Stage 6 of the Tour de France went perfectly for Tadej Pogačar, who dropped everyone on the Col du Tourmalet and took the yellow jersey by a margin unthinkable in the first week. But it wasn't quite a 'no-notes' day for the world champion.
In footage captured by broadcasters behind the podium in Gavarnie-Gèdre, Pogačar could be heard discussing the stage with his teammate Isaac del Toro as the pair warmed down on their static trainers.
In a UAE Team Emirates-XRG mountain train on the long Tourmalet, Del Toro had been the final carriage and provided the final acceleration that would propel Pogačar to victory.
Latest Videos From
"You went too fast," Pogačar is heard saying to his teammate.
It should be pointed out that there was no sense of admonishment from the four-time Tour winner. But it was nevertheless remarkable to watch him spell out his point of view and his expectations to his younger, more inexperienced teammate.
"I mean, for you," Pogačar qualified in relation to the 'too fast' comment.
"This acceleration that you do..." he added, before Del Toro made a striking intervention of his own.
"He don't even try," said the Mexican, referring to their chief rival Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), who was dropped even before Del Toro had finished leading out Pogačar.
"No, no. Because he knows," Pogačar replied of Vingegaard. "He knows we do this."
Unfortunately, the broadcasters cut away when Pogačar was midway through his next point, which seemed to be suggesting that he'd have been in trouble if Del Toro had carried on at the same pace.
"I was just..." he said, indicating a small gap between his thumb and index finger. "If it was one more kilometre to the top, but..." And that's where it cut away.
Still, it was a fascinating insight into the top team's post-race debrief, with the sense of master and apprentice and rare a bit of pubic commentary on their main rival to boot.
You can watch the video in the embed below.
The world’s biggest bike race deserves world-class coverage. Subscribe to Cyclingnews for unlimited access to our unrivalled reporting of the 2026 Tour de France. From Barcelona through to Paris, our experienced team will bring you breaking news, expert insight, and in-depth coverage from every stage as the battle for the yellow jersey plays out. Plus, access the Cyclingnews app to follow the action on the go! Find out more.
