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"To look at the podium after what happened today, it's the harsh reality" - Joxean Matxin's reaction to UAE Team Emirates disaster on Tour de France disaster
CyclingThursday, 20 July 2023 at 10:40
UAE Team Emirates was dealt a brutal blow on stage 17 of the Tour de France with the explosion of Tadej Pogacar, who has lost all chances of winning the 2023 Grande Boucle after falling more than seven minutes behind Jonas Vingegaard in the general classification. Thus, the team's goal between now and Sunday in Paris is to retain Tadej and Adam Yates' double podium finish.
In statements reported by AS, team manager Joxean Matxín spoke about what happened to his leader on the pass: "Honestly, there was a moment on the second pass when I didn't have a good feeling. We changed the plan to try to attack. We tried to hold on and there was a moment when, with two riders in front of us, we thought about using them as a bridge. First Marc [Soler] and then [Rafal] Majka."
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With over seven minutes of disadvantage to Jonas Vingegaard, the Slovenian can no longer hope of the yellow jersey unless something out of the ordinary happens to the reigning champion. "To look at the podium after what happened today, it's the harsh reality".
Matxín commented after the tough stage on the great job Marc Soler did with Pogi and later made it clear that they will fight to retain the two podium places they still have until Sunday in Paris: "We have to give him all the personal support. In bad times, that's when you get to know people. And you have to be there for them. The team and the atmosphere is extraordinary. We have always created it to be strong as a team. Marc is an exceptional person. I have only good words for him. When I ask him to be in the breakaway he is there and when I ask him to be with the best rider in the world, he is there. It's clear that the line is to keep the podium. From today, we are trying to unseat Vingegaard and today we have to try to save that second and third place."
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