Tadej Pogačar's team fear Remco Evenepoel masterclass in Tour de France time trial
'I think to be with the top two on the Galibier will motivate him for a time trial' DS Matxin Fernandez warns that world champion could claw back substantial time in stage seven test
Tadej Pogačar may be sitting comfortably at the top of the Tour de France general classification, but his team management at UAE Team Emirates have warned that stage seven’s time trial could suddenly see the tables turned on the Slovenian.
After winning in Valloire on stage four with an assault on the slopes of the Col du Galibier, Pogačar currently has a buffer of 45 seconds over Soudal Quick-Step's Remco Evenepoel, the wearer of the white jersey, and 50 seconds over last year’s Tour winner, Visma-Lease a Bike's Jonas Vingegaard.
Pogačar dropped Vingegaard like a stone on the Galibier's descent, although the Slovenian's team management fear that Vingegaard - and Evenepoel in particular - could claw back handfuls of time in the 25km race against the clock between Nuits-Saint-Georges and Gevrey-Chambertin.
"I think the favourite is Remco Evenepoel for the time trial, he’s a rider with the condition for this course," DS Matxin Fernandez told Cycling Weekly in Dijon after stage six.
"Tadej will be fighting for the best result," Fernandez added. "He has worked and worked and worked on his time trialling, he’s got the condition, he’s got a comfortable position, but I don’t know how he’ll go in comparison to the favourites. I trust in Tadej but how he’ll fare against the rest, I don’t know.
"I think Remco looks good, motivated, I think to be with the top two on the Galibier will motivate him for a time trial, terrain he is more suited for."
Pogačar had no trouble during the stage seven time trial in the Giro d’Italia, putting almost two minutes into his rivals at the time, but Evenepoel - the reigning World Champion - was not present in Italy.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Fernandez explained that a good day for Evenepoel could suddenly see Pogačar’s time gap drastically reduced.
He said: "I think 29-30 minutes for the winner. I think around this margin [15-20 seconds between Remco and Pogačar] if all goes well, if there’s not any problem, it should be around there. But a good day and good sensations for Tadej, he could be closer; a really good day for Remco and it could be bigger for him."
Evenepoel made clear that the team would be targeting the stage win on Friday, nothing less, with Sunday’s stage on the gravel around Troyes to come.
"I’m not thinking about time gaps yet," Evenepoel told Cycling Weekly. "I just have a stage win in my mind. I’m just fully focused on the stage win and then the big goal of this Tour de France will be accomplished and after that if I get the win then we will see about the gaps. We are focusing on the stage win."
"For sure I am better than in the Critérium du Dauphiné. The last two days helped me to recover a bit from the hard start. Today was good to have some speed in the legs, a bit like motor-pacing training, so I think until here it has been a pretty perfect start for us and tomorrow is the first day I really have to try and go for the stage."
"Remco has already done the course, we know the course, it’s no secret but everyone who is ambitious for this course tomorrow has done it,” Quick-Step DS Tom Steels told Cycling Weekly. "It is all about going as hard as you can and feeling your legs. It has already been a very tough week but it's the same for everybody.
"I think we’re going to go for the win, but as I say it’s up to Remco to do as he always does in a TT - he has to stay calm, doesn’t have to focus on a Tour win or whatever, it comes or it doesn’t come. He just has to do his TT as he always does and then he’s going to be fine."
Meanwhile Vingegaard will only see the course for the first time in person on Friday morning. Visma-Lease a Bike were unable to recon the course with the Dane earlier this season due to his horror crash at Itzulia Basque Country which left him heavily injured.
Vingegaard also highlighted Evenepoel as the obvious favourite for the stage win.
"I haven't seen the course yet, only on video," the two-time winner said. "I should have been there to do a recon of it but then I crashed and I couldn't do it. I've only seen it on a video and I think it's slightly hilly, not so technical, but it will be quite a fast time trial."
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Tom has been writing for Cycling Weekly since 2022 and his news stories, rider interviews and features appear both online and in the magazine.
Since joining the team, he has reported from some of professional cycling's biggest races and events including the Tour de France and the World Championships in Glasgow. He has also covered major races elsewhere across the world. As well as on the ground reporting, Tom writes race reports from the men's and women's WorldTour and focuses on coverage of UK domestic cycling.
-
Collapsed lung, concussion and multiple fractures: Fundraiser set up for first ever Tour de France Féminin winner following crash
Marianne Martin crashed earlier in October and is looking to raise $20,000 to help her get back on her feet
By Adam Becket Published
-
Gravel riders - get ready, set, register! A guide to 2025's biggest gravel events and key registration dates
Here are the registration dates for gravel’s biggest events around the globe
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
Tadej Pogačar says blistering Sormano attack was 'planned' after cruising to fourth Il Lombardia title
World Champion ends his season on a high in Italy with 25th victory of the year secured at Italian Monument
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tadej Pogačar storms to fourth consecutive Il Lombardia victory after 48km solo breakaway
World Champion beats Remco Evenepoel by more than three minutes after devastating attack on the Colma di Sormano
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Mark Cavendish to conclude professional cycling career in Singapore
Tour de France stage win record holder to bring curtain down on racing career at ASO end of season criteriums in Asia
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Alpe d'Huez, Mont Ventoux, and all the route rumours for the 2025 Tour de France
Here's where the peloton may be heading next July
By Tom Davidson Published
-
How Tadej Pogačar created history and claimed cycling's Triple Crown of the Giro-Tour-Worlds
A journey that was supposedly fraught with risk and uncertainty was anything but for Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and World Championships victor Tadej Pogačar
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
'It was a stupid move, but it worked' - Tadej Pogačar on his history-making World Championships ride
Welcome to the Pogačar era, where the Slovenian can attack from 100km to the line and still win. It's just starting.
By Adam Becket Published
-
'Crazy', 'not normal', 'another level' - Peloton reacts to another Tadej Pogačar solo masterclass at World Championships
The win was not unexpected, but the way it happened might have been, as the Slovenian soloed to historic victory
By Adam Becket Published
-
Remco Evenepoel puts transfer speculation to bed ahead of World Championships road race
'I'll stay where I am' says Double Olympic champion as he confirms he will remain at Soudal Quick-Step next season
By Tom Thewlis Published