"If he had the legs he normally has..." - Has Contador spotted a sign of weakness in Pogacar?
Cycling
Alberto Contador sees no mystery in Tadej Pogacar's recent restraint on the Mûr-de-Bretagne, or in UAE Team Emirates’ need for a breather. Pogacar won the stage yesterday, but did so in a controlled manner, which is something we are seeing more and more from the world champion.
After a relentless opening week, Contador says UAE has carried more than its share of the burden. “They've already done a lot of work so far in the Tour in stages that were theoretically flatter or some transition stages and practically every day they've had to work a lot," he said.
With two sprint stages expected this weekend, Contador believes UAE finally has a chance to step back. “It's in UAE's interest to have a couple of quiet days now, we'll see what happens with the wind, but in principle the weight is going to be carried by the sprinters' teams. For example, Lidl-Trek is not going to hesitate and will surely get to work with the help of another team. So they won't have to work too hard. I think it will be good for them.”
As for Pogacar’s choice to wait for the finishing sprint instead of attacking earlier on the steepest part of the climb, Contador offered two possible interpretations: a tactical choice, or a sign of slight weakness.
“Tadej I guess he wanted to be more cautious, but I think that if he had the legs he normally has, he wouldn't have gone for the sprint, I think he would have started earlier to get away alone and make more of a difference. Only he can know that. We don't know if he was a little less super because of the hydration issue or, on the contrary, tactically I'm going to spend as little as possible.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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