No complacency at UAE following Pogačar’s Dauphiné demolition 🇫🇷
'The longer climbs and the heat help make Jonas the main rival for the Tour de France' says Matxin Fernandez
Hi Subscribers,
We’re kicking off the morning with an interview with Tadej Pogačar’s sports manager, Matxin Fernandez. It’ll be the first story of the day as some 🚨major transfer news 🚨 has just landed on my desk.
There will also be a much bigger and more comprehensive transfer story later today or tomorrow that will include news on approximately 30 riders. I just need a bit of time to write it up.
Saturday is also our one-year anniversary, having launched the Substack on 21 June 2024. I can’t believe how quickly the last twelve months have flown by, but it’s been incredible, and I can only thank you for all your continued support.
As a gesture, I’ve set up a 20% discount on all annual subscriptions. The offer lasts for 24 hours only, but you’ll receive all my content, every complete newsletter, transfer news story, and piece of content from the Tour de France.
Thank you.
Daniel 🫶
Follow me on: Twitter — Instagram — Bluesky
Tadej Pogačar may have decimated the field at the Critérium du Dauphiné, with three stage wins and a commanding victory in the overall standings, but his team are not taking anything for granted heading into the defence of their Tour de France title.
Pogačar won the opening stage at the Dauphiné, and despite a mid-race wobble in the time trial, which he later attributed to pacing issues, the Slovenian decisively outperformed Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel in two consecutive mountain stages, achieving victories on the roads to Combloux and Valmeinier 1800. On the final mountain stage, the race leader tracked Vingegaard and crossed the line to secure a 59-second victory over his Danish rival.
That margin may not have raised any eyebrows, but the manner of Pogačar’s win, especially the ease with which he dropped his rivals on stage 6, was staggering to see. On the road to Combloux, one seated acceleration was enough to distance the entire chasing pack. He won the following stage too, while on the final day of racing through the mountains, the Slovenian marked Vingegaard out of contention whenever the Dane raised the pace. The final week of the Tour de France is still a month away, but Dauphiné was a startling demonstration of the current gap between the last two winners of July’s main event.
“He is continuously improving, and I don’t know what his limits are, but considering his results, attitude, and his teammates, the performances are amazing and convincing,” his sports manager, Matxin Fernandez, told us.