"I think we’ll see an attack from Jonas Vingegaard there" - Tadej Pogacar and UAE expect Tourmalet fireworks as Tour de France heats up
Cycling
UAE Team Emirates - XRG and Tadej Pogacar are expecting to see Jonas Vingegaard attack on the Col du Tourmalet on stage 6 of the Tour de France. As the peloton takes on the first pure mountain stage of the Tour, fans are expecting their first true hierarchy-sorting of the race.
Pogacar and Vingegaard are locked on the same time when it comes to general classification, with rivals such as Remco Evenepoel, Paul Seixas and Juan Ayuso all on lingering behind. However, the pre-race favourites are already some way off the yellow jersey.
Torstein Traeen wears the leader's jersey since stage 4, and is several minutes ahead of Pogacar and co. The Norwegian rider finds himself unexpectedly leading the race following a breakaway effort on Tuesday but is expected to lose time on stage 6 and other stages.
But for stage 6, the Col du Tourmalet looms. The iconic Pyrenees climb top off with 38 kilometers to go, with riders then picking up a descent and a long 18 kilometer uphill climb to the finish line.
Matxín Joxean Fernández, UAE's team manager, thinks that Visma | Lease a Bike and Vingegaard will attack on the Tourmalet to try and reduce the group of favourites.
UAE think Vingegaard will attack
“I think we’ll see an attack from Jonas Vingegaard there to whittle down the group. It’s going to be a crucial climb,” Matxín told In De Leiderstrui.
When it comes to UAE's plan for the stage, Pogacar's mood or feeling can cause the best laid-out plans to change drastically. But first for Matxin - make sure stage breakaway attackers are closely monitored and that no GC favourites gain an advantage.
“In principle, we can simply have our leader, Pogacar, follow the move. We have a plan every day, but it’s true that the plan isn't set in stone,” Matxín said.
UAE will control breakaway but Pogacar may change plan
“The opening phase will be a battle to get into the breakaway, and we’ll see if any dangerous GC contenders are involved. Depending on that, we’ll have to decide whether or not to set the pace.”
However, Pogacar then decides the rest. The Slovenian has famously attacked based on feeling and situation from long-range, throwing the team's stage plan out the window - with those attacks usually resulting in victory and big time wins.
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“If things go differently and Tadej signals halfway through that he’s feeling good, everything could change,” he said.
The team have a plan up until Pogacar's instincts may take over: “We have a plan for stage 6, just as we do for the other stages. But whether or not Tadej attacks sometimes depends on the moment and his own instincts.”
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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