Tadej Pogacar said goodbye to the 2023 Tour de France in Courchevel almost definitively. A loss of more than five minutes with Vingegaard that, adding to what the Dane previously had in the loot, makes the rent between the two more than seven minutes. Matxin, general manager of the UAE, explained to AS the feelings within the team about the state of his great star, who “at no time” thought of getting off the bike. “When you go out on a stage with the important time hit the day before in the time trial, You don’t have a good feeling and you also suffer a fall, that aggressive approach that you had in mind you have to change it. You have to go from defense to attack, when you’re second it’s not the best moment. You become prudent, that this is never our attitude, but it is what we have to do, ”said the Basque.
Regarding Tadej’s state, he points out that he is harder “mentally” than physically, since the Slovenian had never experienced a day like this. “In the end, the sacrifice, the training, so many days away from home… all that comes to mind. These are difficult times and I will always defend him, give him a kiss and tell him that I love him.” Matxin added about a Tadej who at the start of Moutiers was supported by his parents and his sister, who are doing the Tour in a caravan. Regarding Tadej’s plans this season, La Vuelta is not among them. He was not before the French race and he will not be after, except for a catastrophe, not winning the Tour: “We are not going to change. Each person within the team needs their sports space (Ayuso and Almeida will lead the UAE). Now we hope to have two days of relative calm here, since this is the Tour, and if we are well, to try to fight for the stage on Saturday”.
Before the start, while the teams were being presented, Tadej Pogacar had some nice public words before Marc Soler, who accompanied him yesterday from the moment he got off the hook, at Col de la Loze, to the finish line in Courchevel. “I must thank them, and especially Marc Soler, who took me to the finish line and saved my podium”, said the white jersey. In fact, as soon as he reached the finish line, Tadej asked his teammates if he was still keeping his position in the box. The idea of the team now goes through defending the two podium positions occupied by the aforementioned Pogacar, second, and Adam Yates, third.