"Tadej Pogacar's a generous person, he doesn't mind sharing" - Tim Wellens takes over Tour de France polka-dots from superstar teammate
Cycling
As it turned out, Tadej Pogacar's spell in the polka-dot jersey lasted just the one day at the 2025 Tour de France. On stage 3, a perfectly timed attack from the Slovenian's UAE Team Emirates - XRG teammate Tim Wellens, saw the Belgian national champion take the only King of the Mountains point on offer and take over the lead of the classification on countback.
Although level on points Pogacar, Wellens takes the jersey by virtue of having won two climbs to his teammate's one. "Last night, Tadej Pogacar and I talked about the possibility of me taking the polka dot jersey," Wellens says in his post-stage interview, revealing the pre-meditated nature of the attack. "He told me he was happy to have it, but as he's a generous person, he doesn't mind sharing.
Now, Wellens gets to enjoy being one of the most easily recognisable riders in the bunch for at least a short while. "I've worn the polka dot jersey before and I know it's an honour in the Tour de France, so I'm very happy," he concludes. "Of course, I'm here to help Tadej, but my legs felt really good anyway and it didn't take that much energy to go for the point."
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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