"One of those stupid crashes where it's because Tadej Pogacar didn't see him coming" - Pogacar as much to blame for crash as Johannessen says David Millar
Cycling
Tobias Johannessen was the somewhat unlucky rider to have brought down Tadej Pogacar towards the end of a dramatic stage 11 at the 2025 Tour de France. Whilst the world champion has reportedly escaped without serious injury was waited on by his GC rivals - ensuring no time loss - Johannessen has still come in for some intense scrutiny online.
"I am terribly sorry for what happened to Tadej Pogacar. I was trying to follow a move and I can see that I was to close. I thought everyone would move to the right, but I made a mistake and would like to say sorry again. I hope he is as good as he can be after a crash like that," Johannessen said in a message shared on X after the crash. "I would of course like to do it again and do it differently, but I can’t. That feels shit, but I would not wish anyone the amount of threats I get in my inbox. I am terrible sorry but also terrified of the hate from all the people. This feels very scary".
Was the Norwegian even to blame for the incident though? According to former Tour de France stage winner and Maillot Jaune wearer David Millar, the answer is no. At least not solely to blame.
"It was just one of those situations where they were jumping around left and right, and he got it just at the moment where Tadej Pogacar was looking the other way, drifting over to the left, and Johannessen came sweeping across the right and their wheel crossed," explains the British ex-pro for ITV Sport. "It was one of those stupid crashes where the moment it happens - it's because Tadej Pogacar didn't see him coming."
"Obviously, Pogacar was looking at the attack that was happening on the right, but drifting slightly to the left with his body weight that way. And Johannessen went sprinting right," Millar continues. "Johannessen perhaps should have been a bit more careful, but I don't think anyone is going to go: 'Wow, that was crazy'. Because it was just... the amount of moves that happen like that at that point of the race, you've got to be super vigilant. So both of them perhaps, made a little bit of a boo-boo."
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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