The cards for the upcoming Tour de France are gradually being laid and Jonas Vingegaard is also looking ahead. The Dane remains true to his hierarchy: Tadej Pogacar is still at the top of the list. At the same time, he sees that the competition is becoming broader and more dangerous, including Remco Evenepoel in a new context.
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Evenepoel in new role
According to Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel’s switch to Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe could be an important turning point. “With the arrival of Remco, they have two men they can play off, with Florian Lipowitz and Remco himself,” he says. Vingegaard expects that duo to take the next step. “They will be very strong,” is a clear prediction.
Yet the leader of Visma | Lease a Bike also immediately emerged as a clear favorite. “In my opinion, Tadej Pogacar is still the favorite in the Tour. He is the man to beat.” In his own words, Vingegaard is kicking in an open door with this, but he sees no reason to change that assessment.
He emphasizes that the peloton does not stand still. “All the other contenders have also improved, you have to keep an eye on those men as well.” The Dane does not expect a duel that is self-evident, but a race in which several teams and riders try to make a difference.
Rivalry with respect
In recent years, the Tour de France has been mainly characterized by the duel between Vingegaard and Pogacar. The Dane is remarkably open about this rivalry.
“I have a good rivalry with Tadej. I like him,” he says. However, that respect does not preclude fighting spirit. “Of course I also want to beat him during the races, because he is the best rider in the world right now.”
Worth a look
