It’s time for declarations of intentions and first appearances: two days before the big start of the Tour, the competition imagines having the skin of Pogačar, expected like a prince for the presentation of the teams, Wednesday, in the Gardens crowded Tivoli.
“We think we can beat him,” the other Slovenian, Primoz Roglic, said on Wednesday. “We hope we can challenge [Tadej] Pogačar,” added Dane Jonas Vingegaard.
Jumbo is counting on its duettists, respectively second in the 2020 (Roglic) and 2021 (Vingegaard) editions, to dethrone the double winner, who has never been so impressive.
In addition to stage races – victories in the UAE Tour and Tirreno-Adriatico – “Pogi” also shone in the classics this year, crushing the Strade Bianche and signing two places among the first five in monuments (5e from Milan-Sanremo then 4e of the Tour of Flanders).
However, he does not have the upper hand over his compatriot, since the two Slovenians have never been at the same start, with the exception of the Primavera.
All dreams are still allowed before Friday and the beginning of this odyssey opening with an encounter with a mermaid. That of Andersen will measure the runners on the edge of the most technical part of the inaugural time trial (13.2 km).
Roglic and Vingegaard co-leaders
To join Paris in yellow, Jumbo intends to play several cards. Like Sky after the great years of Chris Froome. When the British team won the 2018 Tour de France, won by Geraint Thomas ahead of “Froomey” (3e), then the 2019 Grande Boucle, won by Egan Bernal at the expense of Geraint Thomas (2e).
“Everyone needs to be at their best, and obviously we need a two-leader strategy,” explained Jumbo Grischa sporting director Niermann.
It will be necessary to “survive the first week” first, repeated in turn Roglic and Vingegaard. The formula made Niermann raise eyebrows: “I don’t like the word ‘survive’, it sounds like we haven’t slept all night because of this first week,” argued the German.
The possible borders in Denmark then in France as well as the cobblestones of the fifth stage, between Lille and Arenberg, do not perhaps disturb the sleeps, but make a lot of talk. “It will be every man for himself,” predicted Adam Yates, propelled co-leader of Ineos with Colombian Daniel Martinez. “Adam and Dani are the leaders of the team, and I want to help them,” said the winner of the Grande Boucle 2018, Geraint Thomas, whose 36 years weigh, without having prevented him from winning the Tour de Suisse he less than two weeks ago.
The threat of COVID-19 before yellow fever
Will this surprise status survive the first week? Until then, dreams are allowed. Those of the Russian Aleksandr Vlasov too: “The race is long, and if I play intelligently, I think I have a small chance”, affirms one of the men in form for the first part of the season.
Forced to retire while leading the Tour de Suisse due to a positive COVID-19 screening test, the leader of Bora seems safe from a last-minute package, in the midst of a resurgence of contamination in the peloton.
“COVID-19 is still around us”, launched Roglic, deprived for the start of the race of his other sports director, Merijn Zeeman, infected. His rival Pogačar has permanently lost the Italian Matteo Trentin, replaced at the last minute by Marc Hirschi. For a few more hours, the peloton holds its breath. Next up is yellow fever.