Sorry Arensman and co, but Pogacar isn't giving anything away (despite UAE's fears): "The team pays you to win"

On days 6 and 10 of this Tour, two breakaway riders won: Ben Healy and Simon Yates. Thymen Arensman hoped for more opportunities after the rest day in the climbing time trial, according to the NOS. “I had to take it easy and prepare for tomorrow (Saturday, ed.). I still hope to win here, and there’s nothing you can do against Tadej in a time trial like this, so it’s better to take it easy. There are still a few nice stages to go, and hopefully I can get into the breakaway like I did on Wednesday and get a little more than two minutes.”

It will all depend on Pogacar and UAE. If the world champion wants to win, he will basically just do it. His team management doesn't want to take it easy either. “Four stage wins and four minutes ahead in the GC, that's incredible,” Joxean Matxin cheered on Cyclism'Actu. “We could never have imagined this, but there is much more to come. We have to keep the yellow jersey.“ Mauro Gianetti said,” We shouldn't underestimate Vingegaard, we expect him to come back."

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It would mean that Visma | Lease a Bike would still have to go for it, and that UAE would also have to continue to show themselves. “What am I afraid of? Maybe his eagerness to do too much,” Gianetti also said, perhaps referring to a more conservative racing style? It will be challenging to keep him in check. “He has learned from his mistakes over the years, but the fear remains that he wants too much and will have to pay the price. It's up to us to keep him calm.”

The question is whether Pogacar will obey. At the press conference after his fourth stage win, HLN quoted him as saying: "This is the Tour. You can't just give away a stage win or ride with the handbrake on, can you? The team pays you to win, not to give away victories. If I decided to do that, my team wouldn't be happy. If there's a chance to win the stage, we're going for it."

Bad news for Arensman and company. Pogacar won six stages in last year's Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France and rarely gives anything away. He doesn't care that this doesn't make him any friends in the peloton. “I don't want to make enemies either. But anyway, after my career, I won't be talking to 99 percent of this peloton anymore, and I'll focus on my close friends and family.”