Tadej Pogačar has called for cycling fans on social media to stop giving Tobias Halland Johannessen “shit”, after the Uno-X rider was blamed for causing the world champion’s late crash on Wednesday’s protest-impacted stage of the Tour de France in Toulouse.
Pogačar hit the deck hard with around 4km to go of stage 11, when his wheel appeared to overlap with Johannessen’s, as the Norwegian attempted to follow an attack.
Following the crash, the group of favourites, including yellow jersey Ben Healy, Remoc Evenepoel, and Jonas Vingegaard, slowed and waited for the three-time Tour winner to regain contact, a decision Healy later attributed to the “respect” within the peloton.
Speaking immediately after the stage, Pogačar, while not naming Johannessen explicitly, said that the crash occurred after a rider “completely cut me off”.
“Unfortunately, one rider decided to follow from left to right side of the road and he didn’t see me,” the 26-year-old said.
“Luckily I just have a little bit of skin off. I was scared when I saw the sidewalk that I was going with my head directly to the sidewalk, but luckily my skin is tough and stopped me.”
However, while he didn’t lose any time on GC, the crash clearly affected Pogačar, and he was seen sporting a heavily bandaged arm later that evening, sparking concerns about his fitness ahead of the upcoming crucial stages in the Pyrenees.
A medical report later confirmed that the defending Tour champion suffered “no serious injuries” in the crash, just bruising and some road rash.
That concern, it seems, has also resulted in Johannessen receiving criticism on social media, which the Norwegian addressed in a public apology posted on X last night.
“I am terribly sorry for what happened,” the Uno-X rider, currently sitting 10th on GC, wrote on X.
“I was trying to follow a move and I can see that I was too close. I thought everyone would move to the right, but I made a mistake and would like to say sorry again. I hope he is as good as he can be after a crash like that.”
Referring to the criticism of his actions on social media, Johannessen said he “would not wish anyone the amount of threats I get in my inbox”.
“I am terribly sorry but also terrified of the hate from all the people. This feels very scary,” he admitted.
Pogačar then responded to Johannessen’s public apology himself, in a video posted on UAE Team Emirates teammate Tim Wellens’ Instagram.
“Hey mate, all good. Don’t stress. I hope people don’t give you shit,” the world champion said in the clip.
“People, stop giving him shit! It was all good, a race incident, and we fight on.”
However, while Pogačar was busy playing the public role of peacemaker within the peloton, his teammate Jhonatan Narváez then chipped in with a comment which perhaps more accurately sums up UAE’s response to the incident.
“Keep the line!” the Ecuadorian interjected, cueing laughs from around the table.
So much for not giving him shit…
10 thoughts on ““People, stop giving him sh*t!” Tadej Pogačar calls for calm after Uno-X rider left “terrified” by social media “hate” following world champion’s Tour de France crash”
Utterly bizarre that people
Utterly bizarre that people use their spare time to abuse others online. No matter how much of a tit I think someone is I would never directly message them to abuse them. Such strange behaviour.
mctrials23 wrote:
To a large segment of the population, that is what the internet is FOR
Although I am a big fan of TJ
Although I am a big fan of Tadej I don’t really see why Johannessen should apologise, the whole group started to move from left to right in line, he followed and Pogacar didn’t and because he was half wheeling Johannessen as a consequence he got clipped. When a group is going hell for leather 5 km from the finish you can’t expect shoulder checks or signals, if you’re behind it’s your job to watch the guy in front and react to what he’s doing, taking your cues from the riders farther up the road. Of course the abuse wouldn’t be justified if it was his fault, but it’s even less so when (as I see it, I’m sure others would not agree) the responsibility for the coming together is at a maximum 50/50. I feel certain that if it had been Pogacar in front the same people would be abusing Johannessen for riding too close, half wheeling and not reading the moves ahead properly.
Absolutely. Rumuor has it Pog
Absolutely. Rumuor has it Pog was also busy with his radio or computer and only had one hand on the bars.
Rumour has it he was taken
Rumour has it he was taken out by a sniper from behind the grassy knoll.
mdavidford wrote:
To be fair that does seem to be the only way of stopping him from winning at the moment.
Absolutely. Rumuor has it Pog
Double post. Deleted.
Not half wheeling,
Not half wheeling, overlapping the wheel
Pogi half wheeled him from
Pogi half wheeled him from behind. Pogis fault.
Cristox wrote:
Not half wheeling him, overlapping the wheel, but I agree with you the rider behind is at fault