2023-06-11 03:30:36
Despite his injury which disrupted his preparation, Tadej Pogacar still inspires so much fear as the Tour de France approaches.
Three weeks before the big start of the Tour de France, the riders have started the final stretch of their preparation. And the defending champion can be reassured: Jonas Vingegaard is indeed sparkling on the roads of the Critérium du Dauphiné. Julian Alaphilippe to propose to him from displayed solid promises. Fourth in the Tour de France last year, David Gaudu can conversely be worried.
Other riders like Wout van Aert waited for the Tour de Suisse which starts this Sunday to calibrate themselves. Tadej Pogacar will have to wait for him until the Slovenian championships, a week before the start of the Grande Boucle. A forced choice, consequence of his fall on Liège-Bastogne-Liège from which he recovered with two wrist fractures. What obviously upset his plans for the Tour de France. After two weeks of forced rest, he had to settle for a time with exercise bike sessions in his kitchen or on his terrace before meeting his teammates for an internship at altitude in Spain.
Legs will be 100%
Uncertainty therefore hovers over the double winner of the Tour. A vagueness maintained by his team. “In May, we made requests to UAE to meet him, but we were sent back to our 22”, explained Alexandre Pasteur to Daily Sport. “On its spring form, it can be carnage, nevertheless warned the commentator of the Tour for France Télévisions. With riders of his caliber, Vingegaard, van der Poel, van Aert and next year Evenepoel, it’s great! I see the difference compared to my debut on France TV with very boring Tours. »
Tadej Pogacar wants to be reassuring. ” I have to focus on long training and intervals rather than competition because I haven’t been able to work on the road for a month. I will be training behind a scooter to try and simulate racing situations. I will adapt. I’m not worried “, he recently explained, convinced of being able to shine in the Tour de France: “I hope so because if you want to win the Tour and you’re not 100%, you’re not having a good time… The wrist may not be, but the legs will be. I tell myself that this kind of setback is not necessarily a bad thing in such a dense season. At least you take time for yourself, you rest your body and your head and then it’s just the wrist, it’s not much. I wouldn’t say it’s a real setback. Just an unlucky situation that I can take positives from. »
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