Although Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard won the Tour de France for the second time in a row last year, this year all eyes are on his main rival Tadej Pogačar from Slovenia.
Frenchman Romain Barde won the first stage of the Tour de France on Saturday, covering 206 kilometers from Florence to Rimini in 5 hours 22 minutes 7 seconds. Dutchman Frank Van Den Broek was second at the same time, and Belgian Wout Van Aert was third, 5 seconds behind.
But Bardet’s chances of winning the general classification are slimmer: he and the other 38 riders still have 3,292km to cover, and there will no doubt be a few pullbacks along the way.
Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard won the legendary event for the second time in a row last year, and this year all eyes are on his main rival, Tadej Pogačar of Slovenia, winner in 2020 and 2021.
A duel between the two could dominate this year’s race.
When they faced off in the heat of July last year, the big question was whether Pogacar would be fit enough to mount a decent Test.
This year, the script has changed as the two cyclists prepare to write the next chapter of one of the greatest rivalries in Tour de France history.
Two-time Slovenian champion Pogacar, who has trailed Vingegaard for the past two years, is in good form ahead of Saturday’s race in Florence, Italy. It is the Danish title holder’s form that has plagued his team after a season-ending crash.
“Of course, we don’t know yet how far he can go,” said Vingegaard’s team sporting director Merijn Zeeman. “We are cautious because he has not been able to run and his training has not been ideal. To say the least. »
Vingegaard spent nearly two weeks in hospital in Spain in April after crashing at high speed during the Tour of the Basque Country. His collarbone and ribs were broken, and his lung collapsed.
He has not raced competitively since that crash, but he will be tested immediately with an opening stage this weekend that takes the racers through a series of tough hills and climbs that could set the stage for an early battle between the top contenders.
Prior to his accident, Vingegaard was among the favorites on Tour after dominating the race for the past two years. It’s impossible to tell how his body will react after three weeks of intense cycling.
“We’ve worked together to get to this point and of course I’m excited to see where I’m at. I feel good and very motivated,” said Vingegaard.
As for Pogacar, he is not asking too many questions as he aims for a rare double after his victory at the Giro d’Italia this season.
“This is my fifth time competing in the Tour and I’m really looking forward to it,” said Pogacar, whose preparations for last year’s Tour de France were hampered by a fall and broken wrist. “As a team we have worked hard all year to prepare and we hope to deliver an exciting three weeks of competition for everyone watching. »
Pogacar is arguably the most exciting rider of his generation, able to conquer all terrains with an appetite for victory that has drawn comparisons to the great Eddy Merckx.