Probably only three teams went into this year’s Tour de France with a here-for-the-win attitude, and for two of them, it will have been more a faint hope than a genuine expectation.
The absolute supremacy of the UAE team and their majestic leader, Tadej Pogacar, meant that there was really no chance for anybody else, battle as they might.
Granted, you never know for sure in a sport which delivers more than adrenaline. The unpredictability of rounding corners at speed means that even the greatest can crash out of contention in a split second. It was a simple touch of wheels that sent the brief race leader, Torstein Traen, home – an accident he could scarcely have avoided. He wasn’t ever in with a chance of winning, but anybody good enough to wear the yellow jersey for even a day to then hit the tarmac only goes to show how real the risk is.
Then, crashing out of the whole race in Stage 15 meant that Pogi’s closest challenger, Jonas Vingegaard, saw his gallant attempt to win his own third overall victory come to a sad end, as he yelled in both pain and disappointment, assisted into the tour ambulance with a broken collarbone.
This is a tough sport, and few grand tours conclude without accidents along the way.
While I can’t speak for Alexandr Vinokurov and the staff of the XDS-Astana Team, chances are they weren’t there for the win this year, their most talented riders not among those tipped for glory in Paris today. Yet their gutsy contribution to the greatest race of all has, by rights, earned them the respect of those who follow this sport closely.
One bike length away from a stage victory in Belfort (Stage 13), with Harold Tejada pushing Mauro Schmid all the way to a tight finish, was as good as it got for the Kazakhstani outfit, the same rider also featuring in a solid breakaway on the first of two ascents up Alpe d’Huez. German sprinter Max Kanter was always in the pack as some of the sprint finishes crossed the line at up to 45 mph, not managing more than a close second.
Tejada, the 29-year-old Colombian, was the most visible XDS rider this year, as he more than held his own on some of the tougher stages throughout the race. Finishing over two hours behind the overall winner is probably disappointing to him, but not winning the whole race won’t trouble him too much. With a potential ten years left in the sport, Tejada has proven his worth and could ride his next major race as a team leader.
Considering that the team crashed on Day 1, and that three of the riders picked up nasty injuries, the XDS lads had a solid July. They were far from outclassed by the main peloton in this race and are likely to be satisfied with their overall showing in Le Tour, while, one might assume, disappointed not to pick up a stage win.
They say in the UK that it is the taking part that counts, and while you might add to this ranking points, advertising revenue, a more visible profile in global sport, more lucrative contracts for high-performers, race experience for the team, and just simply the elation of getting to Paris in one piece, yes, XDS-Astana taking part in Le Tour 2026 has been a success – even if not a resounding one.
Next big destination – La Vuelta.
