The Slovenian champion is trying to keep the group's confidence high despite McNulty and Wellens suffering serious problems on stage 18 of the 2026 Tour de France.
Tadej Pogačar is unfazed by adversity. Even when the team around him seems to be crumbling, the Slovenian champion finds a way to look ahead with confidence. At the yellow jersey press conference after stage 18 of the 2026 Tour de France, finishing at the Orcières-Merlette ski resort, Pogačar had to contend with a new wave of ailments that have hit his UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
After the gastrointestinal problems that had affected Adam Yates on stage 17, the Emirati team had tried to downplay the situation on the eve of this triple Alpine challenge. But reality spoke clearly on the race: Brandon McNulty and Tim Wellens collapsed physically on the first climbs of the day. McNulty was forced to retire, becoming the first UAE rider to abandon this Tour, while Wellens crossed the finish line last, narrowly escaping elimination by just two minutes.
Unlike Yates's intestinal problems, McNulty and Wellens's problems appear to be of a different nature: both are complaining of throat problems. A virus spreading through the peloton, in short, at a crucial moment in the Grande Boucle.
"I'm really disappointed that Brandon felt so bad today that he couldn't finish. We'll miss him over the next two days," Pogačar said. But the champion immediately found the strength to list the key points he's counting on: "Felix Grossschartner is doing great, Nils Politt is too, Isaac Del Toro is extraordinary. Adam is improving, Tim is too. If I give him a little motivation, he'll take it all in and overcome the pain. Florian Vermeersch can be helpful right from the start."
The next stages lead straight to Alpe d'Huez , with Friday's 19th stage following the classic route of its famous hairpin bends, and Saturday's monstrous stage arriving from the summit via the Col de Sarenne after three high-altitude climbs. A thrilling program, on which the Tour will be hinged.
"Tomorrow we'll survive the stage and then we'll see what we can do on Alpe d'Huez," Pogačar said pragmatically. "I think we can do it. It's the third week, and all the teams are struggling a bit. We've had crashes everywhere, even on a stage like today. We'll keep fighting, and I'm confident we can do it."
Sports journalist and cycling enthusiast, following professional cycling for over 10 years. Collaborates with FantaCycling to bring you the best analysis and news from the world of cycling.
"I expect some action from Decathlon to attack Del Toro."
The EF rider leaves his breakaway teammates behind on the final climb
The Slovenian champion is trying to keep the group's confidence high despite McNulty and Wellens suffering serious problems on stage 18 of the 2026 Tour de France.
The Belgian rider managed to avoid the OTL by just 120 seconds on stage 18, as the epidemic of illnesses continues to plague Pogačar's team.
