“One corner can change your entire Tour de France” – UAE boss wary of crash risk for Tadej Pogacar and addresses boos amid unrivalled dominance

Tadej Pogacar may hold a five-minute lead at the Tour de France, but UAE Team Emirates – XRG are refusing to treat the yellow jersey as secure while the danger of a crash remains impossible to control.

The withdrawal of Jonas Vingegaard on stage 15 has removed Pogacar’s main rival and left the Slovenian in a position of unrivalled strength. UAE manager Joxean Matxin nevertheless insists that the race can still be transformed by a single incident rather than a sporting collapse.

“In cycling, one corner can change your entire Tour de France,” Matxin told MARCA on the final rest day. “We have to remain cautious and speak only about what we have achieved so far. There is still a very difficult week ahead.”

Pogacar leads Remco Evenepoel by exactly five minutes, with UAE teammate Isaac del Toro third at 5:58. UAE have also won five stages, hold the yellow and white jerseys and sit in control of the mountains classification.

Those figures leave little doubt over which team has dominated the race. Matxin’s concern is now centred on the sort of misfortune that cannot be managed through tactics or superior climbing strength.

Vingegaard’s Tour ended after a crash on stage 15, providing the clearest possible example of why UAE remain unwilling to speak as though overall victory has already been secured.

Pogacar no longer has a rival within touching distance on the road, but the race leader must still negotiate a time trial and several demanding Alpine stages before reaching Paris.

UAE are therefore expected to continue protecting Pogacar rather than allowing their dominance to change the hierarchy within the team. Del Toro’s position on the provisional podium and in the white jersey gives the team another major objective, but Matxin made clear that defending yellow remains the priority.

His warning also cuts through the usual language of caution used by teams in commanding positions. With Vingegaard gone, the most realistic threat to Pogacar may no longer be a direct attack from another contender. A crash, mechanical problem or badly judged corner could now carry greater danger than any rival.

Pogacar’s dominance has also brought a small number of negative reactions from spectators, including boos during the race. Matxin believes those incidents have received disproportionate attention compared with the scale of support shown to the four-time stage winner.

“The main figure is Tadej Pogacar, not the five percent who boo him,” he said. “The other 95 percent love him. We have seen at the starts that people adore him. Sometimes there are 500 or 2,000 people waiting outside a hotel to take a picture with him.”

For Matxin, isolated hostility is part of the attention that follows any athlete who becomes as successful and visible as Pogacar. He does not believe UAE should allow a minority of spectators to shape the story of the Slovenian’s Tour.

“There are haters in every area of life,” he continued. “We should spend more time thanking the people who send messages of encouragement than focusing on the five percent who think differently.”

Matxin also pointed to Pogacar’s response after Vingegaard left the race. Rather than focusing on how the abandonment strengthened his own position, Pogacar expressed sympathy for the Dane and said his presence would be missed. “You may like Pogacar or you may not, but you can only take your hat off to him after comments like that,” Matxin said.

The UAE manager believes Pogacar’s conduct is particularly significant because of the demands that now surround him. Yellow-jersey duties, media appearances, supporter requests and anti-doping controls continue beyond the finish line, leaving little time away from scrutiny. “Tadej represents excellence as a cyclist,” Matxin said. “In 99 percent of situations, he does everything perfectly. On the bike, away from the bike and in the way he answers questions.”

Pogacar remains the overwhelming favourite to win in Paris. Until the final corners have been negotiated, however, UAE are unwilling to treat even a five-minute advantage as a guarantee.