The Tour de France rivalry between Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard and their UAE Staff Emirates-XRG and Visma-Lease a Bike groups is intense and fought out every day however has, not less than up to now, has not turned nasty.
The racing is high-speed and there have been some tactical beefs in the course of the phases, however then respect and honest play after the end line. After Pogačar beat Vingegaard in a dash on the Mūr-de-Bretagne hilltop end on Friday, their respective directeur sportif shook arms close to their group automobiles.
The one actual beef we have seen up to now on the 2025 Tour de France is the free tasters of French beef supplied by a meals truck on the Tour de France HQ. However it is just stage 7 in any case, with two weeks of racing nonetheless to come back.
The ever-friendly Pogačar usually shakes arms with Vingegaard post-stage and so they often swap just a few phrases as they heat down within the podium space. Pogačar appears honest however may very well be taking part in thoughts video games. Nevertheless, Vingegaard is aware of how to reply to any phrases, simply as he has been ready to reply to Pogačar’s assaults up to now on this 12 months’s Tour.
Who is aware of what five-time tour winner and native Breton resident Bernard Hinault thinks of all of it? He was well-known for his conflict with Greg LeMond as he tried to grab a record-breaking sixth Tour after he’d promised to experience for the American. He’s additionally identified for utilizing his fist with the protesters who tried to cease a stage of Paris-Good.
Lance Armstrong by no means supplied any presents to his rivals and most Grand Tour contenders are naturally formidable and at all times wish to win.
“I settle for that I am aggressive as a group supervisor however Pogačar is a real champion as a result of he at all times desires to win, even when he is taking part in playing cards,” UAE group supervisor Mauro Gianetti defined to Cyclingnews after stage 6.
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Within the 2024 Tour, when Remco Evenepoel accused Vingegaard of not having ‘the balls’ to work with him and Pogačar on the gravel stage to distance their GC rivals, the soft-speaking Dane responded: “It wasn’t an absence of ‘balls’, I simply rode sensible,” he stated.
The UAE-Visma rivalry started when Pogačar snatched his first Tour victory within the Planches des Belles Filles time trial in 2020, defeating Primož Roglič and Visma with an unbelievable time trial efficiency.
Pogačar and Vingegaard have fought for the final 4 editions of the Tour. Pogačar leads 3-2 on victories however Vingegaard has defeated the Slovenian twice. Their rivalry is tense as a result of they and their groups are virtually equal over three weeks of racing.
On Thursday, Pogačar was irritated by Visma’s makes an attempt to up the tempo within the peloton to make sure he stayed within the yellow jersey slightly than move it to Mathieu van der Poel. He questioned in the event that they have been anxious about dropping a bit of time within the stage 5 time trial and even calling them ‘garbage’ on Slovenian radio.
“Visma tried to do, I do not know what…” he stated as he warmed down after stage 6. Along with his beef with Visma rising briefly, Vingegaard responded.
“Pogačar can assume no matter he desires. We’re allowed to run our ways, and they’re allowed to run their ways. It could be that you do not perceive one another’s ways, however that is how biking is.” he was quoted as saying to Danish TV channel TV2.
Visma directeur sportif Grischa Niermann was additionally sarcastic.
“What was the plan? “It is a good factor Pogačar would not get it,” he advised Sporza in response. “We’re following our personal ways and did precisely what we needed. Interval.”
‘Within the race we’re rivals, combating for each centimetre of the highway’
Cyclingnews has seen Mauro Gianetti punch the air and let loose some robust phrases of celebration when Pogačar defeats Vingegaard.
UAE and Visma play tactical video games every time attainable. Tim Wellens opted out of sporting the Tour de France polka-dot jersey on stage 6, forcing Vingegaard to put on it after which endure an issue with an previous, now unlawful Dutch betting sponsor mistakenly positioned on the jersey.
In recent times the 2 groups have usually delayed naming the picks for races to not give a tactical benefit to the opposite. Every main race is a battle for victory and that’s particularly so at this 12 months’s Tour de France.
“Earlier than the beginning of the Tour, we knew there could be a rivalry. Visma got here with a powerful group and so did we, that is the battle. UAE and Visma are maybe the strongest groups however just one can win,” Gianetti stated.
“However the Tour is not only about us. Remco continues to be within the sport, Vauquelin and Onley, too. We have to respect everyone.”
Past the end line of stage 7, Grischa Niermann was seen providing a sporting handshake to Matxin and fellow directeur sportif Andrej Hauptman.
“We respect them.” Matxin insisted.
“Within the race we’re rivals, combating for each centimetre of the highway however past the end line, we’ve a great relationship.”
After stage 7 to Mūr-de-Bretagne Pogačar was again within the yellow jersey, with Evenepoel second general at 54 seconds, Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Resorts) was third at 1:11 and Vingegaard was fourth at 1:17.
The 2 flat phases to Laval after which Châteauroux on the weekend will certainly supply a second of truce. The UAE-Visma rivalry will return within the Massif Central on France’s Bastille Day after which within the Pyrenees, on the uncovered slopes of Mont Ventoux after which within the Alps in the course of the ultimate week.
As Gianetti stated, just one group can win in Paris.