“Reborn is a strong word” – Adam Yates’ remarkable Tour de France revival helps Tadej Pogacar make history on Alpe d’Huez
CyclingSaturday, 25 July 2026 at 11:15
Adam Yates has spent the previous days fighting simply to remain in the Tour de France. On stage 19 though, he was suddenly back at the front of the race and helping Tadej Pogacar complete a record-breaking victory on Alpe d’Huez.
Illness had reduced Yates to survival mode earlier in the week, with eating, recovering and even reaching the finish becoming a struggle. His appearance in the large breakaway therefore marked a striking change, even if the UAE Team Emirates – XRG rider stopped short of declaring himself fully recovered.
“Reborn is a strong word,” Yates told reporters after the finish. “I’m still suffering a lot. It’s quite obvious we have had some illness in the team, and the last few days have been really difficult."
"Even just to finish the stage has been really hard," he added. "We knew we would get through it, but it takes time.”
Accidental breakaway puts Yates in Pogacar’s path
Yates had not started the day with a planned satellite-rider role. He moved towards the front to cover attacks and found himself part of the 42-rider group that eventually established the stage’s main breakaway.
“I didn’t mean to be in the break actually, I was up near the front marking some moves, and suddenly there was a space,” he admitted. “Yeah, it was good. I got a bit of a head-start on the climb, and then the guys came from behind and you know what happened.”
That unexpected head start became valuable once Pogacar attacked the general classification group on Alpe d’Huez.
The yellow jersey began the final climb more than three minutes behind the leaders but rapidly cut into their advantage. Yates had already lost contact with the front of the breakaway, yet remained far enough up the mountain to assist when Pogacar reached him.
Their spell together was brief, but came midway through a pursuit that eventually carried Pogacar past Sepp Kuss, Richard Carapaz and Lenny Martinez before the summit. Pogacar later described seeing Yates ahead as a morale boost after watching his teammate struggle through the previous stages.
Yates played a key role in Pogacar’s record breaking Alpe d'Huez ascent
Yates wishes he'd done even more
“I would have liked the pull for Pogacar to have been a little bit longer, but like I say, I’ve been struggling for the last few days with illness,” he said.
UAE had started the stage with doubts around several riders and Pogacar faced much of the decisive chase alone. Yates provided a short turn of pace and a welcome wheel before the race leader resumed his pursuit.
From struggling to finish to the front of the race
Pogacar went on to become only the second rider to win on Alpe d’Huez while wearing the yellow jersey, with his reported climbing time surpassing the long-standing benchmark associated with Marco Pantani’s 1997 ascent
Yates’ contribution was only one part of that performance, but it completed an extraordinary turnaround of his own. Days after illness had left his continuation in the race under question, he was back in the breakaway and helping shape the decisive phase of one of the Tour’s biggest mountain stages.
“Just to be back in this kind of shape, and to be back at the pointy end of a race is nice,” he said. “When you’re sick, the only thing you pray for is health, I read the other day, and that’s true. It’s good to be back, and hopefully I’ll be even better tomorrow.”
Stage 20 will bring an even longer Alpine test and Yates remains cautious about the extent of his recovery. On Alpe d’Huez, however, the rider who had recently been struggling merely to finish reappeared exactly where Pogacar needed him.
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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- The riders they need for gc are all locked in to other teams. I can't see these additions making much difference.Cyclingsbestfan25-07-2026
- History in the making!Lobz7725-07-2026
- I'm not sure who started it, or what it was about. Sadly it esculated and the older man took a big left hook to the jaw that nearly put him over the armco. Been on the alpe a few times with my family and it always has been peace and love with folks just having a great time.Cyclingsbestfan25-07-2026
- Making a sticky bottle mistake at the tender age of 22 is far easier to forgive, I'd say.
Rafionain-Glas25-07-2026 - A rider even more easy to dislike than armstrong or Jasper Philipsen.
Andrew25-07-2026 - Guy in white is the problem.PaulB8tson25-07-2026
- His main problem is his attitude. He was visibly angry when he crossed the line, just ahead the incredible Carapaz.Hills3325-07-2026
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