"Tadej kept pushing — but he just couldn’t shake Vingegaard" - Alberto Contador sees Visma tactics have effect on Pogacar on stage 10 of 2025 Tour de France

Two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador has offered his post-stage analysis on Eurosport, casting a sharp eye over Tadej Pogacar’s explosive effort in Stage 10 — and why it ultimately failed to distance Jonas Vingegaard.

According to Contador, Pogacar did everything right on an individual level. The Slovenian launched one of his trademark accelerations in the final kilometres, but a lack of team support and the strategic resilience of Visma-Lease a Bike left him isolated at the worst possible moment.

“Today, I believe Tadej made a proper attack — a real Pogacar-style move,” Contador explained. “But there was no one to set it up for him. There were moments of hesitation on the climb, and those pauses allow riders to clear lactic acid, to recover — and that reduces the overall damage an attack can do.”

Contador broke down the mechanics of Pogacar’s surge with his trademark attention to detail: “It lasted around 33 seconds. He started out of the saddle, then sat down after seven or eight seconds, still producing massive wattage. He got back on the pedals again, and at one point, it looked like he was putting a metre into Jonas. But Vingegaard hung on. Tadej kept pushing — but he just couldn’t shake him.”

“It was a hard effort — though not quite at the level of his attack on the Mûr-de-Bretagne. The crucial difference? The groundwork wasn’t laid," Contador continues. "Visma had stripped him of his team. He was left completely alone.”

Contador was particularly keen to highlight the tactical disadvantage Pogacar faced once his UAE Emirates teammates fell away. With Visma still well-manned and dangerous, Pogacar had to take risks solo — a vulnerable position, especially so far from the finish line. “When you’re on your own like that, it’s risky — whether it’s a puncture, a mechanical, going wide on a corner, or just needing a bottle or some food but unable to reach the team car.”

That exposed position — both physically and tactically — may not have cost him time on the day, but it sent a message. And for Contador, the message is clear: Visma are growing in confidence.

While Pogacar remains in yellow and holds over a minute’s lead in the general classification, Contador believes Stage 10 has subtly shifted the momentum back towards Visma and Vingegaard — particularly with a rest day now to regroup and recharge.

“Visma are doing their job to perfection. This rest day couldn’t come at a better time for them. Morale will be sky-high, especially after a stage win — it lifts the whole team atmosphere,” Contador concludes. “Tadej is in outstanding form, no question. But Pavel Sivakov didn’t have his best day, and more importantly, UAE are missing Joao Almeida. That’s a big hole in their engine room. The rest day will benefit Visma more, especially in terms of morale and control.”

Contador’s verdict is a reminder that the Tour de France isn’t won by individual brilliance alone. As Pogacar continues to light up the race with attacking flair, Vingegaard and Visma are slowly reasserting their strategic grip. The fireworks are far from over — but it’s the groundwork, not just the explosions, that may ultimately decide the outcome in Paris.