Jonas Vingegaard is determined not to fall for any mind games coming from the camp of Tadej Pogacar as the Dane prepares to defend his Tour de France title.
The form of Pogacar, winner of the Tour in both 2020 and 2021, is largely unknown given he has raced only once – cruising to the Slovenian national title last weekend – since breaking his wrist at Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
On Wednesday, UAE Team Emirates Mauro Gianetti declared Lancastrian Adam Yates to be co-leader of the team alongside Pogacar due to the uncertainty. Pogacar followed up as he labelled Vingegaard the clear favourite for yellow.
The 24-year-old even seemed to add a hint of sarcasm as he said: “Jonas is the main guy for the Tour de France. He dominated in the (Criterium du) Dauphine and said he wasn’t in his best shape, so I can’t wait to see what he does in the Tour.”
Twelve months ago, Vingegaard rode into yellow when Pogacar cracked on stage 11 to the summit of the Col du Granon, never looking back as he comfortably defended the lead all the way to Paris.
The 26-year-old carried all the assurance of a proven winner as he insisted he was ignoring all the noise coming from his main rival.
“It is quite easy,” the Jumbo-Visma rider said. “I only think about myself. I only think about preparing myself as well as possible. I think about how do I get better, what can I do to improve.
“I have only been thinking about training, pushing for the optimal. I am where I want to be. I am happy with my shape…
“I don’t think it matters to say who is the big favourite. I could also say that he is the favourite.”
Vingegaard comes back to the Tour with a title to defend, but he insisted nothing had changed in his mindset.
“On one side I am the hunted but I am also still hunting the victory so in that case it is not that different,” he said.
“Of course things change when you win the Tour de France, that’s how it is. But I didn’t change and that’s how it should be.”
Pogacar was back in training within days of his crash in April, first at home on the turbo trainer, then back out on the road earlier than scheduled.
His claim that his wrist is still not fully healed may be true, but those wondering if it is all talk will point to Thursday’s images of him pulling wheelies on a recon ride of Saturday’s opening stage.
“It’s not completely fine, I failed with the wheelie and I didn’t make it to the top (of the climb) so it’s not perfect,” he said with a laugh.
“I feel OK on the bike. The wrist is not at full mobility, I would say 60-70 per cent mobility of the wrist but every day training it didn’t bother me at all, no pain. I did a scan on Monday, two out of three bones are healed but the scaphoid needs a bit more time…
“I’m not 100 per cent, that’s why we have a plan B with Adam Yates…I think my legs are good, mentality I’m super good, I hope I’m ready.”
Given the tough opening week of the Tour, with some lumpy stages through the Basque Country before an early visit to the Pyrenees, Pogacar’s true form should become clear very quickly.
“I think this first week will be really tough and explosive, you have everything and so it’ll be interesting,” he said.
“We saw the final (of the opening stage), it’ll be super explosive. There’ll be a big selection in the end, maybe 10 or 15 riders who can go for the stage win. If I’m ready, it could be a chance to take time.”
Pogacar girlfriend's snub 'certainly didn't help' as Tour de France champion skips Olympics
Tadej Pogacar has acknowledged girlfriend Urska Zigart's Olympics snub contributed to his decision to withdraw from Paris 2024.
The three-time Tour de France champion had been scheduled to take part in the men's road race at the Games on August 3, but it was announced on Monday he would not take part.
While Slovenia's Olympic cycling coach Uros Murn attributed Pogacar's absence to "extreme fatigue" after claiming his latest Tour title last week, the UAE Team Emirates superstar was back in action the following day at a criterium race in Surhuisterveen.
Questioned about his Paris decision by Dutch broadcaster NOS, Pogacar revealed his frustration at Zigart missing out on a place in the Slovenian squad.
"It's not the main reason, but it certainly didn't help," he said. "I think she deserves her place. She's a two-time national champion in the road race and time trial."
Urska Pintar and Eugenia Bujak were preferred to Zigart for the women's road race. Zigart won the national title in that event ahead of Pintar last month.
Cavendish lauds 'incredible person' Murray as British tennis great nears retirement
Cycling great Mark Cavendish has hailed Andy Murray as an "incredible person" ahead of his impending retirement after the Paris Olympic Games.
Murray confirmed this week that the tennis tournament at Roland Garros, which begins on Saturday, will be his last before he hangs up his racket.
The three-time grand slam champion has endured an injury-hit few years and was unable to make a final appearance in the singles draw at Wimbledon this month, though he did team up with brother Jamie for one last match on Centre Court – a loss to John Peers and Rinky Hijikata.
Murray is the only men's player to have won two Olympic golds ahead of his Paris campaign, but Cavendish – who made history by claiming a 35th Tour de France stage win earlier this month – says his legacy goes beyond his results.
"What Andy has showed, whatever you do, just do it. It's not for anyone else to say what you can and can't do – just do what you love," Cavendish said.
"Aside from his incredible achievements on the court, what Andy has stood for off the court, is his fight for equality between male and female sportspeople especially, and his vocal criticism of people who criticise him and what he does.
"Absolute love of a sport and carrying the hopes of a nation for so long – he's an incredible person.
"Whatever he does, you know he's going to do it with passion and I wish him the best."
Ride of a lifetime: Paul targets Paris Olympics medal to reaffirm T&T's cycling talent on world stage
The rhythmic hum of wheels on the track, the exhilarating speed, and the fierce competition are nothing new to Nicholas Paul. Yet, as the Trinidad and Tobago cyclist prepares for a second-consecutive Olympic Games appearance, his excitement and determination are as fresh as ever.
At 25, Paul has already cemented his place as one of Trinidad and Tobago's premier athletes, as his dazzling career –filled with challenges, triumphs, and an unwavering commitment to excellence –has been nothing short of remarkable.
In fact, it is Paul’s relentless drive and unwavering passion that has brought him to this point where he not just races for medals, but more importantly, races to inspire a nation and leave a lasting legacy in the world of cycling.
“To compete at the Olympics Games is the pinnacle of every sport and one of an athlete’s greatest dreams. So it is really an incredible honour for me to qualify to represent my country Trinidad and Tobago on the world stage once again. It's definitely a proud moment and a great milestone in my cycling career that I am looking forward to,” Paul told SportsMax.TV.
“I firstly, always give thanks to God for the talents that he has given me, as well as my family, coaches, support staff, teammates and all my supporters for their support along my journey. It is the hard work, discipline and dedication combined with the assistance my support team that has attributed to my successes over the years and even now as I prepare to head to the Olympics,” he added.
A series of unstoppable performances on the International Cycling Union (UCI) circuits in Canada and Germany, followed by a classy display at the PanAm Elite Track Cycling Championships in Argentina, Paul's journey to the top has been marked by numerous milestones.
He also won three medals –gold, silver and bronze –at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, with another double medal-winning performance –gold and silver –coming at last year’s Pan American (PanAm) Games in Chile.
For many, that would more than represent a successful cycling career, but for Paul, this is only the beginning.
Despite the many successes which showcased his exceptional, Paul still views his career as a work in progress, possibly because he is still hunting that one prize or moment to really define things and that is the Olympic Games medal.
During his debut performance at the 2020 Tokyo Games, Paul demonstrated his mettle by making the quarterfinals in the men’s sprint event, and while he missed out on a medal, his performance was a testament to his skill, speed, and resilience.
Having taken those lessons to heart, Paul is now hoping to write the wrongs when he again graces the global multi-sport stage in Paris this summer.
"The experience in Tokyo was invaluable. Competing against the best in the world always taught me so much about myself and so I’ve worked tirelessly to improve every aspect of my training and preparation,” Paul shared.
“Whenever I compete and represent my country Trinidad and Tobago, I always want to win and put my best foot forward. My mindset for this Olympic Games is the same as well, but it is all about targeting one race at a time,” he added.
That said, the modest twin island republic cyclist pointed that his charge towards Olympic success will be a blend of physical conditioning, technical refinement, and mental fortitude.
“The Olympic Games is the biggest goal scheduled on my calendar and so I have been working very hard on and off the bike preparing myself mentally and physically for the challenge at hand. My training has been going well and I'm looking forward to participating at the Games in the best form possible,” Paul declared.
"The key is to stay disciplined and keep pushing forward, no matter what obstacles come your way. Every race, every training session, is a step towards achieving my dreams, and like I said earlier, I’m grateful for the support of my coaches, my family, and my country – they motivate me to give my best every single day,” he noted.
Looking ahead, Paul is determined to build on his past experiences and deliver a performance that will make his country proud. With eyes set on the podium, Paul embodies the spirit of perseverance and excellence that defines Trinidad and Tobago’s sporting legacy.
“It’s just another set of races for me, I know I have been putting in the work, so I just have to believe in myself and execute to the best of my ability,” he said with an air of confidence.
“My overall ambition is to continue putting Trinidad and Tobago on the map in search of that historic Olympic medal in the sport of cycling, as the aim is to let the entire world know that we are a small island but we have a lot of talent,” Paul ended.
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