After his convincing victory in the Giro d'Italia 2024 earlier this year, Tadej Pogacar enters the Tour de France as the top favorite for the yellow jersey. With uncertainty surrounding his main rival Jonas Vingegaard, the question arises as to who could now emerge as Pogacar's main challenger.
According to former professional cyclist Danny Nelissen, the Slovenian compatriot of Pogacar, Primoz Roglic, is the only rider in the peloton who can challenge the leader of UAE Team Emirates. 'Only Primoz Roglic do I see capable of threatening him,' Nelissen tells Wielerrevue.
But even with Roglic, Nelissen is not sure if Pogacar will truly be challenged in the coming month. 'It has been quiet around Roglic lately,' analyzes the Dutchman. 'There is still quite some time towards the Tour and I hope we will see a battle between the big 3, namely Pogacar, Vingegaard, and Roglic. It will be very important for Pogacar to recover well and not get sick between the Giro and the Tour.'
The massive crash involving Vingegaard, Roglic, and Remco Evenepoel in the Tour of the Basque Country confirms that Pogacar's role as the favorite, according to Nelissen, is fully justified. Despite the fact that the Slovenian already has a Grand Tour under his belt. 'His competitors have all had a deficient preparation,' explains the Dutchman. 'Especially Vingegaard with his collapsed lung, he has lost a lot of fitness after the Tour of the Basque Country. I don't see him appearing in top form at the start of the Tour. Vingegaard had to lie in bed for a long time in the hospital and could not be transported.'