Was Pogacar happier about coming second than winning?!

 UAE showed their strength in depth with an all-round class act in  in Barcelona. 

An early breakaway of Molenaar, Engelhardt and Van den Broek got swallowed on the Montjuïc circuit, where UAE Team Emirates-XRG then took total control — first, Brandon McNulty drove the pace over three ascents of the castle climb, and then in the finale, Isaac del Toro launched with Pogačar glued to his wheel, only for Pogačar to sit up and let his young teammate take a stunning maiden Tour stage win. 

Evenepoel snuck third with a late kick, Vingegaard fourth. Bonus seconds shuffled GC: Vingegaard still leads, but Pogačar’s gap is down to just 6 seconds. Del Toro to 4th overall.

Del Toro, of Mexico, was overwhelmed: “I cannot believe I just did this, just full emotions… especially for my country.” 

Vingegaard noted the strength of UAE: ‘They have a strong duo, it will be interesting to see what their tactics will be.’

Today’s Stage 3 has almost 4000m or climbing and  another uphill finish – interesting indeed! 

GC after stage 2

1. Jonas Vingegaard — leader
2. Tadej Pogačar — +6″
3. Remco Evenepoel — +15″

What this all means for Vingegaard:

UAE now have something no other team in this race can claim: two riders who can win a Grand Tour, both in red-hot form, both still fresh sitting at 6 and 16 second, and it means that Vingegaard and Visma will have to be on their toes like ballet dancers.

The obvious play: numerical overload. In any selective finale, UAE can put two riders into the front group who both have to be marked individually. If Vingegaard’s isolated the way he was on stage 2, he can’t cover Del Toro and Pogačar at once. One goes, the other sits — Visma have to choose who to chase, and whoever they don’t chase just rides away.

The del Toro card specifically – he’s fully capable of dropping the group and forcing reactions – heck, he’s capable, maybe, of winning, should Pogi get ill or whatever. That means UAE will use him, of course, as the first bullet: send Del Toro up the road early on a hard stage, make Visma do the work bringing him back, then unleash Pogačar once everyone else is empty. Stage 2 was basically a dress rehearsal for that, minus the sitting-up-for-the-cameras bit. But what if he is as strong as Pogi, and they know that Vinggy is weakening> Well, then they ride away together, and there are more gifts to bestow.

The risk for UAE. Co-leadership only works while it’s not actually being contested. The gift to Del Toro was a low-stakes stage in week one — a real mountain stage with GC on the line is a different proposition, and we have seen before what happens if two riders on the same team are really very close in top level fitness. I think tho that ain’t Team Sky, and this is Pogacar – 4 time winner, going for 5th. No doubt tho, DT is a future Tour winner in the making.

For Vingegaard, the uncomfortable truth is he now has to ride defensively against two threats instead of one, on every hard stage from here to Paris. That’s exhausting even before the first attack. And, he hasn’t got WVA alongside. It’s gonna be a tough ol’ ride!