Merijn Zeeman previews stage 13 ascent of the Grand Colombier: “I expect that UAE will take control for Pogačar"

The summit finish atop the Grand Colombier on stage 13 of the 2023 Tour de France, is expected to be a potentially decisive day in Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard's fight for the Maillot Jaune. Jumbo-Visma's Merijn Zeeman is expecting UAE Team Emirates to try for the stage win.

“I expect that UAE will take control for Pogačar," the sports director of the Jumbo-Visma team previews in an interview with Wielerflits. "In any case, we will not check so that the winner comes from the peloton.”

Although there were no time gaps between the general classification riders on stage 12, the chaotic and hectic start to the stage must have caused some amount of stress for the Jumbo-Visma team. Nevertheless, having Tiesj Benoot in the breakaway, and riding to 4th was a good result according to Zeeman.

“Because of what we did ourselves, everyone had to suffer,” he explains. “Because if you have to drive alone behind a strong group, then we are the ones who pay the bill and the others benefit. Now UAE in particular also had to work hard.”