloton
But when it came to Sunday's stage 9, Rojas believes that UAE didn't abide by an unwritten rule in the peloton: allowing the breakaway to contest the stage when there are little general classification options.
“What UAE did yesterday made no sense,” he said. “I speak to 85 per cent of the sports directors and they all think the same. UAE can do whatever it wants because this is cycling, but there are also unwritten rules that should be respected."
Rojas argues that it damages the entertainment value of the Tour when riders are discouraged from attacking and attempting to snatch breakaway victories. Noting the spectacle of cycling, he wonders does GC teams controlling some stages do the sport a disservice.
“Many will say that if there is nothing they can do, they would rather stay at home,” he added.
“I don’t know whether that does cycling a disservice. Everyone has their own point of view, but for me it does. In the end, I think it takes away part of the spectacle, because the beauty of cycling is the fight for different objectives.”
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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