Visma | LaB had hoped Vingegaard could "stay closer to Pogacar," but: "If someone is stronger..."

“It was a tough day,” said Sepp Kuss, panting and coughing at the summit in an interview with CyclingPro. “We saw a big explosion in this short but intense stage. For me, it was a good day. We tried to make the race hard and went on the offensive well before the final climb. That’s when the finale really started,” explained the American, referring to Visma | Lease a Bike’s aggressive race plan.

Despite their attacks, team leader Vingegaard eventually lost just over a minute to the world champion. “I think Jonas felt good and we really tried to support him today, but Pogacar was just incredibly strong. Our goal with the early attacks was to force the other teams to chase. UAE, however, was very strong and always had numbers in place. So it all came down to the final climb, where the pace picked up very early. From that point on, it was every man for himself,” Kuss said.

Team director Grischa Niermann also had to acknowledge after the stage that Pogacar was simply the strongest. “He was the best today,” he said in a team press release. “In the end, the time gaps at the finish were significant. Of course, we had hoped Jonas could stay closer to him on the final climb. This was a stage that really suited Pogacar, and from the start it was clear UAE had plans for today. If someone is stronger, all you can do is accept it and congratulate him on the win.”

After Friday, Vingegaard now sits 43 seconds behind Pogacar in the general classification, but the Killer Bees aren’t giving up. “We’ll try again tomorrow. It won’t be easy. But I’m satisfied with how we raced today and the fighting spirit the team showed. That’s something we’ll carry into tomorrow,” Niermann said, staying optimistic.

Saturday brings another tough mountain stage, taking the riders over the Col de la Madeleine and the Col de la Croix de Fer, before finishing on the demanding climb to Valmeinier 1800. At 16.2 kilometers long and with an average gradient of 6.8%, it’s a serious test. On Sunday, the race wraps up with one final brutal stage to the Plateau de Mont-Cenis.