The Tour de France enters its decisive week with the certainty that Tadej Pogacar is the strongest… although his team leaves a lot to be desired
If the Tour de France were a race power to power, Tadej Pogacar would already have his third victory in the general in his pocket. The thing, however, is not so simple for a Slovenian who knows that he will have to sweat ink to break more powerful teams.
We talk so much about Jumbo like from Ineos like structures who competes with an insulting superiority that almost intimidates his rivals. This certainty has also helped them to know that they must join forces at the minimum moment of fragility in Pogacar.
The two-time Tour de France champion showing that he is the strongest in the race and that, on many occasions, it is enough and there is more than enough to win alone. The problem, perhaps, may be in the face of a distant attack from his rivals that he has to respond to in the first person or the fact that his rivals leave him isolated without companions.
It’s not the first time we see losing a Tour due to the absence of a team and in the case of Pogacar it is the only Achilles heel which causes his final share of victory in the general standings to be [1.40]. There is a great threat to his domain and that involves the Dane Jonas Vingegaard.
The runner-up of the last edition has stood out as the leader of the Jumbo and hopes that the strength of his team will allow him to make a difference. The 25 year old cyclist has ousted Primoz Roglic as the leader of the Dutch team and his share of the final victory in the general standings is [3.75]
A step much lower we find the boss of Ineos, Geraint Thomas, who does not seem to have the necessary spark today to pick up neither of the two young people. The 36-year-old veteran, however, has a wealth of experience and a team that could allow him to pull off a few scrimmages.
to installment [23.00] Ineos, let no one forget, has been the dominant team of the last decade in the French round.
Other classifications
But, the Tour does not live solely on the general, in the mountains there is going to be a battle and we already have the French Thibaut Pinot as the main candidate for victory [3.50]. After leaking in the last mountain stage, the one that was podium of the Tour aims to snatch a jersey that has fallen in the last two editions in the hands of Pogacar. The Slovenian, just in case, remains at a quota [4.00].
If we have hope in cycling Spanish and specifically in Enric Mas perhaps there is a quota that can excite the most optimistic. That the Balearic finish on the podium in Paris is listed at [3.50] and everyone knows that regularity is its main asset. He won’t win the race by attacking, but let’s see who he is, he manages to let go of the wheel.