BARCELONA — A throng encircled the UAE Team Emirates-XRG bus, where Tadej Pogačar cooled down on a stationary trainer. For once, they weren't there for him, a fact he seemed to enjoy. They were waiting. One handed him a Mexican flag; he draped it over his shoulders, then led them in another iteration of the cheer that had risen a handful of times already in the last five minutes.
"Pogi, hermano, Tadej es Mexicano," the crowd yelled. Pogi, brother, Tadej is Mexican. Pogačar beamed, continuing to spin his legs, and held his phone up in selfie mode to capture the moment. Somewhere up the hill, his teammate Isaac del Toro stood on the Tour de France podium in his second ever Tour stage.
When at work, as he is in a bike race, Tadej Pogačar does not tend to give gifts, at least in the birthday party or Christmas sense of the word. He absolutely does give them in the same way your real estate agent buys you a bottle of wine or a fancy cutting board after you finish your major purchase; as a little nod to the future, to the next house, the next race. He gives when it pays, when it's for his guys, and this one will absolutely pay.
On Sunday, in searing Spanish heat that seems likely to lead to some stage alterations on Monday, UAE showed that it is still the strongest team with the strongest rider in this race. Brandon McNulty led for almost the entirety of the final finish circuits, more than two laps and 20 kilometers on the front, before handing off to Adam Yates. Pogacar seemed intent to sit tight, near the front but not on it, as attacks came from Uno-X Mobility and EF Education-EasyPost. His last man, his strongest lieutenant, was Del Toro.
Del Toro's job on the day: Fly through the high-speed corners ahead of the final kicker, then get to the finish line as fast as possible. Don't worry about Pogacar, let him take care of himself. Just get there, and see what happens behind.
Did we do a good job with this story?
