Joking Pogacar gives breakaways free rein in the Tour de France: "The coming days are for them"

Before the sixteenth stage, there was talk of potential crosswinds, but it ended up being a classic flat stage to Nimes. "I'm glad it wasn't as windy as expected. There were some crucial points where we wanted to be at the front, but overall it was a pretty easy stage. I'm glad this stage is behind us," stated the yellow jersey wearer afterwards.

However, he noted something else. "The sprint stages in the Tour de France are uniquely risky because there's always some danger to watch out for. There are often tricky points, so you always need to stay focused if you want to avoid trouble until the finish."

"I'm glad the sprint stages are over," continues the Slovenian from UAE-Team Emirates. "Even though there are still some tough days coming. For example, Wednesday's stage, because it might be windy at the start and there are some tough climbs towards the end."

What does the race leader expect from the arrival at Superdevoluy? "I think it's a stage for the breakaways, just like the day after. In the last three stages, we as GC riders will come to the foreground again," says Pogacar, who was seen joking with teammate Nils Politt as they approached the finish, sharing his expectations for the rest of the final week.