"On the Tourmalet 'boo-hoo' everyone was shouting" - Tim Wellens says fans turning against UAE amid Tour de France domination
Cycling
Tim Wellens has said that he experienced fans and spectators booing him and his UAE Team Emirates - XRG teammates during the Tour de France. Amid the team and Tadej Pogacar's dominance, there has been growing criticism of their team tactics and the gap between Pogacar and the rest of the bunch.
The latest commentary has revolved around UAE controlling stage 9 of the Tour, keeping a breakaway with little general classification danger at striking distance, thus discouraging attacks and potentially snuffing out a breakaway stage.
In the end, the breakaway held on by a matter of seconds as Lidl-Trek and INEOS reeled in the gap. Wellens explained that the reason behind him and Felix Großschartner pushing at the front of the bunch was to stop Lidl-Trek from attacking and thus expanding their lead in the teams classification.
"The main goal was to prevent a number of Lidl-Trek riders from getting away," Wellens explained.
"Felix and I were able to keep the gap around a minute quite easily. We got the signal from the support car that we could push a bit harder. But we thought that would be a waste, because we were already keeping it under control easily enough."
Wellens understands frustration from other teams
The Belgian understands the frustration from other teams who hoped the peloton would have nothing to do with the breakaway fight for the stage win. However, from his perspective, UAE aren't too bothered.
"As a rider in a lesser team, I wouldn't like to see a race completely controlled by the competition either. But otherwise: zero f***s given.”
While criticism has came from other teams and sports directors, Wellens explained that fans have also let riders know their frustrations as he claimed he experienced booing during stage 6's Tourmalet stage - dominated by Pogacar. Although annoying for him, he sees it as a signal of their success.
He said: "Just last Thursday, on the Tourmalet 'Boo-hoo' everyone was shouting. We see the frustration in many people, but we don't understand it. Not very pleasant, even a bit annoying. But anyway, we often laugh about it. It means we are doing something right.”
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Wellens said fans would have a different perspective had they witnessed the hard work Pogacar put in at altitude training in May and June, claiming some of his training performances were better than his stage 6 masterclass.
Wellens added: "Everyone who was with him on Sierra Nevada knows everything he did there. And some aspects of that were even more impressive than his raid over the Tourmalet and Gavarnie."
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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