The Tour de France is serious business with 184 riders charging through four hours of racing every day for a chance of a jersey or a stage victory, but, despite the fevered competition, the riders, including those at the very top, still find time for light-hearted moments.
Stage 4 winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and race leader Mathieu van der Poel (Alepcin-Deceuninck) fought over the victory in a furious uphill sprint in Rouen on Tuesday, but the pair were later caught joking around as they warmed down on their turbo trainers post-stage.
In an exchange captured by the Tour’s social media channels, Pogačar gently teased his rival, saying, “You tried, huh?” before Van der Poel replied with the retort that it’s “impossible” to beat the world champion.
“It’s impossible against you. I have to start in front of you, otherwise you’ll pass me,” he said as the pair laughed.
The conversation then turned to stage 5, a 33km time trial in Caen. The duo will be the last men down the start ramp on Wednesday afternoon, with Pogačar starting two minutes after Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) at 16:58 local time. Van der Poel, in yellow on countback, begins his ride two minutes later at 17:00.
Van der Poel is expected to lose the race lead to either Pogačar or Vingegaard, who lies eight seconds down, during the race, but Pogačar still jokingly warned that the Dutchman shouldn’t “start crazy” in case he makes up the two-minute gap and passes him.
“Don’t start crazy, otherwise you’ll catch me,” Pogačar said, before Van der Poel said he’s making it his goal to do so.
That’s my goal tomorrow. I don’t care if I have to stop halfway. But I want that victory in your wheel,” he said.
The exchange wasn’t the only humorous incident Pogačar found himself involved in after the stage. He may be level on time with Van der Poel, but the Alpecin-Deceuninck star is still in yellow, having accumulated the best stage placings through four days of the race.
That didn’t stop Pogačar from accidentally signing a few yellow jerseys backstage before heading to the podium, however.
He may have raced in the rainbow stripes all season, and on Wednesday he’ll don the polka dot jersey as mountain classification leader, but having worn the yellow jersey 40 times in 88 career Tour race days, it’s clear he’s well used to wearing – and signing – the maillot jaune.
