Sawt Falasteen - Pogacar sweating on Yates's fitness ahead of Tour Queen stage

Yates, 33, was seen struggling off the back of the main bunch about 100km into Wednesday's 17th stage and eventually limped home 26 minutes after stage winner Jasper Philipsen.

The Briton, who finished third at the Tour in 2023 -- amongst five top 10 finishes at the Grande Boucle -- is a key team-mate for reigning champion Pogacar in the mountains.

And there are just three mountain stages left before Sunday's procession around Paris.

"I think he will recover, maybe not for tomorrow but at least for (Saturday's) Queen stage," said Pogacar.

"Yesterday he was really, really bad. If yesterday was a normal stage he wouldn't finish I think but luckily it was just a TT (time-trial) and he managed it.

"I have to say he looked terrible but today in the morning he looked much, much better.

"He was in a good mood and eating well.

"This is a good sign but today was a hard stage even for me so I can imagine that he paid a bit after yesterday's bad day.

"I think he can recover for the next days. Let's hope so."

UAE Emirates-XRG sent back Tim Wellens to help guide Yates to the finish to make sure that he did not miss the time-cut.

"He knows well what to do when a rider is in difficulty and he did it well," sports director Simone Pedrazzini said of Wellens.

"In the end we arrived easily within the time-limit by about 10 minutes, but alone I don't think it would have been possible.

"Maybe he won't start tomorrow but maybe he can do two stages and then on Saturday be important for Tadej."

While Yates may have been short of energy over the last couple of days, Pogacar has been getting plenty of that from his parents throughout the Tour.

They have been following their world champion son around France in a camper van, watching on from the side of the road while he struts past in the race leader's yellow jersey.

"I like to see them and I like to see them happy that they see me, that they find me in the group," Pogacar said.

"But I also see them enjoying this because in the last years they go with the camper and enjoy France every year following the Tour.

"I think their life turned better for them.

"You can see this on the face when you pass in the race.

"It just gives me another bit of energy."

G.AbuOdeh--SF-PST