Why there is still hope for Tadej Pogacar rivals despite latest Tour de France masterclass - 'They are their own worst enemy'
Updated 14/07/2026 at 21:02 GMT+1
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Tadej Pogacar might have taken more time out of Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel with his latest uphill masterclass - but the TNT Sports Breakaway panel explain why there is still hope for his rivals.
Watch: Pogacar cracks Vingegaard and breezes past Carapaz - 'Like watching two different sports!'
Video credit: TNT Sports
Pogacar, not content with already having a 2'42" lead over main rival Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), launched a fierce attack in the latter throes of Stage 10 of the Tour de France that saw him first distance everyone else, before catching and breezing past solo escapee Richard Carapaz to secure his win on the day at Le Lioran.
All, therefore, might appear rosy in the UAE Team Emirates XRG garden, having seen their main man net another victory and extend his gap to Vingegaard to 3'36".
But, as TNT Sports' Matt Stephens said after the stage, there were signs of hope for the chasing pack.
"If you get a microscope out, there are a couple of moments where UAE got it wrong," Stephens said.
"OK, he [Pogacar] has won emphatically, but there are still opportunities in this race and that's what DSs [sporting directors] are going to be telling teams.
"That moment early on where he [Pogacar] had to punt across the gap.
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"And also the way the team rode all day, to the point where they backed off and Richard [Carapaz] was about 45 seconds up the front, I thought 'Richard's got a chance here'.
"So then the other teams took it up, and then we saw [Adam] Yates go a bit early [out the back], we saw [Brandon] McNulty go a little bit early, and then [Isaac] Del Toro get popped, and he [Pogacar] was isolated.
"So rather than be isolated with a group of dangerous riders on a descent and then a flat section, he [Pogacar] went.
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Pogacar sends message to 'booing' fans
Video credit: TNT Sports
"So I wouldn't say it was perfect, I'd say he seized an opportunity just to make sure, and he drove it all the way to the line.
"But I think there's the tiniest, tiniest bit that people can take away. But again, they [UAE] can look at it and just repair those holes.
"But we are looking at greatness here, it's absolutely incredible. The speed that he went up that final climb was just crazy."
Robbie McEwen, joining Stephens in the TNT studio, also wondered about the merits of the team behind Pogacar.
He said: "I guess the only question mark is can the rest of the team continue to ride that hard?
"We've got no doubts about what Tadej can do, and he'll continue to dominate.
"But we saw Del Toro get dropped and lose a chunk of time to the chasing group, so as the Tour goes on, if they continue to ride that hard, are they going to be their own worst enemies and will he [Pogacar]ever get isolated?
"Even if he does, can the others still do anything about it? Because I think he can take them on single-handedly if he wants to, but you've got to grab at these straws."
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'My legs are getting better and better' - Vingegaard positive despite losing more time to Pogacar
Video credit: TNT Sports
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