Pogacar won stage 4, but Bruyneel claims that’s thanks to one man: “He is a real beast; by far the champion of the day”
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Follow us on GoogleTadej Pogacar sprinted to his hundredth victory on Tuesday in stage 4 of the Tour de France. The world champion first fought an exciting battle against Jonas Vingegaard, then also beat Mathieu van der Poel in the uphill sprint. Bradley Wiggins and Johan Bruyneel were impressed by Pogi, but in their podcast THEMOVE both men were particularly full of praise for the domestiques of the two top contenders.
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“It was a dominant performance by Pogacar,” Wiggins began his analysis. “His hundredth win, and in the rainbow jersey… He made the race today. When he attacked, only Vingegaard could follow. And then to still sprint and beat Van der Poel uphill… That really shows his class.”
“He’s getting closer and closer to Eddy Merckx,” stated the former Tour winner. Bruyneel, in turn, finds the world champion’s way of racing impressive. “I’m really amazed at how easily he sits in the peloton. He just looks so relaxed.”
While Bjarne Riis predicted “real tension” after Tuesday, and Thijs Zonneveld saw a strong chance for “a real Tour,” Wiggins also seems certain about how the Tour will unfold. “It’s going to be a two-man battle. Today confirmed that. Pogacar is the favorite for this Tour now, but Jonas is close behind.” Bruyneel agreed. “The way Vingegaard managed to come back… That says a lot about his form.”
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Wiggins and Bruyneel impressed by Campenaerts and Wellens: “He's a real a beast”
Still, both men were also quite impressed by the domestiques of Pogacar and Vingegaard. While UAE initially led the peloton for a long time, Visma | Lease a Bike eventually took over. The Belgian domestiques especially impressed Wiggins. “Tim Wellens was very good today. Victor (Campenaerts, ed.) was also fantastic today. He is truly a beast, and he is really special.”
Vocsnor accelerated to the front in the technical finale and then pulled on the front for kilometers. Bruyneel was likewise impressed by his compatriot. “Victor was really amazing. His lead-out… You have a plan with the team, but when you can execute it like that. He did it all by himself.”
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Wiggins and Bruyneel name Almeida as champion of the day
But most of the admiration goes to João Almeida. The UAE Portuguese rider did immense brutal work for his leader and set him up perfectly for his attack. “He is on paper the best GC rider in the world this year, right?” Wiggins wondered aloud. “He did really fantastic. That’s the thing with UAE and Visma: Almeida will be Pogacar’s best support, but how good was Matteo Jorgenson too? I’m really impressed by how he rides and he seems so calm,” praised the Brit, referring to the American from Visma | Lease a Bike.
In the finale, Almeida seemed to disappear for a moment, but according to Bruyneel, that was because the Portuguese rider was held up behind the crash. “He was gone for a bit because he seemed to be delayed by that crash. The effort it takes to come back… He is by far the champion of this stage. Pogacar won, but that was thanks to Almeida,” concluded the Belgian.
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
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- - Love that he’s honest about the pressure. Hopefully he can carry this form through the winter.lindae14-11-2026
- - Beating different competition is the key now. Nys is already in the mix, and Van der Poel could make the next step a much tougher one.jennifer1914-11-2026
- - About time—Mason’s been knocking on the door for years. That Niel win could really open things up for him.cadencekingm14-11-2026
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- The article makes a good case for clubs and small teams doing the groundwork, rather than one big development pipeline. Thornley’s Vuelta time trials were seriously impressive too; missing a stage win by two seconds is brutal.davidm13-11-2026
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