Alex MacQuoid
UAE Team Emirates return to the Tour de France not just to compete—but to rewrite the script. With
Tadej Pogačar leading their charge, all eyes are set on the fearsome Col de la Loze, a climb that turned dreams into dust just two years ago.
Back in 2021, the Slovenian phenom cracked on that brutal Alpine ascent. That day, teammate
Marc Soler stayed by his side as Pogačar, worn from a devastating time trial loss to Jonas Vingegaard the day before, struggled to keep pace.
“It was a physically and mentally tough day,” Soler told WielerRevue. “I did everything I could to motivate him, but it didn’t work anymore.
I told him he could still win by a second—that it wasn’t all about that day. But the Col de la Loze is so tough.”
Now, with the route flipping to attack the climb from its opposite side, the team’s ambition is clear: redemption.
“We still joke about that day,” Soler admitted. “Especially about the face I made trying to encourage him. It’s become an anecdote in the team. But this year, we want to win there. It’s the perfect chance to take revenge.”
Behind the laughter lies a truth that only insiders see: Pogačar is different now. Stronger. Sharper. More complete.
“Nobody has ever beaten him in training camps since I joined,” Soler revealed. “He’s always just a little better than everyone else.”
And when comparisons are drawn, Soler doesn’t hold back. “It reminds me of when I was at Movistar. No one could beat
Alejandro Valverde back then. But the thing is—Tadej is even better. He’s built for every race. One day, one week, or three weeks. Mountains, cobbles, flats—it doesn’t matter. He’s the best in almost everything.”
As the Tour’s high mountains loom once more, the Col de la Loze stands not only as a test of legs, but of memory and pride.
Can Pogacar finally exorcise the ghost of that day? All signs point to yes.