"If I had to leave a meter on the Tourmalet, I would have had a big problem" - Tadej Pogacar recognizes Wout van Aert's breakaway could've ended in disaster for UAE

The Tour de France had it's wind knocked out yesterday for many as the race exploded once again in the mountains. Jonas Vingegaard and Jumbo-Visma plotted a long-distance attack, and Tadej Pogacar was happy he had better sensations, otherwise he might have had a 'big problem'.

“If the neutralized start is lifted, Wout will ride as fast as the red car. Incredible. As soon as I noticed he was in the breakaway I knew it was going to be hard on the Tourmalet and we would run into him again on the last climb," Pogacar admitted in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad. Pogacar's worries were right, the day after he lost a minute to Vingegaard, the Dutch team began to force the pace in the long Col du Tourmalet.

However this time around he managed to answer to the attack of Vingegaard. Wout van Aert was in the breakaway and in great form, and giving up space on his rival could end in disaster as he head a super teammate out front. “That's why I just focused on Vingegaard's wheel all the time. On the final climb it would be between me, Jonas and Wout. If I had to leave a meter on the Tourmalet, I would have had a big problem."

However Pogacar showed his very best legs on the day and Jumbo's tactics were essentially neutralized - not literally, as the duo did win over two minutes on the rest of the field. "Luckily I had good legs on the Tourmalet and then I was able to finish it myself on the last climb," he concluded. Promising signs for the UAE Team Emirates rider who seeks a third Tour de France win.