The Japan Times - Pogacar 'respects' Vingegaard in Tour de France rivalry

The 26-year-old Slovenian won the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and world title in 2024 and is hot favourite again here.

Speaking at the Lille Opera House on Thursday the Team UAE rider laughed off suggestions of bitterness, when asked about harsh words between the two in previous races.

"Look in the heat of the moment you can maybe scream something at someone," said Pogacar, dressed in his world champion rainbow shirt.

Pogacar won the Tour in 2020 and again in 2021, when Vingegaard was second. The Dane won in 2022 and 2023, with the Slovenian runner up both times. Pogacar, who rides for Team UAE, recaptured the title last year with Vingegaard, of the powerful Visma squad, second.

"The last five years have been intense between me and Jonas," Pogacar said. "It's a great competition and rivalry and it will be interesting to see if the title changes hands again."

"I'm looking forwards to taking on Jonas again. It's going to be great for people on television and along the roadsides."

Pogacar suggested he might need to get ahead of Vingegaard early before the Tour hits the high mountains.

"Where Jonas might be stronger than me we will have to see, But he's the best climber in the world and there are many hard finishes and lots of tricky ones.

"So my goal should be to make time in the first week and not screw it up," he said.

"Don't read too much into any of the rivalry though. Visma and UAE respect each-other and you just have to congratulate the other when they win," said Pogacar.

Pogacar also said a new face should not be counted out.

- 'Amazing power' -

In 2024, Belgium's Remco Evenepoel played third man. The double Olympic champion said Thursday he was out to do better this year.

Evenepoel believes he can make a difference on the first-week time trial.

"It's completely flat which means neither Jonas nor Tadej can produce their amazing power that they do on the climbs," said the 25-year-old, who is also time-trial world champion.

"It suits me better. I'll try to win big that day. I'll push as hard as I can," he said.

The Belgian Soudal Quick-Step man said he wanted to finish his career having won all three Grand Tours.

"That needs mountain work. It's months, years of preparation. And I'll keep working on this long term, he insisted.

Evenepoel also said time-trial should be accorded more respect.

"My question to the organisers is, why not give bonus seconds on time-trials like they do in the mountains. When I lose time on a mountain and then they say ah there's ten seconds more, that bugs me."

He finished his interview with a passionate rallying cry

"I'm here to compete, to make it harder for them. Last year I was third. I'm going to give my maximum and we'll see in a couple of weeks."

The 112th edition of the Tour sets off Saturday with the opening stages near the Belgian border and the English Channel.

The first 10 days of the 21-day run round France are set up to keep the tension boiling as long as possible before Pogacar and Vingegaard potentially slug it out for the victory in the Alps in the third week.

Y.Hara--JT