“If I were UAE, I’d take note” - Possible Vingegaard weakness pointed out after Pogacar battle as Contador analyses stage 3 finish
Cycling
Stage 3 of the Tour de France delivered the first head-to-head between Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard on an explosive finish, and although the Dane resisted the defending champion’s attack, Alberto Contador believes the sequence offers highly valuable insight for the rest of the race. The two-time Tour winner broke down on Eurosport’s La Montonera the small details that shaped the finale and pointed to one specific image that, in his view, UAE Team Emirates-XRG should study closely.
Contador focused on Vingegaard’s reaction just seconds after Pogacar’s acceleration. The Madrid-born analyst thinks the Visma-Lease a Bike leader’s glance over his shoulder could be read as a sign of vulnerability, though he immediately cautioned that drawing firm conclusions would be premature.
“If I were a DS, coach, or rider at UAE, I would interpret that look from Vingegaard barely three seconds after Pogacar’s attack as a clear symptom of weakness,” he said on television. However, he reminded viewers that the stage context was very different from what the big climbs of the final week will bring.
For Contador, the outcome of this third day should not be extrapolated to the high mountains. “We’re talking about a super explosive stage that has nothing to do with what we’ll find in the final week,” he noted.
Precisely because of the route profile, the commentator highlighted Vingegaard’s merit in responding on terrain far less favourable to his natural strengths.
“Vingegaard was the best of all the GC riders”
In fact, the former Spanish pro considers the Dane one of the day’s major protagonists. On a finish designed for riders with a sharp change of pace, Vingegaard managed to stay with the best against far punchier specialists. “He was the best of all the riders with GC ambitions,” Contador assessed, stressing that he faced rivals whose profiles were far better suited to that type of finale.
Among those names he cited riders such as Juan Ayuso and Remco Evenepoel, both with particularly powerful kicks on short, explosive finishes. He also offered a critical reading of the Belgian, believing he showed a few signs of suffering in the final metres.
👀 @albertocontador y el estado de Vingegaard: "Si fuera de UAE, interpretaría esa mirada como un claro signo de debilidad"#TDF2026 #LaCasadelCiclismo pic.twitter.com/D2YA5qF9D9
— Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) July 6, 2026
Contador recalled that when Isaac del Toro upped the pace with around 600 metres to go, Evenepoel could not respond as easily as the other favourites. The Olympic champion briefly lost the wheel and it was Richard Carapaz—also a Games winner—who had to close the gap to prevent it from growing before the decisive move.
Another key figure in the analysis was Del Toro himself. The young Mexican again played a decisive role as Pogacar’s lead-out, producing a draining turn that impressed the current Polti owner.
Del Toro, Pogacar’s best domestique
Contador explained that, after finishing his pull, Del Toro was almost brought to a standstill for a moment, forced to catch his breath after the massive effort on the front. Only then did he find his rhythm again to latch back onto the main GC contenders.
That detail was especially significant for the commentator, as it shows both the Mexican’s selflessness and his outstanding form. “He emptied himself completely. The effort he made was very, very generous,” Contador stressed, noting that Del Toro is not a mere domestique but a rider with enough quality to even aim for the final podium in Paris.
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In short, Contador’s reading leaves two clear messages after the first major duel between Pogacar and Vingegaard. On one hand, he believes UAE may have detected a small psychological crack in their great rival.
On the other, he warns that this kind of explosive finish does not predict what will happen when the Tour reaches the Alps and the Pyrenees. That is where both contenders for yellow will truly reveal their real level.
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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