Adam Yates named UAE Team Emirates co-leader due to Tadej Pogacar fitness concerns

Egan Bernal 'grateful to be alive' as he makes his return to the tour following a life-threatening crash

UAE Team Emirates' Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (R) cycles with teammates during a team training session, on June 29, 2023, two days prior to the start of the 110th edition of the Tour de France cyclShow more

UAE Team Emirates have named Adam Yates as their co-leader for the Tour de France due to fitness concerns of two-time champion Tadej Pogacar.

Pogacar, the world's top-ranked road cyclist, was in imperious form this year until breaking his wrist in a fall during April's Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

While Pogacar said he is happy with his preparations, team principal Mauro Gianetti said his lack of recent races has forced UAE Team Emirates' hand.

"We really don't have any choice because Tadej spent five weeks without being able to train on the road," Gianetti said. "He has worked hard. We have a lot of faith in him but there are no miracles in cycling."

Pogacar returned to competition last week by winning the time-trial and road race at the National Championships for his 13th and 14th victories of the season.

"That doesn't mean he'll be 100 per cent ready for Saturday," Gianetti added.

A year ago, Jonas Vingegaard, aided by his Jumbo-Visma team's collective strength, outlasted the daring Pogacar in a ruthless war of attrition in the mountains.

Pogacar had finished first in 2021 for his second straight Tour de France title, with Vingegaard second, and the duel between the two is the headline act at this race.

Yates, who won the Tour de France white jersey as best young rider in 2016, joined UAE Team Emirates from Ineos this season and recently described Pogacar as "the superstar of the team".

"But, who knows, sometimes you get injured or sick and you always need back up," Yates said in the build up to Saturday's opening stage in the Bilbao back-country.

Egan Bernal, winner in 2019, makes his return to the Tour de France after he suffered a near-fatal crash in a high-speed collision in January last year. Bernal is not expected to challenge Pogacar and Vingegaard for the yellow jersey, but the Colombian is just grateful to take his place on the start line.

Bernal required multiple surgeries after crashing into a stationary bus while training in his home country. He said the accident left him with a 95 per cent chance of becoming a paraplegic, but he was back on his bike two months later.

"I think I should be grateful to be alive, to be here and to be in the Tour squad," said Bernal, who is part of the Ineos Grenadiers team. "I would love to get back to my level, to race again and see what it will be like to be against these big names.

"I try to compare myself to them and that's why I keep cycling. I wake up every day working and thinking about it, about starting to get back to my best. Whether I achieve that goal or not is different, but that's what I'm working for."

Bernal's accident was a reminder of the dangers professional riders face, and that became even more apparent after Gino Mader's death during the Tour de Suisse earlier this month.

Tour de France 2023 team guide and route info

Swiss rider Mader died aged 26 due to injuries suffered when he crashed into a ravine during a high-speed descent, raising more questions and concerns about rider safety. And Bernal's Ineos teammate Tom Pidcock believes Mader's death could result in riders being more cautious at the Tour de France.

Descending is one of Pidcock's strengths but the 23-year-old, who last year won an iconic Tour de France stage at L'Alpe d'Huez which included a lightning speed descent, said Mader's death may have an impact on his style.

"I think especially for everyone who was at the race, that was pretty hard hitting," said Pidcock, who also competing in the eight-stage race.

"I think I didn't see a single rider take any risks on the last two stages after that incident. Personally, one of the things that hit me was it happened descending, which is something that I love.

"It showed me what the consequences can be when it goes wrong. I don't take unnecessary risks but things can happen when we're riding down a descent at 100kph in lycra."