Radstar Tadej Pogacar has given the upcoming Pyrenees stages of the Tour de France great importance in the fight for the yellow jersey.
“This week can be almost crucial,” said the Slovenian defending champion on Tuesday when the Peloton rested for the first time on this year’s tour of France.
The second week is “almost as hard as the last one this year,” said the world champion from Team UAE Emirates-XRG: “We will surely see a few larger distances in the overall ranking. It will be interesting.”
The three -time champion, which is currently in second place in the overall ranking, was already 1:17 minutes ahead of his nominally worst challenger Jonas Vingegaard, especially two of the five stages until the next day of rest on Monday. “I’m looking forward to Hautacam (Thursday) and time trial (Friday),” said Pogacar.
From Pogacar’s first week, the first week went “good”, but with a drop of bitterness: the failure of his most important mountain helper Joao Almeida. “That was the only blow,” said Pogacar: “On the other hand, we are comfortable in the overall ranking.”
On Wednesday there is a predominantly flat stage around Toulouse, but shortly before the finish a steep ramp could provide hectic. Then it goes into the notorious Pyrenees for three days.