Tadej Pogačar’s latest display of Tour de France dominance also produced several anxious moments for his own team.

The Slovenian won Tuesday’s demanding 10th stage from Aurillac to Le Lioran after attacking on the Col de Pertus with approximately 15 kilometres remaining.

Before that decisive move, however, Pogačar had negotiated the difficult descent from the Pas de Peyrol as part of the group containing the leading general-classification riders.

The uneven road surface and tight corners had already caused several crashes, prompting UAE Team Emirates-XRG to warn their leader not to take unnecessary risks.

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According to the TV 2 Sport report supplied with the original article, former professional rider Tyler Hamilton feared Pogačar was riding too close to the limit.

“I was nervous on the descent before the final climb,” Hamilton said. “There is a risk of crashing.”

Hamilton warns against race-ending mistake

Hamilton argued that Pogačar faced a difficult balance between pursuing the stage victory and protecting his commanding position in the overall standings.

The four-time Tour winner was already wearing the yellow jersey and began the day with a lead of two minutes and 42 seconds over Jonas Vingegaard.

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“If I had been his sports director today, I would have been biting my nails,” Hamilton said.

“On television, we saw a message from the UAE team radio asking him to take it easy. But that is easier said than done when he is riding for the stage victory.

“If you go slightly beyond the limit and slide out in a corner, your Tour de France could be over. He still needs to be careful.”

Hamilton’s warning did not mean that Pogačar had crashed or completely lost control. The concern was that the consequences of even a minor misjudgment could have been far greater for the race leader than for riders with little left to lose.

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A broken bike could have caused a significant delay, while an injury might have ended his attempt to win a fifth Tour title.

Three riders crash at same corner

The risks became clear when Tom Pidcock slid out at a left-hand switchback on the descent from Puy Mary.

His Pinarello-Q36.5 teammate Chris Harper was also involved, while Visma-Lease a Bike rider Matteo Jorgenson later crashed at the same corner.

According to Escape Collective’s report from the stage, all three riders were able to continue, although Harper suffered visible injuries to his hands.

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Pidcock is regarded as one of the peloton’s most accomplished descenders, making his mistake an indication of how difficult the road had become.

The descent combined sharp corners with an uneven surface, while riders were travelling at high speed after a demanding ascent.

Richard Carapaz, who had attacked before the summit, took considerable risks as he attempted to preserve his advantage over the general-classification group.

Pogačar and his rivals had to decide whether to follow aggressively or accept losing several seconds before the remaining climbs.

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UAE admit they were nervous

UAE sports director Andrej Hauptman confirmed that the team had been concerned while watching the descent from behind.

“Yes, we are always a little stressed,” Hauptman said in the comments published by TV 2 Sport.

“We know the roads, and they are bumpy and dangerous.”

The distance between the riders and the team cars added another problem. If Pogačar had suffered a mechanical failure, UAE may not have been able to provide a replacement bike immediately.

“Sometimes we are too far behind the riders,” Hauptman said.

“It is difficult to give them a new bike if something happens. If we are two minutes behind, the only thing we can say is that they should not take any risks.”

Team cars frequently become separated from their leaders on mountain stages because other riders and vehicles occupy the road between them.

The situation means a puncture, damaged wheel or broken bike can cost considerably more time than it would on a flatter stage.

Decathlon briefly increase the pressure

Hauptman also pointed to the pace set by Decathlon CMA CGM before the descent.

The French team had several riders near the front as it attempted to support 19-year-old Paul Seixas, who began the stage sixth overall.

“It seemed that Decathlon increased the speed before the descent, but they also slowed down after the crashes,” Hauptman said.

“So yes, we were a little nervous.”

The reduction in pace allowed the leading contenders to pass through the remainder of the descent with greater control.

Pogačar then waited until the Col de Pertus before making his move. He accelerated away from Vingegaard and the other favourites, caught Carapaz near the summit and continued alone towards Le Lioran.

The final kilometres included another descent, but live coverage from The Guardian described Pogačar as riding quickly without taking unnecessary risks.

Pogačar extends Tour lead

Pogačar completed the 166.6-kilometre stage in three hours, 58 minutes and eight seconds.

Remco Evenepoel finished second, 32 seconds behind, with Seixas taking third two seconds later.

Vingegaard crossed the line in seventh position and lost another 44 seconds to the race leader.

The official Tour de France classification shows that Pogačar now leads Vingegaard by three minutes and 36 seconds in the overall standings.

It was Pogačar’s third stage victory of the 2026 Tour and the 24th of his career.

“We targeted this stage a long time ago,” Pogačar said, according to the Tour de France’s official post-stage interview.

“I didn’t know I was going to win until the final kilometre.”

The performance reinforced Pogačar’s position as the overwhelming favourite for the yellow jersey.

It also demonstrated why his team remains uneasy even when he appears to have the race under control.

Pogačar’s instinct is to attack and pursue victories rather than simply defend his lead. That approach has produced some of the defining performances of his career, but Hamilton and Hauptman know the same ambition can expose him to unnecessary danger.

On Tuesday, the risk brought another stage victory. One mistake on a similar descent could produce a very different outcome.