“We take it day by day" - Adam Yates happy to see Pogacar bounce back but not getting too excited just yet

When Jonas Vingegaard put over a minute into Tadej Pogacar on stage 5 of the 2023 Tour de France, many were already claiming it was race over. The Slovenian has bounced back in recent days however, and enters the first rest day just 17 seconds behind his great rival.

Whilst the position is quite clearly rosier than it was following stage 5, Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates teammate and stage 1 winner, Adam Yates is not getting too excited just yet. Instead, he's choosing to stay focused.

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"Every second counts in a three-week race. He was clearly strong and could grab a few seconds," Yates told Eurosport following the conclusion of stage 9 atop the infamous Puy de Dome where Pogacar took back a further 8 seconds on Vingegaard. “It was so hot and steep. There was hardly any wind to cool down. It was super heavy. However, we did well as a team."

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“We take it day by day. One day we lost some time, but we recovered well," Yates concludes. "We use our energy sparingly, it's a long three weeks. The rest day is needed."

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"I felt my legs were good, so I kept pushing until a gap opened" - Tadej Pogacar takes time on Jonas Vingegaard