Tadej Pogacar’s pursuit of a fifth Tour de France title faces uncertainty as a sickness bug seems to be affecting his UAE Team Emirates XRG teammates. Pogacar, who maintains a significant lead of nearly five minutes, appeared poised to secure another yellow jersey but showed signs of concern during Thursday’s Stage 18 to Orcieres-Merlette.

The stage raised alarms when teammate Brandon McNulty, starting with a sore throat, had to abandon midway. Another crucial support rider, Adam Yates, also struggled with illness, although he managed to finish the stage. Despite staying with Pogacar, Isaac del Toro fell behind Remco Evenepoel in the contest for second place.

Pogacar himself fueled speculation about his health by switching from his usual yellow shorts to black ones. The next two stages feature significant mountain challenges, including the demanding Alpe d’Huez.

In his remarks to The Guardian, Pogacar expressed concern for McNulty but remained optimistic, stating, "We will see in the next two days but Adam is getting better, and tomorrow, we will go with the flow."

Key domestiques Tim Wellens and Florian Vermeersch are also reportedly battling illness, increasing reliance on Nils Pollitt and Felix Grossschartner to support Pogacar and del Toro.

Pollitt commented on the situation, noting the widespread illness in the peloton and the challenges of the Tour's third week.

Looking ahead, Stage 19 features a challenging 127.9km route from Gap to Alpe d’Huez, with a steep final ascent that will test the riders, alongside a demanding climb over the Col du Galibier.