Will Vingegaard and Pogacar dominate the derring-do of the Tour de France?
In 2021 it was Tadej Pogacar first and Jonas Vingegaard second. Then vice versa in 2022. So which order will it be for the 2023 Tour de France starting on Saturday in Bilbao?
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Pogacar suggested Vingegaard was the favourite for the latest extravaganza.
Perhaps it was modesty or perhaps the 24-year-old Slovenian hasn't fully recovered from the crash in April during the Liège-Bastogne-Liège race in which he fractured a bone in his left hand.
Up until the accident, the 24-year-old UAE Team Emirates rider had been in scintillating form.
He went into the event on the back of victories in the Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold and La Flèche Wallonne.
Unsurprisingly, more than a month without racing has left his preparation severely compromised.
And in the prelude to the "Grand départ" - the start of the race in layman's speak - UAE Team Emirates general manager Mauro Gianetti merely expressed the obvious when he told the French sports newpspaper L'Equipe that Adam Yates would be the team’s co-leader for the Tour de France.
Choice
“We really don’t have the choice," lamented Gianetti. "Tadej spent five weeks without being able to train on the road. There are no miracles in cycling. You have to get the miles in."
Yates boasts excellent credentials for the position. The 30-year-old ended last year's tour in ninth place, a noteworthy performance after his efforts in a support role for Geraint Thomas who finished third.
In 2020, he sported the race leader's yellow jersey for four days and in 2016, his fourth place finish earned him the white jersey for best rider under 25.
So much for yesteryear. In 2023, he has won the Tour de Romandie in Switzerland and finished second overall in the Critérium du Dauphiné in France behind Vingegaard who will be able to rely on his Jumbo Visma team to absorb the pressure, compress adversaries and obliterate opponents as they did last year.
Repeat
Merijn Zeeman, Jumbo Visma's sporting director, said the team's ambition was to consolidate 2022's success in which Vingegaard also won the "king of the mountains" polka dot jersey and Wout van Aert claimed the green jersey for most points.
"We exceeded our wildest dreams last year with the jerseys and the six stage victories," said Zeeman, a former cyclist.
"This year we are dreaming big too. Our ambition is to bring the yellow jersey back to Paris. We have a super strong team and we believe in our plan."
After the 182 kilometres around Bilbao, the cyclists will stay in Spain for the 208.9 km second stage between Vitoria-Gastiez and Saint Sebastian.
"Those familiar with the San Sebastian Classic will find themselves in familiar territory," said Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme.
"Especially when it comes to the eight-kilometre ascent of the Jaizkibel, which always plays a decisive role in who wins that race."
The race crosses into France on 3 July at the end of the 195km run between Amorebieta-Etxano and Bayonne.
Twenty days and 3,000 km later, the peloton will enter Paris for the pomp and circumstance around the Champs Elysées and the glitz of the award presentations.
Pogacar's goal aim will be to stand centre stage on the podium with the victor's laurels and a place in the pantheon with eight other riders who have won the Tour de France three times or more in its 110 editions.
Vingegaard's will be to extend that list of multiple winners to 22.
Shots at legend for both; mouthwatering prospects for the rest of us.
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