“I knew Del Toro wasn’t at 100%, so I waited” - Tadej Pogacar waits but still makes the different on Col du Haag

Cycling
Saturday, 18 July 2026 at 18:40
Isaac del Toro and Tadej Pogacar on stage 8 of the Tour de France 2026
Tadej Pogacar again showed why he remains the benchmark of world cycling. The Slovenian from UAE Team Emirates XRG took stage 14 of the 2026 Tour de France with a decisive attack in the final two kilometres of the climb to Le Markstein, sealing his fourth win of this edition and the 25th of his career at the Grande Boucle.
It was a complete day for the Emirati squad, with Isaac del Toro finishing second and the lead in the general classification reinforced even further. The yellow jersey attacked towards the end of the Col du Haag after UAE Team Emirates - XRG controlled most of the stage this Saturday, and rode to yet another solo stage win.
Before even discussing his move, Pogacar used much of his first words to praise the electric atmosphere throughout the stage, especially on the final ascents: “Today I have to thank all the fans who came out on the road. It was truly unforgettable to see so many people on the mountains and at the summit. I had never seen anything like it,” he said.
The Tour leader insisted the peloton’s show of force was also a way to repay the support from the roadside. “I think all the riders feel huge respect for the fans. We all put on a great show and it’s nice to race days like this,” he added.
Tadej Pogacar won stage 14 of the 2026 Tour de France
Tadej Pogacar won stage 14 of the 2026 Tour de France

Pogacar held back out of respect for Del Toro

Victory came once more thanks to one of the explosive accelerations that define the Slovenian. However, Pogacar explained that for much of the climb he preferred to wait and gauge his main rivals before making a move.
“I knew maybe Isaac del Toro wasn’t at one hundred percent, so I waited until the final two kilometres to see if there would be any moves,” he explained.
The pace set by his rivals ended up opening the door to the decisive moment. “In fact, Decathlon with Paul Seixas and then Jonas Vingegaard set a very, very hard tempo on the climb. One by one riders started to drop and I was feeling good,” he said.
With the group whittled down and with intimate knowledge of the ascent, he chose his moment. “I said I’d try in the last two kilometres because I know this climb very well. And with so many people cheering, you get an extra push to the top. I had good legs and I took the opportunity,” he summed up.

A perfect day for UAE Team Emirates - XRG

Beyond the individual triumph, Pogacar hailed the outstanding collective work by UAE Team Emirates - XRG throughout the day. “It was a really perfect day. We had this stage marked from the start,” he said.
The Slovenian recalled that Le Markstein is a special place for him. “I know this stage very well. It’s a beautiful area for cycling and I have very good memories from here,” he said.
Isaac del Toro’s second place capped a superb display by the Emirati squad, which leaves the day even stronger both in the general classification and in morale. “As a team we’ve achieved another great win,” he celebrated.
Despite stretching his overall lead further, now up to four and a half minutes over his rivals, Pogačar avoided revealing a possible strategy for the next mountain stage.
“Tomorrow is a bit tougher. I don’t want to give too many details, but it will be a hard day for us,” he replied with a smile.
He did make clear the team will show up with its usual ambition. “We’ll be ready to fight and we’ll see what happens. There are many possibilities,” concluded the Tour de France leader, who keeps stacking victories and writing new pages in the race’s history with ever more unanswerable authority.
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