(FILES) UAE Team Emirates' Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar wearing the best young rider's white jersey (L), Jumbo-Visma's Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey (C) and Jumbo-Visma's US rider Sepp Kuss (R) cycle in the ascent of the Puy de Dome in the final kilometers of the 9th stage of the 110th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 182,5 km between Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat and Puy de Dome, in the Massif Central volcanic mountains in central France, on July 9, 2023. Dane Jonas Vingegaard suffered a blow to his hopes of a third straight Tour de France title after US rider Sepp Kuss was ruled out of the race due to Covid-19, their Visma-Lease a Bike team announced on June 25, 2024. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP)
Tadej Pogacar issued an ominous warning to his Tour de France rivals on Wednesday, with the two-time winner declaring “I’ve never felt so good on a bike.”
The Slovenian is seeking to become the first cyclist since Marco Pantani in 1998 — the year Pogacar was born — to win both the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in the same season.
And three days before the 2024 edition of cycling’s showcase event starts in Florence, Pogacar oozed confidence as he aims to add to his 2020 and 2021 Tour triumphs.
“I have the feeling that I’ve made progress since the Giro and that my form is better than expected,” said the 25-year-old, the runner-up to Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard in each of the past two years.
“I’ve tested my legs a little and to be honest, I’ve never felt so good on a bike,” he told his UAE Team’s website.
“Everyone thinks that I’m going to win the Tour every year, but I didn’t win the last two times,” added Pogacar, whose preparations last year were hampered by a wrist fracture.
“A lot of things weren’t right after my fall in Liege,” he recalled.
“I found out who was there to help me and who wasn’t. There was disappointment and negative energy around me and I wasn’t feeling 100% confident on the Tour.
“All that built up to a point where I crumbled. It was during the time trial at Combloux. After that I was at a standstill.”
Twelve months on it is Pogacar’s rivals who have endured less than ideal build-ups to the three-week marathon that starts in Florence and ends this year in Nice due to preparations for the Paris Olympics.
Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Pogacar’s fellow countryman Primoz Roglic have all had falls that have interrupted their preparations.
“Jonas was really badly injured (with multiple fractures) but I think he’ll be okay. If he is feeling mentally strong and has made a good recovery he will be at his top level.
“We saw that Remco and Primoz were in good shape in the Dauphine and I reckon they’ll be at their best.
“But you never know. Last year I thought I was 100%, but one day I was really good, then the next I wasn’t ready.”
Asked if he was keen to make a strong start to exploit any possible weakness in his main contenders for the 2024 title he shrugged: “I can’t speak too much about that. The first two stages are difficult and will show where we all are compared to one another.
“We’ll decide after the first two stages how to approach the following days.”
Race director Christian Prudhomme, meanwhile, said he expects an action packed race this year and that Florence is the perfect launchpad for the 21-stage marathon.
“It’s an exceptional platform and should produce an outright brawl from day one,” he said of the four-way struggle for supremacy between Vingegaard, Pogacar (UAE), Evenepoel and Roglic.
“With these four competing with the back up of four different teams is amazing. The Tour has a habit of crowning the great champions and bringing new one’s into the spotlight.”
The 2024 edition avoids Paris and instead ends on the French Riviera with a long and arduous individual time trial which could produce a last day shake up of considerable proportions.
“Replacing Paris was a huge challenge and the usual last day race on the Champs-Elysees is a huge television draw the world over,” Prudhomme said.
“So we needed a place which shines as brightly as (south coast city) Nice does, but one that also provided a sporting aspect in terms of who wins the overall title,” he said.
“This stage not only has a unique backdrop between the sea and the mountains, but it will also sort out the form riders from the fading ones.”
