"Pogacar definitely feels that" - Visma DS assures team is ready to go all-in to defeat UAE at Tour de France

Team Visma | Lease a Bike has put the pressure on Tadej Pogacar once again today on stage 16 of the Tour de France, perhaps the most out of all mountain stages thus far. Whilst they weren't able to make the difference, the yellow jersey certainly won't go into the Alps secure just yet.

The Dutch team, despite the very simple profile - a completely flat stage until the brutal and steep climb to Mont Ventoux - placed riders in the breakaway and made sure they had men out front for a potential attack from Jonas Vingegaard. Back in the peloton, they then prepared just that.

"We said beforehand that the gap is big and that Pogacar has been the strongest so far. But we wanted to go into the third week with confidence and seize every opportunity. We did that today," DS Marc Reef shared with NOS. The team worked when Ventoux started and then Vingegaard launched his first attack shortly after entering the final 10 kilometers.

"Jonas motivated the guys really well. Even at the bottom, and then we had Victor and Tiesj ready to jump. We gave it our all today. I think Jonas can draw confidence from this. And so can we. It's the third week, and anything can still happen."

The Dane attacked and found Tiesj Benoot to link up with shortly after, and after another attack, did the same with Victor Campenaerts. Tactically, the team played it's cards quite well on the first day of the third week, but all of the Dane's attacks were closelt followed by Tadej Pogacar.

But above all, the team focuses on how good Vingegaard looked on the road. "Until now, Pogacar had been stronger on the longer climbs and was able to pull ahead of Jonas. And today it was the other way around. Not that Jonas could overtake him, but he raced with confidence. I think Pogacar definitely feels that."

Visma has two mountain stages to put the hurt on the Slovenian, but they are perhaps the two most difficult of the race. Whilst a slim chance, there is still ground to make the difference on the Alps. "What Jonas showed today definitely gives us confidence. Whether we're going to go all out or nothing? We'll have to see that again towards Thursday and Friday."

Col de la Loze and La Plagne (alongside several other long and steep climbs) await the peloton, where Visma will go all-in to try and dethrone their rival. "Those will be two very tough stages. The weather will probably also be worse, which will also play a role. In any case, we're ready to fight and we're going to do everything we can".