Movistar sports director José Joaquín Rojas says Pogacar dominance has left the Tour de France short on suspense. Speaking on the first rest day in Aurillac, Rojas argued that Tadej Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates XRG have moved beyond the reach of their rivals.
Rojas told EFE that the yellow jersey contest looked effectively settled. He said Pogačar stands above the rest of the field, with Jonas Vingegaard already facing a large deficit. He also described UAE as the most powerful and forceful Tour squad seen in recent years.
Pogačar has already won stages three and six. Rojas expects him to add more victories before Paris. The Movistar director predicted wins at Le Lioran, Plateau de Solaison and Alpe d’Huez, plus the individual time trial.
In Rojas’s view, that would leave Pogačar with six stage wins and an overwhelming share of the race. His concern goes beyond the Slovenian’s form. He believes UAE’s control can reduce opportunities for other teams to chase different goals.
Pogacar dominance puts UAE tactics under scrutiny
Rojas aimed his strongest criticism at UAE’s riding on stage nine. The team controlled a strong breakaway for much of the day, although the riders ahead did not threaten Pogačar’s overall lead.
Mathieu van der Poel eventually won from the escape in Ussel. Tobias Halland Johannessen finished second, with Tom Pidcock third. Rojas said he struggled to understand why UAE kept the gap tight for so long.
He said he had spoken with most sports directors in the race. According to Rojas, many shared his view that UAE’s approach made little sense.
The stage route also shaped his frustration. With 23 kilometres of descending between the last climb and the finish, Rojas thought Pogačar had little chance of winning. He said UAE could have placed a rider in the break instead of controlling from behind.
Rojas stressed that UAE can race as it chooses. Still, he said cycling also has unwritten rules that teams should respect.
Rojas fears fewer teams will take risks
Rojas warned that such dominance can discourage aggressive racing. When the strongest team leaves breakaways little freedom, other squads see fewer realistic rewards for attacking.
He suggested some riders and teams may question the point of taking risks. If they see no path to success, he said, some may prefer not to take part in that kind of battle.
Rojas did not claim one single tactic harms cycling for everyone. He said each person can hold a different view. However, he believes the spectacle suffers when the race loses contests for varied objectives.
UAE rider Tim Wellens gave another explanation after the stage. He said the team directors were open to letting the breakaway gain more time. However, Wellens and Felix Großschartner felt strong and did not want to give away minutes for nothing.
Wellens also said UAE thought Isaac del Toro could contest a reduced sprint if the race returned together. The team classification played a role too, although Wellens said it was not a major target.
Rojas accepted UAE’s right to pursue its own strategy. His larger point concerned the shape of the race. With Pogačar appearing untouchable, he fears the Tour de France may be losing some of its drama.