Lance Armstrong Criticizes UAE Team Emirates’ Tactics During Stage 11 of the 2024 Tour de France

In a recent episode of The Move podcast, Lance Armstrong, alongside his colleagues George Hincapie and Bradley Wiggins, dissected the controversial tactics employed by UAE Team Emirates during Stage 11 of the 2024 Tour de France. The stage, which saw Tadej Pogačar attempt an aggressive attack, left many puzzled, including Armstrong, who questioned the team’s strategy and its impact on Pogačar’s overall chances in the race.

Armstrong, a former seven-time Tour winner (later stripped for doping), expressed his confusion over UAE’s approach, particularly how Pogačar burned through his teammates before launching a solo attack 31 kilometers from the finish. Despite initially creating a gap and appearing to extend his lead over rival Jonas Vingegaard, the Danish rider managed to claw back on the subsequent climb, nullifying Pogačar’s efforts.

“I don’t understand what’s happening in the team meetings,” Armstrong remarked. “They have four riders in the top 10. It was a hard stage, but a stage to make a difference. It doesn’t make sense what they did.” Armstrong also emphasized how Pogačar, despite being in a strong position, raced as if he was trailing Vingegaard by over a minute.

Armstrong’s co-hosts echoed his sentiments. George Hincapie praised Vingegaard’s resilience, comparing the stage to a “Rocky Balboa-like fight,” where Pogačar threw everything at Vingegaard, only for the Danish rider to recover and win the battle. “It looked like Jonas was screaming ‘Adrian!’ when he crossed the finish line,” Hincapie joked, referencing the famous Rocky movie scene.

Bradley Wiggins, meanwhile, highlighted a possible shift in Pogačar’s mindset, stating that the Slovenian may have lost confidence. “The other day, Tadej said that Jonas was afraid of him. I think it’s the opposite now,” Wiggins said. “Pogačar had two teammates with him and 30 kilometers to go. He didn’t need to attack like that—especially when holding the lead.”

As the Tour continues, Armstrong and his fellow analysts believe that Stage 11 may have been a turning point in the ongoing battle between Pogačar and Vingegaard, with the latter now gaining momentum in what could be the most critical moment of his career. Armstrong called it “perhaps the greatest day of [Vingegaard’s] Tour de France career,” following his comeback from a crash earlier in the season.

With more challenging stages ahead, Pogačar will need to reassess his strategy if he hopes to reclaim his dominance. Whether the UAE Team Emirates can adjust in time to regain their edge remains to be seen.