"If we had given away the pink, we would still have the blue" - Joxean Matxin denies claims UAE wanted to lose Tadej Pogacar's Maglia Rosa ahead of Giro time-trial
Cycling
For a moment or so out on the road, it looked as if Tadej Pogacar would pass on the Maglia Rosa to Luke Plapp during stage 6 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia. Post-stage, Pogacar himself even admitted he wouldn't have been too bothered to lose the Maglia Rosa although that wasn't how things transpired.
In the end, Pogacar and the rest of the GC contenders crossed the line just 28 seconds down on Plapp, who finished third from the breakaway. According to UAE Team Emirates boss Joxean Matxin however, giving away the Maglia Rosa was never part of the plan as it would have made very little sense heading into the Giro d'Italia's first time-trial on stage 7.
"Tadej could not have ridden in his own time-trial suit in any scenario," Matxin explains, countering claims that giving away the Maglia Rosa would have benefitted Pogacar, as he wouldn't be forced to use a race organisation skin suit. "He is also leader in the mountains classification. If we had given away the pink, we would still have the blue."
"Giving away the pink is not an obsession for us," Matxin insists. "It really depends on the situation. Today we had to remain relaxed, control to stay out of trouble and also race with respect for the pink jersey. We never thought about giving away the pink, not even towards Friday's time trial. The next two days will be important to understand what situation we are in."
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Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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💗DAY 6 of #Giro. A thoroughly enjoyable ride on the Tuscan sterrato as @TamauPogi safe in pink.🇮🇹 👀 Tomorrow the first time trial stage of 40.6km from Foligno to Perugia. #WeAreUAE #UAETeamEmirates
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