Tadej Pogačar explains why he is stronger than ever amid Tour de France dominance questions
CyclingSaturday, 11 July 2026 at 07:44
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Follow us on GoogleTadej Pogacar remains completely unfazed by the doubts that are once again arising in the Tour de France, now that the Slovenian rider from UAE Emirates-XRG attacked mercilessly on Stage 6 over the Col du Tourmalet. The world champion took his place at a press conference after Stage 7, wearing the yellow jersey. There, in just a few minutes, he explained exactly why, in his opinion, there should be no doubts.
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It’s nothing new that doubts inevitably arise in the Tour de France whenever someone stands out from the pack. The French have already taken many riders to task, sometimes justifiably and often unjustifiably. After Pogacar’s dominance in Stage 6, in which he was nearly 3 minutes faster than Jonas Vingegaard (UAE Emirates-XRG), the same suspicions resurfaced.
Tom Dumoulin had already made a strong attempt on Thursday’s “De Avondetappe” to refute accusations of cheating. The Dutchman said he understood the skepticism, but also emphasized that Pogacar is “a super talent,” and that not even a shred of evidence of cheating has ever been found. “We try to explain why someone like Messi is so good, but the truth is, we just don’t understand it.”
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Tadej Pogacar was far too strong for the rest of the field in Stage 6.
Pogačar knows exactly why he is much stronger than several years ago
Pogačar was similarly assured when he faced the media on Friday following stage 7 of the Tour de France. He was asked about the editions he lost to Vingegaard in 2022 and 2023 and, more specifically, what had changed since those defeats.
In 2022, Pogačar was outmanoeuvred by the collective strength of Jumbo-Visma on the road to the Col du Granon. One year later, he suffered an even more dramatic collapse on stage 17, when the Slovenian delivered the now-famous words: “I’m gone, I’m dead.”
What has changed in Pogacar as a rider since 2022? Everyone can see that he’s improved by leaps and bounds, but why? Pogacar first attributed it to his winning mindset. “There are a lot of factors that come into play. First of all, I have to thank my parents—they obviously raised me well,” said the yellow jersey wearer.
He also thanked his former cycling clubs, where he was pushed to his limits even as a young talent. “When I was young, I was already riding for a good cycling club. I made friends on the bike, and together we dreamed big. When you grow up in that kind of environment, you naturally develop that kind of mindset. But of course, it’s also genetic—that’s hard to explain.”
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Pogačar made major gains after defeats to Vingegaard
According to Pogacar, however, he made the greatest strides in his career not because of his mindset, but simply thanks to a professional environment. While he won the Tour de France in 2020 and 2021 by eating a slice of pizza during the race, Vingegaard and Jumbo-Visma proved that this was no longer possible after 2022 and 2023.
“The biggest change since that last slump in 2023 lies mainly in my physical abilities. I’m better than I was then, and I’ve also grown mentally. I’ve gained experience, and one of the most important changes has taken place within the team, in terms of nutrition. In this Tour de France, my body temperature is simply lower than it was in 2022 or the Tours before that. There’s more focus.”
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Pogačar credits friend and nutrition coach Gorka Prieto
By taking top-notch care of his body and fueling it properly, Pogacar was able to maximize his existing potential. He improved a little bit every year, including in 2026. Pogacar publicly thanked his nutrition coach, Gorka Prieto, for this. “My relationship with him is very good; he’s one of the best in this business.”
“Other teams sometimes have as many as four or five nutrition coaches on staff, but Gorka has been doing it on his own for years. He’s done a fantastic job with virtually all the riders, even if things weren’t always perfect. He created his own app, which we now use every day. That makes our lives easier. Thanks to our collaboration, we’ve also become good friends; I’m happy to have him.”
With his victory in Stage 6 (and, incidentally, Stage 3 as well), Pogacar maintains a 2.42-minute lead over Vingegaard. Third-place rider and teammate Isaac del Toro trails by 3.27 minutes. Is the Tour de France already decided? UAE domestique Tim Wellens told us that he wants to keep his team leaders grounded.
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
- No teammates on the Tourmalet. Too fast up the Tourmalet.
merganzer10-07-2026 - Reef is whistling past the graveyard by denying what was plain to see: Tadej crushed Jonas, beating him in the ascent and, even more decisively on the descent, where most of the gap was created. In the world of reality, rather than the fantsay that Reef related, Jonas will not become a better descender between now and Paris, and Tadej won't get less adept at the skill. Moreover, it wasn't only about the mano y mono, between the two Tour leaders, but the unraveling of Visma, and the dominance of UAE, especially IDT. Barring injury or some other anomalous occurrence, we'll look back at Tadej's win on stage six as the day he won the 2026 TDF.rjb10-07-2026
- Remco continues alternating between Dr. Jekyl and, as he did today post-race, Mr. Hyde, lashing out as others for not racing according to his preferences. This isn't the first time he's complained about opponents' tactics, but it's the first time I've heard him do it to a teammate, and that lack of discretion and team loyalty may come back to haunt him. I though he'd outgrown these childish pouts; obviously, I was mistaken.rjb10-07-2026
- - How many times has Pog actually worn yellow now? The article hints he’s lost count—anyone got the exact stat?robert6506-07-2026
- - Unreal start to the Tour: two punches in three days. If he’s taking yellow this early, the real game is load management before the first true summit finish.davidm06-07-2026
- - Grandissimo Tadej! Maillot jaune meritato, squadra perfetta oggi.sprocketspiny06-07-2026
- - Not sure I buy the “nothing really tough” description. 3,850m of climbing in that heat is brutal, even if the gradients aren’t HC. Felt a bit dismissive.cadencekingm06-07-2026
- - Pogacar’s humour about the gels was gold. Also, nice to see him credit Del Toro. That Barcelona gesture coming back today was a proper team arc.michael5406-07-2026
- - Quick question: when they say “break got a free pass” by Visma, does that mean Visma just stopped chasing completely? Or is it more like they eased but still controlled the gap?velodromevirtuoso106-07-2026
- - Sorry, but the piece glosses over how Vermeersch shredded the gap. That was the hinge of the stage. Give him more credit than a single line.raceready706-07-2026
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