“We always knew we had two cards to play” – UAE turn Pogacar and Del Toro numbers game into Tour de France stage 2 domination
Cycling
Adam Yates says UAE Team Emirates – XRG always knew they had more than one way to win on stage 2 of the 2026 Tour de France, after Tadej Pogacar and Isaac del Toro delivered a dominant one-two finish in Barcelona.
Del Toro took the stage victory on Montjuic after launching the final acceleration in the closing kilometre, with Pogacar staying on his teammate’s wheel before allowing the Mexican to cross the line first. Remco Evenepoel finished third and Jonas Vingegaard fourth, but UAE controlled the finale long before the sprint towards the Olympic Stadium.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the stage, Yates said the plan had been built around using the team’s depth rather than leaving everything to Pogacar.
“We did a good ride yesterday, morale was high, and I think it showed today,” Yates said. “We always knew we had two cards to play.”
UAE make numbers count on Montjuic
UAE’s control became clear once the race reached the Montjuic circuit. Brandon McNulty produced a huge turn on the front to reduce the peloton, while Yates also helped keep Pogacar and Del Toro protected before the final climb and run towards the Olympic Stadium.
Rather than waiting for a straight Pogacar attack, UAE used Del Toro as a second threat. When the Mexican accelerated, he did not simply lead out his leader. He opened the gap, forced the response behind and carried enough speed to reach the finish with Pogacar still on his wheel. “Every race we go to, we always try and play to our strength with numbers and it worked out really well here,” Yates explained.
The result gave UAE exactly the return they wanted from the first road-stage test of the Tour. Del Toro claimed the biggest win of his career, Pogacar collected bonus seconds to move within six seconds of Vingegaard’s yellow jersey, and UAE took over the team classification after only two stages.
Yates back in the mix after Giro crash
For Yates, the performance also carried personal meaning. The British rider arrived at the Tour after crashing out of the Giro d’Italia, with his condition one of the questions around UAE before the race began.
“I was nervous coming to the Tour, after crashing out of the Giro, because it’s always double speed for everything,” he admitted. “But you saw today we finished it off.”
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Stage 2 showed the depth UAE have around Pogacar. Del Toro is now fourth overall, in the white jersey and leading the points classification, while Pogacar sits second behind Vingegaard. Yates’ presence in the finale gave the team another experienced climbing option as the race heads towards its first mountain tests.
“It’s going to be a long three weeks but hopefully an enjoyable one,” Yates added.
UAE leave the opening weekend with a stage win, a one-two finish, the team classification lead and Pogacar already closer to yellow. Their first major road-stage test ended with the exact tactical advantage Yates had described: two cards, both still in play.
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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