The opening 12 stages have been headlined by some incredible individual physical displays by the race’s biggest names with many riders pushing it to the limit at every opportunity.
However, the high octane approach has proved costly for some with two-time champion Tadej Pogacar paying the price for his aggressive race strategy on Stage 11, losing the yellow jersey after cracking on the Col du Galibier.
Jumbo-Visma has been another team relying on their stars to do much of the heavy lifting with green jersey holder Wout van Aert pushing himself to the limit on the front of the peloton in support of teammate Jonas Vingegaard.
The take no prisoners approach has shocked O’Grady with the two-time Tour de France stage winner and yellow jersey-wearer wary of how it will impact the later stages of the race.
“I’ve been a little bit surprised by some of the tactics which have been on display in this year’s race,” O’Grady said.
“While it is amazing to see the yellow jersey and van Aert breakaway at the front of the race, it makes me think are these big efforts going to come back to bite during the third week when the extra energy reserves really matter.”
“UAE Team Emirates have been struck down by a bit of COVID and a bit of bad luck, but I’m surprised they were trying to keep the yellow jersey despite so much of the race still to go and so much firepower in their rivals INEOS and Jumbo-Visma.
“Pogacar won his first two tours playing a very smart game so I couldn’t believe it when I saw him sprinting so hard up Planche des Belle Filles.”
The retirement of Aussie UAE Team Emirates Sports Director Allan Peiper last season is being felt by Pogacar and his teammates at this year’s tour, according to O’Grady.
Peiper, Australian cycling great of the 1980s, was the mastermind behind UAE team Emirates' success in recent years and played a massive role in the development of Pogacar from precocious talent to the world’s best.
O’Grady says from what he has seen at this year’s Tour de France he feels as if UAE have struggled to fill the hole left by Peiper’s retirement last year.
“Allan Peiper was a key element of that team and from the outside looking in it appears to me that not having him around this time has been a bit of a wake-up call for Pogacar.
“I certainly don’t think we’ve seen the last of Pogacar and UAE, they just need to be a bit more sustainable with their racing and ride a little smarter.
“Sometimes it takes a few struggles earlier in the race to kick a rider or a team into gear so I’m not going to write them off just yet.”
