"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
Cycling
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.
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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