2023-06-29 19:10:36
Second in the Tour de France last year, the Slovenian lets his Danish rival, defending champion, take on the role of favorite.
Special Envoy to Bilbao
Two days before the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in Bilbao, the showdown between Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, the two big favorites for the final victory in Paris, has already begun. In the field of words in any case. The dolphin of the Dane, winner in 2022, participated in a press conference this Thursday in the capital of Biscay a few hours after having recognized each in turn the ground of the first stage in wet weather.
The Slovenian, dethroned after his two resounding victories in 2020 and 2021, cleverly refused to endorse the label of favorite, leaving it willingly to his opponent from the Jumbo-Visma team: “The objective will be to win the Tour, even if Jonas (Vingegaard) will be the favourite. He was dominant in the Dauphiné while saying he was not at his best. We imagine what it can give on the Tour“, he announced before giving reassuring news on the state of his wrist, injured during Liège-Bastogne-Liège on April 23.
Read alsoTour de France 2023: Spain, a prestigious past, an elite in decline
«I feel good on the bike, the wrist is fine. I have not yet recovered all my mobility. I had tests on Monday which showed that two of the three broken bones were completely repaired. The third takes a little longer to consolidate. But it doesn’t bother me at all in training. I have no pain“Explained the leader of Team UAE who won the Slovenian Championships (online stage and time trial) last week.
Read alsoTour de France: the unmissable events of the 2023 route
«The legs are good, the mind is super good. I hope to be ready. We learned a lot last year where Jonas was stronger at certain points in the race. We have a super strong team this year, everyone is in great shape. It’s also good that we have a plan B with Adam (Yates) because I’m not sure I’m 100%“, added the 24-year-old rider who expects a very muscular start to the Tour de France on Saturday.
The coast of Pike, “exposed, according to Pogacar
A few hours before speaking in front of the microphones, he and his team had recognized the great difficulty of the first stage, the Pike coast. A short appetizer but judged “explosiveby the Slovenian: two kilometers at 10% average and a terrible passage at 15.6% which will break the legs of some of the runners. “A group of ten to fifteen runners, no more, will be able to claim victory. The first week overall is very difficult. If I have a chance to take some time and grab a second here or there, I will.concluded the star of the peloton who may have a surprise in store in this dreaded sector ten kilometers from the finish.
#Vingegaard #favorite #Pogacar #advances #masked #start