‘We had to really fight’ – Mathieu van der Poel takes back yellow jersey from Tadej Pogačar by just one second
Mathieu van der Poel reclaimed the yellow jersey in dramatic fashion, edging Tadej Pogačar by a single second after a fierce stage battle. Speaking after the finish, van der Poel admitted it took everything from his team to wrest back the overall lead.
“We had to really fight for it today,” he said. “Pogačar is such a tough competitor. Every attack, every second counts. The whole team was incredible in keeping the pace high and protecting me when it mattered.”
The nail-biting margin highlights the razor-thin gap between the two stars, setting up an intense rivalry for the days ahead. Van der Poel credited his teammates for their discipline and strength, emphasizing that tactical planning was essential to seize back yellow.
“It’s just one second, but that’s enough for now,” van der Poel added with a smile. “We know it’s going to be a long fight to Paris, and I expect Pogačar to keep attacking. But we’ll be ready for him every day.”
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