Tour de France: ‘Team command is weak’ – UAE criticized after Tadej Pojakar crash in Pyrenees

Team Emirates’ tactics at Tour de France come under fire break away Robbie McEwan yells ‘weak team command’ after Tad Pojaka collapses on stage five

Pogacar, who had serious doubts about his form and fitness after breaking his wrist in April’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege match, is in the running for a third Tour title Got off to a positive start as he gained a ton of extra seconds in the first two stages. Basque Country.

The UAE, meanwhile, claimed the yellow jersey under Adam Yates in the first stage and defended it enthusiastically, a decision that backfired on Wednesday when Pogakar Got isolated on the final climb, then pulled away.

With no response from Pojaka, Jonas Weingergaard (Jumbo-Visma) set off in pursuit of fugitive Jai Hindley (Bola Hansgrohe) and ended up a point behind the defending Danish champions many minutes.

He was sixth in the overall standings ahead of the sixth stage, 1ft 40in behind yellow-carded Hindley and 1ft 03in behind second-placed Wengergaard.

Adam Blythe said: “If we looked at the top of the main climb yesterday, he had the whole team drilling up front and their faces were in pain.”

“We’re on day 5! They tried to keep the GC spot and they did it, lost all their teammates, put pressure on Tadeji, and then he got knocked out by one attack – it wasn’t multiple attacks… …I think it scares them a little bit.”

McEwan was furious when Pogacar admitted in an interview with Eurosport ahead of Thursday’s Cambasque that he had little idea how strong he was in the Tour de France.

“I think the team didn’t manage well enough to stop him,” said the 12-time Tour de France stage winner.

“Tad said ‘we don’t know how well I’m going to do, we know Jonas is going to do well’ – so why ride so aggressively? I don’t think the team directors are really doing their job. Work. It looks too temporary”.

Bryce added: “I agree, but it’s hard to tell someone who loves cycling and loves winning not to do it. It’s like telling Messi not to score goals.”

EF Education First-EasyPost boss Jonathan Vaughters returns break away As a special guest, he said he would not have played the Tour in the same way if he had been in the UAE.

“If you don’t know how Pogakar got in, ideally your strategy should be as low-key and as unobtrusive as possible. But that’s Pogakar’s style. [to attack],” He said.

Vaughters also revealed that his EF team had processed data from the Vingegaard ascent.

“Based on our calculations, Vingegaard’s average power over these 20 minutes will be a little under 7 watts per kilogram,” he said.

“You don’t usually get those big numbers in the Tour de France. Pogacar can grab all the bonus seconds he wants, and you’re not going to touch a guy who can produce that kind of power output.”

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